Robin SK Loh (Chinese: 羅新權; 1928/29 – 28 August 2010) was a Singaporean businessman and real estate developer. Loh was best known in Australia as the founder of Robina, Queensland, a suburban town on the Gold CoastofQueensland.[1] Robina, which turned 30 in 2010, is considered one of Australia's most successful planned communities.[1] He was also credited as a leading businessman during Singapore's industrialization.[2][3]
Loh obtained a Master of Arts in Asian political science in 1995[4] and subsequently a doctorate from University of California, Berkeley.[5] The University of Berkeley considered his business success as a general degree and allowed him to pursue his degree in the Center for Southeast Asian Studies.[6]
Loh was born in Sumatra,[7] and moved to Singapore during the 1940s at the age of 18.[2][5] He began his career in business by salvaging abandoned U.S. Army military equipment.[5] He also worked as a taxicab driver.[2] In the early 1970s, Loh established the Robin Shipyard in Singapore.[2]
In 1980, Loh purchased 20 square kilometres of grazing land on the southern Gold CoastinQueensland.[1] Loh built the town of Robina, which grew into a planned community with a population of approximately 30,000 people, as of 2010.[1] Loh built a town center with entertainment, parks and healthcare facilities.[1]
In addition to Robina and other real estate holdings, Loh also held interests in research and development, hotels, banking, shipbuilding, manufacturing, shipping and oil rig construction during his career.[1]
Robin Road and Robina House, in Singapore's Shenton Way, are named after Loh.[2]
The government of Malaysia also granted him the title Datuk.[5]
