CENTENNIAL markers are often few and far between, more so in the corporate world. Sime Darby Bhd is among that rare number that has distinguished itself and weathered the test of time.
In conjunction with the group's 100th year anniversary this year, a historic meeting was organised for the third generation of the families of William Middleton Sime, John Middleton Sime, Herbert Mitford Darby and Henry d'Esterre Darby, the founders of Sime Darby, at a special tea session in Wisma Sime Darby in Kuala Lumpur.
Representing the Sime family was the granddaughter of William Middleton, Jeanette McComb and his great granddaughter Sally Hunter.
The Darby family, meanwhile, were represented by Khadijah Jadi, wife of the late George Darby, and her family At one point, there were 10 Darby men living in Malaya.
In commemoration of her visit, McComb presented her grandfather's original machete to Sime Darby Group chairman Tun Musa Hitam. According to her, the machete or parang had been used by William Sime in the early days when the group's estates were first established in Malacca in 1910.
"I am so happy to have this opportunity to visit Malaysia and to have it be such a memorable affair, paying tribute to all that this company has accomplished. And I am delighted at last to be able to meet with the Darby family, given that our families are still connected in name and considering our long history together," said McComb.
Khadijah, meanwhile, presented an old photo of her father-in-law Harrie Edward Darby to Musa. This is the first photograph of a Darby that the group has managed to locate.
"We are delighted to be able to meet a descendant of Sime, who has travelled all the way from Wales to be with us today," said Khadijah.
Musa welcomed both the Sime and Darby families to Wisma Sime Darby for the first time.
"It is incredible to look back and see how far we have come over the years," Musa said.
Sime Darby & Co was established in October 1910 in Malacca where the company acquired rubber estates before eventually branching out into oil palm.
From its early days the company took on local partners, most notably, Tan Cheng Lock, the father of Malaysia's second finance Minister Tun Tan Siew Sin.
Tan would later become the first Malaysian chairman of Sime Darby Bhd after ownership of the company was "brought home" in the first Dawn Raid in 1979.
The Dawn Raid refers to the Malaysianisation of the then London listed Sime Darby. Perbadanan Nasional Bhd (Pernas) raided the London Stock Exchange one morning in 1976 and successfully took control of Sime Darby. The company was registered in Kuala Lumpur in 1979.
Having expanded widely since its inception, the Sime Darby Group currently operates in 23 countries and has become a significant player locally and internationally. It is involved in several core industries namely plantation, property, industrial, motors, energy & utilities and healthcare.
It is today the world's largest listed producer of palm oil.
