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.

With his passion for creative landscaping and a Diploma from the then School of Horticulture, Vincent began working with Belt Collins International. In 2002, he pursued his dream by starting his landscaping firm.

Starting with just a handful of employees, Vincent built a strong team of over 200 professionals today who manage 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 into 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 numerous landscape awards and received many 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; the first overseas award clinched by the company. This is a prestigious flower show that features the work of designers from more than 30 countries.

 The team continued to strive under the able visionary leadership of Vincent. The company 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 (the 2020 show was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 crisis), 2022 and 2024. Since then, Vincent has taken the team to the international stage, making inroads into different regions, collaborating with new partners, and participating in projects, events and competitions worldwide. In 2024, his design, Nature’s Bounty (Générosité De La Nature), won the Prize for A Transposable Garden at the 2024 Domaine De Chaumont-Sur-Loire, Festival International Des Jardines in France and in the same year, the team participated in the Muscat Flower Festival held from 23 December 2024 to 21 January 2025 in Muscat, Oman. In 2025, the company clinched the Grand Gold Award in the Master Gardens Category at the 2025 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area Flower Show held at Bijia Hill Sports Park, Shenzhen, China. Vincent constantly encourages the team to challenge themselves to strive towards greater heights of achievement and productivity.

 Having a heart for the less privileged and those with disabilities, Vincent partnered SG Enable as well as Extraordinary People Ltd in the Extraordinary Apprenticeship Programme and the Caregiver Support Programme, where the company hires the less employable persons with disabilities/special needs. He also opens the company’s nursery for caregivers’ programmes such as retreats and respite programmes for children with special needs. His effort was recognised when the Enabling Mark Silver Award, with a 2-year validity, was presented to the company in 2021, 2023 and 2025.

 In 2017, Vincent led his team of management staff in the development of Landscape Academy Cambodia, a Non-Governmental organisation, where he was then the Deputy Chairman on its Executive Board, as the company’s corporate social responsibility.  He subsequently took on the role of chairmanship and then as adviser to the Board. When completed, the Academy, in collaboration with Cambodia's Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, will provide free education to underprivileged youths in its Upper Secondary Integrated programme, where students will learn horticulture and landscape-related vocational skills in addition to their normal upper secondary curriculum. Unfortunately, the project ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Despite his busy schedule, Vincent still finds time to contribute to the community. He was conferred the Public Service Medal, Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (PBM) Award, by the President of the Republic of Singapore at Singapore's 58th National Day on 9 Aug 2023 in recognition of his unwavering, commendable public service in the Chua Chu Kang constituency for the past 15 years.