Tag Archives: Forbes Asia
* Thai Union Frozen is the Big Kahuna of Tuna
By Susan J. Cunningham
Forbes Asia Magazine
Thailand has long boasted a seafood superpower. Now second-generation leader Thiraphong Chansiri has made Thai Union Frozen truly global.
Last year, when the world’s largest tuna exporter announced it was buying 143-year-old John West and three other venerable European seafood brands in an $883 million deal, few Europeans had heard of Thai Union Frozen. “In fact, very few Thai people would know our company,” says Thai Union President Thiraphong Chansiri.
“It’s our culture, our personality. We never paid much attention to the press.” For years it was primarily a contract producer for international brands, and it still draws more than 90% of its revenue from overseas, so it was enough to be respected by investors, analysts and heavyweight customers in the U.S. and Japan, he says.
That’s changed under the 46-year-old Thiraphong, the eldest son of a cofounder and the face of a company that never needed a face before. Thai Union has wholly owned the third most popular US tuna brand, Chicken of the Sea, since 2000. Now, with the purchase of John West, France’s Hyacinthe Parmentier and … MORE
For those that persist to the end, I’m not responsible for the many Thai companies that “floundered” in 1997; they foundered, of course.
* 48 Heroes of Philanthropy
From helping earthquake victims to sending poor kids to college, they’re boosting the region in many ways.
We pick 48 givers, 4 from each of 12 countries. Some are big tycoons, even billionaires, who have a large vision of how best to help society and have donated millions of dollars to back up that vision. Others are little-known citizens who are extremely generous with their limited funds … MORE
Written by several Forbes contributors, including me.
* Back To His Roots
Washington SyCip attended Philippine public schools when they were among the best in Asia. Now nearly 90, he’s working to make them good again.
Washington SyCip at SGV, April 2011
