The EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards celebrate entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence in business. Jim’s accomplishment, which comes just weeks before the organization he set up and led celebrates its 60th anniversary, highlights his personal success but also underscores the impact of his entrepreneurial spirit on the Hong Kong and China region at large.
Jim Thompson, the founder and chairman of Crown Worldwide Group, has been awarded the EY Entrepreneur of the Year™ 2024 award for Hong Kong/Macau.
This prestigious award acknowledges his lifelong contribution to building a globally competitive business within the region over nearly six decades.
Starting out with just $1,000 in 1965, Jim has ridden the waves of accelerated globalization to build Crown, a privately owned, global logistics company committed to making it simpler to live, work, and do business anywhere in the world.
Crown has relocated millions of families and helps organizations maximize their corporate assets, from information to office furniture. With five international brands and local businesses like Crown Wine Cellars in Hong Kong, the company employs 3,000 people in 45 countries.
The award also recognized that his impact goes beyond business. He is heavily involved in several charities and serves on the boards of various organizations, particularly those devoted to children’s welfare, cancer research, education, and the arts. Jim has ensured that giving back to the local communities in which we operate makes up the fabric of Crown’s DNA and its values.
At the award ceremony held at the Marriott Hotel in Guangzhou, Jim received the Grand Winner title among the top 10 winners across multiple categories, including Health Sciences and Wellness, Technology, Services, and Energy and Resources.
Accepting the award, Jim said: “Entrepreneurs are the backbone of the global economy, and I am grateful to EY for recognizing our contributions globally. However, no entrepreneur is a one-man band, and I dedicate this award to my team. Crown’s success is owed to the incredible people in our company, not just in Hong Kong but all over the world.
“But having lived in Hong Kong for most of my life, I feel very much at home here. Crown’s success, and indeed my own, is in many ways, down to the opportunities and advantages of operating from Hong Kong, which has been our global headquarters for over 50 years. I believe we are now in the Asian century, and I’m excited to see the development of Hong Kong and Greater China and what the future holds.
“It is humbling to receive this award now, as we get ready to celebrate 60 wonderful years, and as the organization continues to diversify further and meet the needs of its customers. This, of course, requires an entrepreneurial spirit that I am proud exists right the way through our great company; a spirit that takes us into the next 60 years with great excitement and optimism.