Singapore’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year on Leading a Healthcare Family Business | Lunch with Sumiko
Why It Matters
Chin’s leadership shows how family businesses can drive healthcare innovation and workforce development, positioning HMI as a benchmark for sustainable growth in Southeast Asia’s evolving medical landscape.
Key Takeaways
- •Family dynamics drive HMI's strategic direction and growth
- •Aging population prompts HMI's shift to connected, telemedicine ecosystem
- •Social enterprise trains thousands for healthcare jobs, boosting talent pipeline
- •EY Entrepreneur award highlights Chin's disruptive leadership in Southeast Asia
- •Balancing tradition and innovation keeps HMI ahead of industry curve
Summary
The video features Sumiko Tan interviewing Chin Wei Jia, Group CEO of HMI Medical, who was named Singapore’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2025. HMI, a regional healthcare group spanning Singapore and Malaysia, grew from a modest hospital founded by her father and expanded by her mother into a diversified network of hospitals, clinics, and education services.
Chin recounts joining the family business in 2002 amid post‑9/11 restructuring, learning that “the biggest challenge brings the greatest learning.” She describes how demographic shifts—aging populations and rising chronic disease—spurred HMI to build a connected ecosystem, integrating telemedicine, neighborhood clinics, and specialty centres across more than 2,000 locations.
She highlights the social‑enterprise arm that trains thousands for healthcare and home‑care roles, noting the personal satisfaction of seeing trainees grow. Memorable remarks include, “We make healthcare simple” and the respectful address of her mother as “Dr Gan,” underscoring the blend of professionalism and family values.
The interview illustrates how a family‑run firm can combine legacy, disruptive innovation, and talent development to stay ahead in a cost‑pressured sector. HMI’s model offers a template for other regional providers seeking to navigate aging demographics while maintaining social impact.
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