Trend Micro's Steve Chang wins CNBC lifetime award

“I feel like (U.S. President Barack) Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize without having done much.” Chang joked after receiving the award from Jet Li, the star actor and ABLA guest of honor, “I am embarrassed.”

“I feel I am too young for a lifetime achievement award,” Chang, 52, told The China Post, “but I accept it as recognition of the work of the first half of my life. For the next half I will focus on doing more meaningful things.”

Chang told The China Post that he also regarded the honor as encouragement to his fellow Taiwanese, especially those who are underprivileged. “It shows people that a boy from a farm in southern Taiwan can one day become a successful business leader,” Chang said.

Chang was born in the southern Taiwan county of Pingtung. Starting with only US$8,000, he founded Trend Micro in 1988. Two decades later, the company is a brand name antivirus software company with revenues of over US$980 million, with 6,000 employees from 30 subsidiaries in the United States, Japan and Europe, as well as Taiwan.

Chang was given the prestigious award for his “vision and management” abilities, which have helped steer his company successfully, not only regionally, but also in the global market place,” the CNBC channel explained.

Chang, famous for his out-of-the-box thinking, easy-going manner and creative management style, is no stranger to recognition. He was named “Innovator of the Year” in 2004 by CNBC's ABLA, and one of the 25 Movers and Shakers.

Chang, who recently founded a social enterprise in Taiwan, Flow Inc., that combines social awareness and business planning, hoped that his success story will inspire more young people to become social innovators, create values from their inner potential and “be the best part of ourselves,” he said.

Socially-responsible entrepreneurship was the theme of the event held in the Cappella Hotel in Singapore. In a discussion with host Maria Bartiromo, Jet Li encouraged people to share social responsibility.

Philanthropy is not his dream, “it is what I have been doing because it can be done. Believe me, together we can make the world better,” Li said.

ABLA was established by the CNBC in 2001 to acknowledge exceptional CEOs and visionaries in Asia. Other winners in this year's awards included Asia Business Leader of the Year, Frank Ning of COFCO, and Asia Innovator of the Year, Hiroshi Nagasa. Tan Pheng Kock of St Engineering was awarded Asia Talent Management Award winner for his efforts in nurturing new talent. Shiv Nadar of HCL Holdings Technologies received the Corporate Social Responsibility Award for translating the success of his company to the community.

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