Dato’ Lau Beng Long

President, Sunway Healthcare Group

“To serve society through healthcare is not just a career;
it is a calling that demands commitment and heart.”

For Dato’ Lau Beng Long, President of Sunway Healthcare Group (SHG), healthcare was never simply a career choice. It was a calling — one that evolved into a four-decade journey of building institutions, shaping cultures, and contributing to the nation’s healthcare landscape.

Witnessing his parents’ struggle with illness, he understood from a young age just how deeply quality healthcare shapes lives. “That belief stayed with me and guided every career decision I made,” he reflects.

Dato’ Lau began with a degree in Biology — a foundation that gave him insight into disease, prevention and treatment. His career path would later span public service, for-profit healthcare, and not-for-profit institutions in Malaysia and Singapore, exposing him to diverse operating models and leadership philosophies.

That breadth of experience proved critical when he joined Sunway Healthcare Group to plan and commission its first hospital, the flagship Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City (SMC), in 1997. Since then, he has played a central role in expanding SMC from 200 beds to five towers with 848 beds today, becoming Malaysia’s largest private hospital that has recently been named No.1 in Malaysia and ranked 138th globally, according to Newsweek World’s Best Hospitals 2026 rankings. Dato’ Lau is also the first Malaysian healthcare leader to be inducted into Newsweek’s exclusive CEO Circle, a recognition that celebrates 100 of the top healthcare CEOs globally.

Under Dato’ Lau’s leadership, SHG has evolved into an integrated healthcare network with comprehensive offerings, from quaternary and tertiary hospitals in Damansara, Cheras, Penang and Ipoh, to ambulatory and complementary care centres such as Sunway TCM Centre, Sunway Home Healthcare, Sunway Fertility Centre and Sunway Sanctuary, a senior living residence. Further expansions are in the pipeline, as SHG works towards having a network of ten hospitals and hence increasing its total bed count to over 3400 by 2032.

For Dato’ Lau, however, sustainable healthcare excellence is built on leadership, standards and trust. As SHG scales, his priority has been to ensure that the organisation’s mission, values and culture of clinical expectations remain consistent across every facility.

“Health professionals and leaders must strive to uphold the “soul” or spirit of a traditional hospital – with a focus on not just treating the body, but the whole person.”

He believes clinicians must be supported by a strong ecosystem — one grounded in the adoption of latest medical diagnostic and treatment systems, clear clinical protocols, robust governance and a culture of integrity and accountability. His collaborative approach and foresight has enabled the Group to lead the way for medical innovation, automation and robotics.

“When you are responsible for patients’ safety and significant investments, trust and integrity become non-negotiable,” he says.

“Excellence in healthcare starts with getting these fundamentals right.”

Dato’ Lau is also deeply committed to mentoring leaders, recognising that the future of healthcare depends on capable, values-driven professionals and leaders.

“Healthcare must always be guided by purpose because every decision ultimately affects a life.”

“My personal value is to be passionate in whatever you pursue, and to have a sense of purpose beyond yourself,” he says. “Healthcare requires that level of commitment.”

Four decades on, Dato’ Lau views his journey not in terms of personal achievement, but contribution.

“I feel very blessed to have been able to serve through healthcare,” he reflects. “To build something meaningful, and to make a difference for patients, doctor and staff — that has always been my dream.”