Discover the rich heritage of the Singapore hotel industry — from regaling the heydays of the hotel business, to reminiscing over the types of tourists that have visited us.
Through this panel discussion, visitors would be able to gain fresh perspectives on today’s millennials and future visitors, as well as the evolution towards moving to a business focused traveler.
About Speakers
Josephine Lim
As a young executive starting out in the Food and Beverage department of hotels, Josephine Lim was inspired by the motto that “Facts tell, but Stories sell” and that together with inspired leadership from her early mentors set her off on her career journey that included stints with the Holiday Inn, Marina Mandarin, the Hilton, and the Shangri-La Singapore where she excelled as a dynamic and high performing professional. Josephine was the Managing Director with Preferred Hotels & Resorts. She oversaw the expansion of partnerships with independent upscale hotels located within the Southeast Asian, Korea and the Pacific region based in Singapore. Today, Josephine is an independent hotel consultant.
Mark Greedy
From gangster cars in Chicago and Berlin , to putting lights on at the Pan Pacific Singapore when the hotel was quite empty, to accurately forecasting in 1986 his vision of Singapore hotel world in 2020’s, to designing and promoting Singapore4Kids or Singapore F&B Dine Around Mark Greedy, an Australian who has now lived in Singapore since 1986 has left his mark (pun intended) on the hotel and tourism industry in Singapore and worldwide.
Mark has a creative mind and can-do spirit that has propelled his career which started at Singapore Airlines back in Australia and that had traversed across the hotel and other industries with senior leadership roles at Pan Pacific Hotels & Resorts , BBDO Advertising, Tour East International, Jetset Asia and The Leading Hotels of the World.Mark is now the CEO and founder of Destinations-E at the end 2019 and of JOY2ESpree successfully founded in 2021. He is responsible for marketing, sales distribution, and administration of over 2,000 luxury hotels, resorts, cruises ,travel experiences through to high-end fashion and merchandise worldwide with Destinations-E. JOY2ESpree founded in 2021 is one of few true luxury online E-tailers worldwide with over 10,000 luxury products of 1000+ brands within 9 unique luxury genre.
Anthony Wong
After graduating from University of Hawaii in Travel Industry Management, Anthony Wong landed the position of Corporate Management Trainee at Hyatt Regency Singapore with emphasis on Food and Beverage. Learning from the best leaders within Hyatt International, he quickly ingrained himself with the 3 ethos of Hyatt F&B philosophy at that time which till today is still relevant. One is the constant need to adapt and change to stay relevant. Two is be always ahead of the curve. And lastly ‘we don’t do what others do.’ With determination and hard work, Anthony progressed to the role of Assistant Director of F&B before embarking to be the opening team at the Grand Hyatt Taipei and ending his hotel career at the Hyatt Aryaduta Jakarta.
Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Anthony ventured into setting up his first restaurant Hot Stones in Holland Village, and now 30 years later, he has created 17 different restaurant concepts and 2 catering arms in Singapore, Malaysia, and Manila. With such sterling accomplishments, it is no surprise that Anthony was honoured by his alma mater the University of Hawaii and inducted into the Shidler College of Business Hall of Honour in 2021. Same time this year he was awarded the Restauranteur of the Year Award in World Gourmet Summit 2021.
About Moderator
Charles Tee
“Putting bodies into beds, and bums on banquet seats” was what started Charles Tee in his career in hospitality back in 1984. With no training in hotel management and no formal qualifications, he did what he did best; make friends. That helped his career take off. “I started at the Hyatt Regency, when it was not even Grand. I did well there, and I was offered a chance to work for the Shangri- La Singapore, then one of the best hotels in Singapore”.
Charles recalls serving celebrities and royalty at the ‘Shang’ as a young sales manager barely 24 years old and that advanced him to greater career opportunities with senior roles in international hotel groups like Melia Hotels and Millennium and Copthorne and at Tour East International. Today Charles runs his own consultancy providing business strategy, customer service training and he also teaches business, tourism, and hospitality as an adjunct lecturer for several university programmes.
