Y C Chang, also known under the name of Teo Woon Tiong in the business circle in Singapore and China, started his career in shipping when his family left Fujian in China just after the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937. Chang joined his father, a businessman in Singapore but was shortly sent to Malacca - the centre of trade - then to help his uncle to oversee a business shipping commodity between Sumatra and Malacca.

Business was running smoothly until the outbreak of the Second World War, which left a painful sign of how the war could affect all who lived through it. Chang's father was captured and killed in Singapore. Chang himself spent nine months in prison until the war ended. Then, in 1967, Chang together with some friends founded PIL - it was in response to a call by the government of Singapore then for more local marine-based companies. The rest as they say is history.

"When we formed PIL, people were watching me, especially competitors. But I'm always optimistic. I believe that if I work hard I can survive. If you do nothing wrong, you don't worry. Anywhere you can go." Said Chang.

Today, Chang is the Executive Chairman of PIL Group of companies, whilst his son, Teo Siong Seng is the Managing Director.

Teo was brought up in an environment where buying and selling ships is a topic for conversation during family meal times, Teo has ships and shipping in his 'blood'.

Teo leads a dedicated team of professional managers. PIL Group with a turn-over of more than $ 2 billion in 2004, employs more than 1,970 staff of which 720 are employed in the Singapore/overseas offices, and another 1,250 are employed on its vessels.

Its vessels provide regular, reliable container services from the Far East to Europe, the Middle East, Red Sea/Gulf, Africa, India sub-continent, South East Asia and the Australasia. Just lately they announced a new svc to South America from Far East. It has also diversified into logistics related activities such as supply chain management, consolidation/distribution facilities, warehousing, container depot operations, trucking as well as having interest in ship-agencies worldwide, container manufacturing, marine engineering and real estate. The various awards bestowed upon the organisation and the expansion of its group of businesses is testimony of PIL today.