Our Board
CHING HOE NEO (Mark) | Chairman & Managing Director
Co-founder of West Coast Aquaculture (M) Sdn Bhd which operates a marine fish farm in Langkawi, Malaysia.
Mark plays a key leadership role in the company providing guidance and stewardship on strategic vision and mission, corporate governance, operational expansion and stakeholder relations.
Mark was the winner of the 15th Asia Pacific International Entrepreneur Excellence Award 2016 – under the category of Excellence Leadership.
He is hands-on with the fish farming operations and provides valuable advice and guidance on many aspects of farm operations.
Other Current Directorships
Mark is also a company director of Right Pristine Manpro Sdn Bhd and AP Venture Provision Sdn Bhd, both of which are reputable foreign workers recruitment agency in Malaysia for supply to major clients from US, Europe and Japan operating in Malaysia.
Mark is a self-starter in building up businesses. He has successfully connected more than 50,000 foreign workers to multinationals operating in Malaysia including workers from Indonesia, Vietnam, Nepal, Myanmar, Philippines to big names like Sony, Canon, Motorola, Bose and Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
As the Chief Executive Officer of West Coast Aquaculture Group, he is primarily responsible for planning and execution of strategic corporate plans, overseeing the overall business operations and development, as well as the formulation and implementation of the West Coast Aquaculture Group’s corporate strategies. With over 25 years of experience in the business sector, he is the driving force of the Group.
TEIK HON CHIN | Executive Director
Background
Founder of West Coast with 12 years’ experience in fish farming operations and was appointed to the Board of Directors of West Coast Aquaculture (M) Sdn Bhd on 30 May 2016.
Mr Chin is responsible for the farming operations of West Coast Aquaculture and he ensures that their practice is compliant with legislation requirements, environmental standards and good aquaculture practice.
Chin guides and implements West Coast’s expansion plan. He works closely with West Coast’s CEO with a key focus on growth of the business. Currently, he is overseeing the implementation of West Coast’s Expansion plan.
Chin’s role extends to the marine environment and fish performance from fingerlings to harvest. He has been responsible for West Coast’s production increases and improved fish production.
Chin is well recognized for farming innovation in Langkawi and his extensive knowledge of aquaculture is the foundation on which West Coast Aquaculture’s success is built on.
Key Achievements
Through the extensive R&D conducted throughout the years by the dedicated R&D team lead by Teik Hon Chin, the West Coast Aquaculture Group has successfully achieved numerous successes in the breeding of its marine fish species. Amongst the most notable achievement is that West Coast Aquaculture have successfully mass produce various species of Grouper and Red Snapper.
Teik Hon Chin was awarded the certificate of recognition as “The Catalyst for Transformation in Agrotechnology” in the Aquaculture Sector, by the Muda Agricultural Development Authority, which is an agency under Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry in the state of Kedah on 5 August 2015.
YAW FOI CHAN | Executive Director
Background
Yaw Foi Chan is an executive Director of West Coast and was appointed to the Board of Directors of West Coast on 5 December 2019. Yaw Foi is a qualified Management Accountant with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountant (CIMA) and has over 20 years’ experience in accounting and finance. He started his career as a Cost and Financial accountant, and his last held position is of a Financial Controller with a multinational company with an annual turnover of above USD 100 million.
Yaw Foi is the Project Director of a property development company in Malaysia.
Yaw Foi joined West Coast Aquaculture (M) Sdn Bhd as the Executive Assistant of Ching Hoe Neo.
STUART LAURENCE NIVEN | Non-Executive Director
Stuart is a solicitor and a Partner of Baldock Stacy & Niven Parramatta, Solicitors and Notaries.
He was educated at the King’s School Parramatta and the University of Sydney.
Stuart’s practice is largely in the commercial and business area helping companies and individuals in small, medium and large businesses throughout Australia.
Stuart was appointed as a notary public by the Supreme Court of NSW in 2007.
LEE PING CHONG | Non-Executive Director
Ping is a solicitor and Partner of Baldock Stacy & Niven Parramatta, Solicitors and Notaries.
Ping was educated in Malaysia, at the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) in the United Kingdom and in Australia.
Prior to working in law, Ping worked in the banking industry in Australia.
Ping practices in both the property and business areas helping companies and individuals in small, medium and large businesses in Australia and Asia.
Ping was appointed as a notary public by the Supreme Court of NSW in 2007.
JAMES BARRIE | Non-Executive Director
B. Bus, GAICD, CPA (Australia), DipInvRel (AIRA)
Independent, Non-Executive Director
Chair of Risk & Audit Committee, Member of Nomination & Remuneration Committee
James Barrie is a professional Director and Company Secretary with significant commercial experience in all facets of company corporate endeavours.
A qualified CPA and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, he holds a Diploma of Investor Relations from AIRA and a business degree, and Mr Barrie brings valuable expertise to the Board.
Key skills include corporate governance, company secretarial, share registry, employee plans, treasury, capital management, accounting, commercial analysis, stakeholder relations, sales, business development, IPO’s and mergers & acquisitions.
James has more than 20 years’ experience across a diverse range of industries including disruptive technology, financial services, pharmaceuticals/healthcare, resources, e-commerce, recycling, retail and the not-for-profit sector.
He is currently a Non-Executive Director of two other Malaysian companies along with several Australian companies and is the Company Secretary of three ASX-listed companies.
Our Team
HUAN TAI CHAN | Chief Operations Officer
Role
- Founder with 12 years’ experience in aquaculture and fish farming operations.
- Chan has previous experience in the seafood production industry and was responsible for consistent and reliable supplier of seafood.
- Chan is responsible for wholesale, retail and export sales and customer service.
Other Current Directorships
Chan is also a founder of a marine fish nursery and hatchery company that supplies quality fish fingerlings to fish breeders, including West Coast Aquaculture.
CHIAM SENG | Senior Technical Manager
Role
- 40 years’ experience in fish farming operations and joined West Coast in 2014.
- Chiam provides overall advice on all fish farming related issues including pond management, fish treatment, feed species, grading etc. 40 years’ experience in fish farming operations and joined West Coast in 2014.