OUR FOUNDER

Vincent Chia, Chief Executive Officer of Tropic Planners & Landscape Pte. Ltd.

Vincent Chia, Chief Executive Officer of Tropic Planners & Landscape Pte. Ltd.

A self-driven entrepreneur and founder of this company, Vincent started off his landscaping journey from a humble beginnings in 1998.

Armed with his passion for creative landscaping and a Diploma from the then School of Horticulture, Vincent began working with Belt Collins International. In 2001, he decided to pursue his dream by starting his own landscaping firm.

Starting off with just a handful of employees, Vincent built a strong team of over 200 professionals today and managing estates, parks and gardens in various parts of Singapore. Vincent has proven his capabilities in moving the company forward and will continue to do so, by being in the pivotal position of the company and tapping on his invaluable experiences in landscape project management.

As a charismatic leader, he motivates his entire team to work alongside him tirelessly in many projects and landmark landscape shows such as the Singapore Garden Festival which marks the epitome of landscaping in Singapore.

Under his guidance, the company won countless landscape awards and received numerous prestigious accolades. In 2010, his display, “A Way Forward”, brought home the first Singapore Garden Festival award for the company; paving the way for future awards and growth. In 2012, the company was the implementing partner for Sarah Eberle, a renowned UK designer, in the Singapore Garden Festival where the display, “Continental Drift”, clinched a Gold award.

By winning a Gold award in the Turnkey category of the Landscape Industry Association Singapore (LIAS) Awards of Excellence 2013, Vincent firmly placed himself as a designer representing Singapore in the Singapore Garden Festival 2014. At this Festival, his entry, ‘Heaven on Earth’, an embodiment of his passion for horticulture and gardening, brought recognition to the company from the international panel of judges when it won a Silver Award. The year 2015 marked a new milestone for the company when Vincent brought home the 2nd Runner-up Award in the Home Garden category at the World Flower Garden Show held in Japan. This is a prestigious flower show which features the works of designers from more than 30 countries. This is the first overseas award clinched by the company.

The team continued to strive under the able visionary leadership of Vincent and clinched the Best of Category and a Gold Award at the 2017 LIAS Awards of Excellence as well as the Best of Show Award and a Gold Award at the consecutive biennial Singapore Garden Festival 2018, 2021 (2020 show was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 crisis) and 2022. Since then, Vincent has taken the team to the international stage, making in-routes into different regions, collaborating with new partners, and participating in projects and competitions from around the world. He constantly encourages the team to challenge themselves to strive towards greater heights and productivity.

Having a heart for the less privileged and those with disabilities, Vincent partnered Extraordinary People Ltd in the Extraordinary Apprenticeship Programme and the Caregiver Support Programme where the company hires the less employable persons with special needs and opens up the company’s nursery for caregivers’ programmes such as retreats and respite programme for children with special needs. His effort was recognised when the Enabling Mark Silver Award was presented to the company in 2021 and 2023.

He is also currently leading his team of management staff in the development of Landscape Academy Cambodia, a Non-Governmental Organisation, where he is the Advisor on its Executive Board, as the company’s corporate social responsibility.  When completed, in collaboration with Cambodia's Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, it will provide free education to underprivileged youths in its Upper Secondary Integrated (Junior College) programme where students will learn horticulture and landscape-related vocational skills in addition to their normal upper secondary curriculum. Upon completion of the programme, students will be able to get better-paying jobs or start their own businesses in the landscape industry. Subsequently, the Academy will also offer a Diploma programme at the College level.

In spite of his busy schedule, Vincent still found time to contribute to the community. He was conferred the Public Service Medal (Pingat Bakti Masyarakat) at Singapore's 58th National Day on 9 Aug 2023. The Medal was awarded to him in recognition of his unwavering commendable public service in the Chua Chu Kang constituency for the past 15 years.