KUCHING – Eileen Phoan Pei Fang, founder of a company that designs and makes personalised jewellery for clients in Malaysia and abroad, has won the 2019 Malaysian Australian Council Alumni (MAAC) Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Kuala Lumpur, recently.
The Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak mechanical engineering graduate founded Left & Right Artisan Handcraft that designs and hand-make unique jewellery for its clientele in Australia, Europe, New Zealand, the United States, Singapore and Malaysia.
Phoan was presented with the award at the 20th anniversary gala dinner of the MAAC, which was held at the JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
There were eight nominees for the category. The winner was selected by the Australian High Commissioner and the President of the MAAC in consultation with the Alumni Relations Manager at the Australian High Commission.
“I am truly grateful and humbled to be awarded this prestigious award, especially as there are so many respectable nominees from Malaysia. I am extremely grateful to all the amazing individuals who have made this possible, especially my business partner, Fabian Tan,” Phoan said.
“Our team has also worked relentlessly to grow Left & Right while our clients supported us in various ways to make this possible. Through this award, it allows me to be even hopeful to continue our entrepreneurial path, expand our brand and to implement our brand vision.”
She added that the company, which she founded with Tan while they were still undergraduate students, is working on a plan to grow the brand and will be moving its headquarters to Kuala Lumpur starting 2020.
“It was a tough decision as the finalists were all strong candidates but Eileen Phoan was finally chosen because of her entrepreneurial spirit even before she graduated from university”, said Pat PW Yeoh, the President of the MAAC.
“We admire her foresight and her perseverance in seeing things through. For such a young lady, she definitely has come very far.”
The MAAC has been running the Malaysia Australia Alumni Council awards in association with the Australian High Commission for the past 10 years.
“Each year, the quality of the nominees seem to get better and their success stories are amazing. It is a testament that a Malaysian with an Australian education are more innovative and able to see beyond the horizon”, she added.