CEO
Grit Event Management
I felt that Grit is the best name for it, because grit signifies passion and perseverance over a long period of time to reach a certain goal. I believe that to be an Iron Man, you need to have the grit inside of you—as the tagline goes, 'anything is possible.
From Episode 16: From Selling Bathroom Fixtures to Building a Sarawak Eco-Tourism Event Management Company
Biography
Awang Saipuddin is a Sarawakian entrepreneur, endurance athlete, Acumen Fellow, and the Founder and CEO of Grit Event Management. Born and raised in Sibu, his lifelong drive for sports began as a state runner and 10,000-meter competitive walker during high school. After earning a diploma in public administration from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Awang built a diverse corporate career spanning human capacity building, construction management, building products, and property development before transitioning into full-time sports and adventure event management.
In 2016, Awang founded Grit Event Management to fill the gap in professionally organized, safe, and fully insured trail running events across Sarawak. Driven by the philosophy that "anything is possible," he formally committed to the business full-time in 2018. Over the past decade, Awang and his team have delivered nearly 100 major events, including the Mulu Eco Challenge, the unified Bamboo Raft Safari league, and the historic Borneo 100 Triathlon in Sematan; the largest triathlon ever hosted in the state. To ensure international event standards, Awang obtained credentials as a Certified Exhibition Manager, Certified Event Designer, and Certified Incentive Specialist, and even became a certified film director under FINAS and the Film Directors Association of Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beyond economic and tourism development, Awang’s core mission is community empowerment and conservation. Through his work across over 20 rural villages in Sarawak, he uses eco-tourism and sports to help local indigenous communities monetize and protect their ancestral lands and rainforests without selling them off. As an active board member of the Sarawak Tourism Federation and former EXCO member of the Sarawak Business Events Association, Awang continues to position Sarawak’s rainforests and adventure landscapes on the global map while pursuing his own endurance milestones, including carrying the Sarawak flag across the finish line at Full Iron Man Langkawi.
Domain Focus
Now Playing
EP. 16: From Selling Bathroom Fixtures to Building a Sarawak Eco-Tourism Event Management Company
Awang Saifeluddin shares how he moved from selling bathroom fixtures to building GRIT Management, a Sarawak-based event company focused on eco-tourism, outdoor experiences, and community-driven events.
Watch Episode