Business:
With sufficient money he earned, he started a small provision shop named "Chop Ban Hin Lee" (Firm of Ten Thousand Blessings to Prosperity) along Perangin Road Market in 1890. He stocked goods on consignment supplied through the office of the compradore of a leading British importing house. He bought crude sugar from Caledonia Estate in Province Wellesley and sent them to the refineries of Oei Tiong Ham, also known as the by the turn of 20th century. Being the sole distributor of Jave sugar,Chor Ee monopolized the sugar industry for over four decades.
In year 1910,Chor Ee focused on attention to rice, tapioca, tin and other commodities. A financial firm,Ban Hin Lee Bank was established in 1918. He started his participation in banking sector in 1932 by being a shareholder of Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC).
He purchased an oil mill from Bean Wan Lee in 1935. Chor Ee purchased the Telaingnyun Rice Mill at Wakema, Irrawady Delta, Burma one year later. Rice was imported from Rangoon to Singapore and sugar was exported on its return voyage. Penang was set the the base of shipment for Malayan Market. . In 1938, he moved his banking operations to his newly built headquarters on 43 Beach Street, which is where CIMB bank currently is today.
Sir Ooi Tiong Ham
Ban Hin Lee Bank,
Current location of CIMB bank on Beach Street.
Trading route of rice and sugar between Rangoon and Singapore.
Logo of OCBC Bank.