Salleh Marican

For more than five decades, Salleh Marican has embodied the spirit of perseverance and purpose. Born in Singapore in 1949, he began his career in tailoring before venturing into men’s fashion, founding the ready-to-wear label Second Chance in 1975. The brand’s success paved the way for his diversification into property and investment, culminating in Second Chance Properties Ltd becoming, in 1997, the first Malay Muslim-owned company listed on the Singapore Exchange.

As an entrepreneur, Marican built his business on resilience. His ventures expanded into women’s fashion (First Lady) and jewellery (Golden Chance), but it was his adaptability—the willingness to evolve with the times—that sustained him through economic cycles. His achievements have earned him honours including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2012) and Best CEO at the Singapore Corporate Awards (2013).

Yet for Marican, success has always been inseparable from service. For over forty years, he has donated personally to causes spanning education, social welfare, and community development. As a founding board member of Temasek Foundation Cares, he witnessed firsthand that even in prosperous Singapore, many still fall through the cracks—a realisation that deepened his commitment to give back.

That conviction culminated in the establishment of the Salleh Marican Foundation. Today, the Salleh Marican Foundation focuses on education for disadvantaged youth, humanitarian aid, and social inclusion. For Marican, philanthropy is both legacy and responsibility.