Blending passion with entrepreneurship, these Malaysian pioneers have mastered the digital space that has become an essential across every industry, including the business realm. By harnessing technology to bridge sellers and consumers, they have transformed local ideas into expandable businesses with global appeal. Guided by clear vision, strong mission and the ambition to meet international demands, these entrepreneurs have strategically leveraged online platforms to market and elevate their carefully curated products. In this issue, Top 10 of Malaysia presents its selection of the Top 10 Most Influential Malaysian E-Commerce Entrepreneurs (listed in no particular order), spotlighting trendsetters who continue to raise the standards of Malaysian homegrown brands locally and on the global stage.
Hugh Koh
Hugh Koh is the Co-Founder and Chief Vision Officer of Pestle Mortar, a Malaysian storytelling brand celebrating 15 years of transforming local culture into global streetwear. Over the years, Pestle Mortar has collaborated with major brands like KFC, Ghostbusters, Honda and Diadora. The brand’s 15-year journey is marked by iconic partnerships and a commitment to showcasing Southeast Asian creativity on a global stage.
Hugh also leads Atlas Collectif, a global sustainable running brand that has expanded into markets in Australia, Singapore, Germany, Amsterdam, Malaysia and the Middle East, actively collaborating with collective partners with notable names such as Jumeirah Group, Adidas and Anta.
Shalma Ainaa
SHALS is a fashion brand dedicated to elevating everyday essentials with a strong focus on unparalleled comfort. Offering a fresh perspective on modern dressing, SHALS is known for its innovative, versatile and edgy designs—ranging from self-designed ready-to-wear clothing to thoughtfully curated accessories and lifestyle products.
Founded and creatively led by Shalma Ainaa, SHALS was born from her passion for fashion and her keen eye for opportunities within Malaysia’s ready-to-wear market. Driven by entrepreneurship and creativity, Shalma has grown SHALS into a strong homegrown label, recognised for its modern minimalist apparel, refined footwear, and thoughtfully designed bags. Guided by continuous innovation and timeless design, SHALS empowers individuals to feel confident by loving how they look. With a presence now expanding across Southeast Asia, the brand remains true to its identity—encouraging self-expression that is unapologetically you, because at SHALS, You Are Speshals.
Adlina Nadhirah
The Founder leading Velvet Vanity Cosmetics’ brand creative and strategic direction, Adlina Nadhirah began the company as an Instagram shop during her studies which now has successfully grown into a respected local beauty brand known for quality, substance and ethical values.
Since 2016, Adlina has shaped Velvet Vanity around a clear mission: promoting simple beauty routines through hybrid essentials that are vegan, cruelty-free and halal-friendly. Driven by her love for everyday beauty, she continues to create fuss-free makeup infused with skincare benefits. A key milestone was the brand’s 1st Store Anniversary at Elmina Lakeside Mall in November 2025, reflecting its growing community and commitment to accessible, empowering beauty.
Esther Erin
Esther Erin, Founder and CMO of Dododots, turned a frontline crisis into a viral success. With an Honours in Medical Biotechnology, Esther was serving as a COVID-19 frontliner when she saw colleagues struggling with severe “maskne”.
Esther struggled with acne insecurity herself and seeing others feel bad about their skin ignited her mission to find an effective solution. The brand, now known as Dododots is now Southeast Asia’s most viral pimple patch.
Esther transitioned from scientist to marketer, applying her deep understanding of medical technology to create approachable, effective patches. Her unique insight led to a brand that not only went viral but truly solved a pain point for thousands that is to help others feel good on bad skin days.
Andrew Ngo
Andrew Ngo is a Malaysian entrepreneur, creative director and Managing Director of Stoned & Co, one of the country’s most influential streetwear brands. Founded in 2013 as a small collective of graphic designers, Stoned & Co grew from a creative experiment into a cultural movement, blending art, street culture and Malaysian identity through bold yet minimal design rooted in peace and unity.
