Aung Ko Win

Tharay Sithu Aung Ko Win (အောင်ကိုဝင်း) is a Burmese business tycoon and former school teacher. He owns interests in several businesses in Myanmar under the Kanbawza (KBZ) brand in the finance, agriculture, aviation, manufacturing and tourism sectors.

Career
Aung Ko Win was a teacher, then he switched to tutoring before going into trading and mining. He has benefited from close connections to General Maung Aye, the second in command of the former military junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). While Maung Aye was a commander in jade-mining region of Shan State, Maung Aye offered Aung Ko Win jade and gem mining concessions.

His trading and mining business prospered, and two years later, he bought the banking operation. Then he moved KBZ and his family to Yangon in the late 1990s, when there were only 4 branches. Now there are 485, and KBZ expects to reach 500 by the end of 2017.

Personal life
He is married to Nang Than Htwe, the niece of Win Myint, a former State Peace and Development Council official. He has 3 daughters. His wife is Deputy Chairman of KBZ, while his daughters serve as directors within the company. Two daughters are Deputy CEOs of KBZ Bank. His brother-in-law, Major-General Zaw Myint Naing was appointed vice-governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar in August 2022.

Awards
In 2015, Aung Ko Win accepted "The Banker of the Year Award" in Asia 2015 award at a ceremony held at the London Stock Exchange on 3 December.

In 2017, he was awarded with the ASEAN's "The Legacy Award" conferred on him by the ASEAN Business Advisory Council-ABAC on 6 September in Manila, Philippines.