Logistics firm CEO moved by tangible assets like gold and antiques

But diversification has been his best financial decision, stabilizing his business during Covid-19

- Timothy Goh

Mr Lawrence Kim has a healthy respect for goods. In business, his logistics firm helps move things around, while in wealth-building, his portfolio is heavy on tangible assets like gold, antiques and works of art.

He bought gold bars in his younger days and recently sold them for what he described as a handsome profit, after their value appreciated several times over.

"I also have antiques like a signboard from the Qing Dynasty, some paintings from a few renowned artists and a pianola – a self-playing piano that runs on paper scrolls and works via foot pedals that generate pneumatic pressure," said Mr Kim.

"I've never tested the market for these antiques, but I know their value – maybe I'll sell them off in my later years to help fund my retirement."

Mr Kim is the chief executive of Ebenezer Group, a logistics company with a fleet of more than 100 vehicles serving the transportation and logistics needs of clients. The group also has subsidiaries in precision engineering and solar energy.

Mr Kim took over the business in 2007 from his father when it was still a marine inspection firm. He has since grown it into a multi-industry group that serves sectors beyond marine and offshore, including construction and petrochemicals.

But the 43-year-old's entrepreneurial journey began far from warehouses and vehicles.

At 17, he started a small business from his bedroom, designing business cards and printing fliers for heartland shops.

That venture was eventually acquired in 2006 for a six-figure sum while Mr Kim was still pursuing a business management degree at the Singapore Management University (SMU).

"A lot of those paper products are no longer quite required as the world has progressed much since then... but I guess the experience made me want to pursue entrepreneurship even more."