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Asia’s most prestigious, and the region’s only awards programme dedicated to the furniture trade and industry, concluded with an impressive turnout at the grand award presentation ceremony cum gala dinner on December 9, 2009.

Two concurrent chapters of the Furniture Leadership Award (FLA) were featured that night – the ceremony was held for both the inaugural Asian Furniture Leadership Award (AFLA) 2009 and the 2nd Malaysian Furniture Leadership Award (MFLA) 2009.

More than 400 guests, including industry dignitaries, graced the function held at the KL Hilton Hotel, in Malaysia. Amongst them were YB Tan Sri Bernard Giluk Dompok, Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities, who was the night’s Guest-of-Honour; YB Datuk Siringan Gubat, Chairman of the Malaysian Furniture Promotion Council (MFPC); Mr Lor Lean Sen, President of the Malaysian Furniture Entrepreneurship Association (MFEA); Mr Jerry Tan, Chairman of the ASEAN Furniture Industries Council (AFIC); Mr Au Leck Chai, CEO of MFPC; Mr Richard Lee, President of Malaysian Furniture Industry Council, as well as VIP buyers from across the globe.

In his speech that night, Minister Dompok said: “Malaysian furniture industry continues to strengthen its foothold in the global markets… Together, we ensure that Malaysian furniture stays relevant as a major supplier to the world.”

FLA Founder/Programme Director, Dr Casey Loo, said in his welcome address that evening: “Together, AFLA and MFLA mark a significant milestone in the history of Asian furniture. The region collectively accounts for a very large share of the world’s furniture production, yet known solely for the low priced products. This, a distorted image of the Asian furniture industry, will change. It will not happen overnight but surely and it is making good progress.”
Export giant, China, of late has surpassed Italy to become the world's No. 1 furniture exporter, accounting for 20 percent of global total furniture production. In the first nine months of 2009, total export value exceeded US$18.19 billion.

Vietnam, on the other hand, with exponential economic growth now accounts of one percent of total world output of furniture. Malaysia in 2008 was ranked among the world’s top 10 exporters of furniture, and brought in RM 8.72 billion in foreign exchange earnings.

Singapore and Thailand, though never part of the volume game, are the region’s forerunners in trendsetting designs and styles.

Drivers of such excellent performance of Asian furniture are these outstanding leaders we honour in the FLA. FLA pays tribute to their international standards of corporate governance and product competitiveness.

The FLA is conceived to serve three main purposes:
1. To recognise entrepreneurial and leadership excellence;
2. To provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to assess and review their leadership and management standards;
3.To inspire, motivate and create effective role models for other furniture entrepreneurs in the country and the region. It is hoped that through this, enterprising new blood will be encouraged to join the ranks of successful leaders in the business.

Winners of both AFLA and MFLA are featured in local newspaper advertisements, international trade magazines as well as in the Gala Dinner Programme Book and FLA Supplement.