00:003, 2, 1
00:03In an increasingly competitive business environment,
00:07resilience and adaptability have become key ingredients for success,
00:10qualities recognized and celebrated by the Star Outstanding Business Awards or SOBA.
00:16Returning for its 17th edition with the theme
00:19Powering Tomorrow Driving Sustainable Growth,
00:21SOBA 2026 was officially launched on Thursday.
00:26Star Media Group Group Chief Executive Officer Chan Seng-Fat
00:30said SOBA has evolved beyond an awards platform
00:33into a national stage where businesses gain recognition and unlock new opportunities.
00:55That spirit is reflected in our SOBA winners
00:59whose journey continue to inspire the next generations of business leaders and innovators.
01:07Let us continue to honor, nurture and empower industry top leaders and cheer praisers.
01:13Together, we can play a part in paving the way for sustainable growth,
01:20not just for Malaysian businesses, but for our nation as well.
01:25Chan said SOBA honors the courage to evolve,
01:28discipline to persevere,
01:29and the vision to build something meaningful for the future.
01:32SOBA 2026 is organized by SMG with CGC PKT Logistics Group,
01:39RHB Bank and U-Mobile as main sponsors,
01:41and Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation, or MA Trade,
01:45as the official trade promotion partner.
01:47Well, SOBA is a platform for you to do your branding,
01:52where you get to, also after you win,
01:56you join a network of businesses, small and also large SMEs.
02:02I see over the years we have a lot of SOBA winners
02:05that have grown from normal SMEs, micro SMEs,
02:10to become large SMEs.
02:11So we need to learn from them how they position themselves,
02:14how they grow over the years after they win the awards,
02:18how they utilize branding,
02:20how they do their positioning,
02:22and become a large SME,
02:23and subsequently become a public-listed company as well.
02:26SOBA 2026 is a very important platform,
02:29powerful for SMEs,
02:31to elevate their brand visibility as well as credibility.
02:34It clearly differentiates themselves from other peers,
02:38and more importantly,
02:39it connects SMEs to strong ecosystem of partners
02:43and opportunities that can actually maintain sustainable growth.
02:47We at U-Mobile,
02:48we are actually very delighted to be part of the SOBA community
02:51because we want to engage the SME communities directly,
02:54to listen to them,
02:56to engage,
02:57to understand what really matters to them,
02:58and more importantly,
03:00to also share our experiences around
03:02how digital connectivity solutions can help their businesses.
03:06SMEs is a backbone of Malaysian economy,
03:08so we are really thrilled
03:10to see how we can support businesses to grow
03:13and to continue to remain resilient throughout this period.
03:17The launch also saw the appointment of seven SOBA ambassadors,
03:21comprising business association leaders and past award winners.
03:24This year,
03:26SOBA Connect returns with an enhanced program
03:28featuring strategic business pitching sessions
03:30and discussions on key challenges
03:32and emerging trends shaping the future of SMEs and enterprises.
03:36Also returning is SOBA Elevate,
03:38a full-day forum focused on thought leadership,
03:41practical business strategies,
03:42and networking opportunities.
03:44A new addition this year is SOBA Next Wave,
03:46a hands-on masterclass series
03:48covering areas such as technology adoption,
03:51financial excellence,
03:52and strategic growth.
03:52Held in smaller and more interactive settings,
03:56the program will provide participants
03:57with direct access to practical insights,
04:00as well as meaningful engagement
04:01with SOBA judges and alumni.
04:04SOBA are 15-20 days!
04:07Yeah!
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