Koon Poh Keong

He and his brothers started Press Metal with limited capital and experience

Forbes says Koon returned to Malaysia after university during a recession and, unable to find a job, rallied his brothers to start an aluminum-extrusion business. The brothers pooled about $50,000 and rented a factory equipped with secondhand machinery. ^[1][2]

The family had experience trading hardware, including aluminum bars, but Forbes reported that the brothers began the manufacturing company with little direct aluminum-production expertise. That background provided useful commercial familiarity without amounting to an inherited integrated producer. ^[2]

Koon remained at the helm as Press Metal moved into its own factory, listed in Malaysia in 1999 and expanded exports. He later made a major push into China, a decision he credited with transforming the scale of the business. ^[2]

Long leadership and ownership turned Press Metal into billionaire wealth

Press Metal's 2025 annual report identifies Koon as a founding member from the company's 1986 inception and says he has served as group chief executive since 1993, helping grow the group into Southeast Asia's largest integrated aluminum producer. ^[3]

Forbes continues to identify Koon as group CEO and ties his billionaire fortune to Press Metal, while the company remains heavily influenced by the founding family. His wealth therefore reflects founder ownership and decades of operating execution from a relatively small starting base rather than inheritance of an already large enterprise. ^[1][3]