Under Andrew’s leadership, the brand evolved into a multi-market lifestyle label with a strong visual language and authentic storytelling, collaborating with local and international artists, musicians and cultural figures. Its expansion into Thailand marked a major regional milestone, proving its global appeal while staying true to its roots.
Beyond fashion, Andrew ventured into food and beverage with MMM Café TRX in 2025 and Sushi Shinjiru in 2022. Recognised with international accolades, Andrew represents a new wave of Asian entrepreneurs seamlessly merging creativity, culture and commerce.
Qistina Adi
Qistina Adi is a Malaysian young entrepreneur and digital creator, best known as the founder of Qisthenadi, a fashion brand specialising in modern hijab and lifestyle wear. Beginning her journey as a content creator, she strategically leveraged social media to build a strong personal brand and scale her e-commerce business nationwide.
With a keen eye for trends and storytelling, Qistina has positioned Qisthenadi as a go-to label for contemporary, modest fashion. Today, she is recognised as an influential voice in fashion, beauty and digital entrepreneurship, inspiring young women to build sustainable online businesses through creativity, consistency and authenticity in the digital space.
Sarah Shahnor
Sarah Shahnor, the Founder and CEO of Cuura who leads an all-natural skincare brand available through both physical retail outlets and online platforms. Her journey began after experiencing postpartum eczema, which opened her eyes to the harmful ingredients commonly found in mainstream skincare products. Motivated by personal experience and a desire to help others with sensitive skin conditions, she set out to create effective and halal skincare solutions.
Staying true to its commitment to ethical beauty, Cuura incorporates post-consumer recycled materials and biodegradable corn-based packaging. Backed by consistent positive feedback, the brand has gone beyond improving skin health — it has helped boost confidence among users worldwide.
Melvin Chee
Melvin Chee is the Founder of Malaysia-based RPG Commerce, one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing e-commerce companies, behind brands such as Montigo, Thousand Miles and Cosmic Cookware. In under five years, Montigo became a regional hit, expanding into Singapore, the UAE, Thailand and Indonesia, with over 60 physical stores.
Chee’s entrepreneurial journey began during his studies at Trinity College, University of Melbourne, where he set his sights beyond a conventional 9-to-5 career. By 21, he had built a US$21 million drop-shipping business, laying the foundation for a data-driven brand house that now operates across more than 40 markets and 30 stores globally.
Through RPG Commerce’s venture-building model, Chee has launched ten brands across categories including apparel, home and living and supplements, guided by deep consumer insights and market data. The company has raised approximately US$34.5 million from investors such as Sequoia Capital India, Vertex Ventures and Golden Gate Ventures.
Henry Ting
Henry Ting is the Founder and CEO of TTRacing, one of Malaysia’s leading gaming chair brands, trusted by over 300,000 customers worldwide. With monthly sales averaging 15,000 chairs and triple-digit year-on-year growth, TTRacing has cemented its dominance at home and in the Philippines, while setting its sights on further expansion across Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Well-versed in the gaming industry, Henry first established an online gaming hardware retail business before launching TTRacing in 2017. His inspiration stemmed from a simple yet powerful insight: people spend more hours on their chairs than on their beds. Spotting a gap in the market, he set out to redefine ergonomic seating for gamers.
Driven by a commitment to comfort and performance, Henry continues to push the boundaries of affordable ergonomic design, ensuring gamers can play longer, better and more comfortably.
Ian Chua
Young Malaysian entrepreneur Ian Chua is the founder and driving force behind Hermo, a leading regional e-commerce beauty platform. Inspired by China’s booming online beauty market, he made the bold decision to quit his job and build a one-stop digital destination for all things beauty.
In its early days, Hermo faced the challenge of winning over brands accustomed to traditional distribution models. That changed when Chua and co-founder PS Chong secured Naruko from Taiwan as their first international partner.
Today, Hermo stands as a major online cosmetics retailer, partnering with global names such as L’Oréal, Innisfree, Laneige and Holika Holika, alongside more than 300 brands. With operations spanning Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, Chua is now focused on scaling Hermo across Southeast Asia.