Madam Kuok’s ability to unite people and mediate between differing opinions has been a great asset to her in her various roles
Madam Kay Kuok, best known for her role as Executive Chairman of Shangri-La Hotel Singapore, and who is also the President of the Singapore Hotel Association (since 2005), entered the tourism industry not by vocation but by family ties.
Her family established the Shangri-La hotel group and Madam Kuok, a trained lawyer who ran her own legal practice between 1974 and 1983, got involved with the tourism industry directly in the early 1990s when she became a director of Shangri-La’s hotels in Singapore.
She cited as a motivation factor “the opportunity to participate in an industry that is growing so fast and that has so much to offer, and to be able to help shape it in the areas where we operate.”
Her roles extend well beyond hospitality and tourism, into healthcare and the arts: She is the Chairman of the National Healthcare Group and Charter Member of the National Arts Council.
She may wear many hats, but is by no means constantly in the spotlight – those who have worked with her describe her as quiet and unassuming, and as someone who would rather take a back seat than be in the limelight. One such person who has worked with her is Ms Jennie Chua, Chief Corporate Officer of the CapitaLand Group.
Congratulating Madam Kuok on her award, Ms Chua said: “Kay Kuok is one of those rare individuals who prefers to keep a low profile but whose influence in the area she chooses to work in is profound.”
Added Ms Chua, who was President and CEO, Raffles Holdings Limited till January 2007: “Since she started working in hospitality in the early 1990s, Kay has wielded a quiet but strong influence behind the scenes. She has the ability to unite people and mediate differences in pursuit of a common vision.
“I saw this ability at full play when we were both on the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) Skills Training Council and it is precisely because of this ability that we were able to accomplish so much in this Council.
“We also worked together in the MOH (Ministry of Health) Holdings and again she was able to bring different people together, mediate the differences and get everybody behind a common purpose.”
Asked what attributes defined Madam Kuok, Ms Chua cited “quality, integrity and sincerity.”
“She means what she says and she does what she means,” she said.
Another person who has worked closely with Madam Kuok is Mr Giovanni Angelini, who until earlier this year was Managing Director of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.
Mr Angelini said: “I had the honour to work with Kay for over 18 years in a number of hotels in Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines and I am very happy that she has been awarded this well-deserved recognition.”
He added: “Kay has all the prerequisites of a leader such as vision, commitment to growth, clarity on directions and expectations, delegation and the ability to make people feel at ease and, at the same time, accountable.
“I admire her working style, consistency in her directions and caring attitude. She cared as much about promoting tourism and business growth as the human element.”
Which explains Madam Kuok’s commitment to philanthropy. Shangri-La Singapore supports numerous worthy causes, and Madam Kuok sits on the Board of the Viva Foundation, which targets to improve the care and cure of children with cancer.
In presenting this award to Madam Kuok, STB recognised “her continuing leadership and dedication to tourism in Singapore.”
Said Madam Kuok, “It is a special award for me too as my uncle Robert Kuok received this same award from the then Singapore Tourist Promotion Board for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism inn 1986 and it has been his vision and support that have allowed me to learn about and participate in this very exciting industry.”
