The award, presented to the City Law School alumna on March 16, recognises “extraordinary individuals who are active in initiating or contributing to innovative new business opportunities with strong growth prospects”, an announcement on the school’s website said.
In an interview with the law school, Ooi said she had been nominated for the award by the University of Sheffield as she had read law at Sheffield. She is also an advisory board member at Sheffield’s School of Law.
When it came to the Bar exam, Ooi said choosing City Law School was a no-brainer for her.
“It has always been my dream to qualify as a Barrister of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn and naturally I chose the original provider of bar training, none other than the prestigious Inns of Court School of Law, now known as the City Law School,” she was quoted as saying.
Ooi, who is currently a practising lawyer and head of her Kuala Lumpur-based firm, O S Kim & Associates, said she was first exposed to sustainability projects during her time as a student in the UK. She founded Builders Biomass after returning from the UK in 2001.
When asked about the inspiration behind the business venture, Ooi credited her passion for the environment and for finding solutions to reduce the effects of climate change.
Other factors included the preservation of biodiversity, the protection of ecosystems, and growing concerns about global warming, she added in the interview.
Biomass is organic matter used as a fuel, especially in a power station for the generation of electricity.
In the interview, Ooi said she balanced her entrepreneurial activities and her legal career by having automated ISO management systems in place.
“Builders Biomass is an ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 certified organisation, which adopts automation in its manufacturing facility.
“I am able to strike a balance in my activities by having these ISO management systems in place, together with well trained, competent teams for the corporate organisation and in my legal firm,” she was reported as saying.