Melissa Gail Sing chats with Wee Wei Ling about her leadership style, growing up in one of Singapore’s richest families and being the perfect ambassador for active ageing.  

As if being a senior executive with a large hotel group isn’t demanding enough, the executive director (asset & lifestyle) of Pan Pacific Hotels Group Limited, Wee Wei Ling is also chief operating officer of St Gregory Spa which she founded in 1997 and executive director of the popular Si Chuan Dou Hua restaurants. It sounds like a tall order for the petite lady but nothing unfazes this human dynamo who likes to start her day early with exercise before heading to her office at the ParkRoyal Hotel on Beach Road.

If her professional abilities impress, wait till you hear about the vivacious 62-year-old’s active social life. The daughter of billionaire banker Wee Cho Yawis chairperson of the CEO committee of Project We Care, and leaves those half her age envious with her passion for life, readiness to take on new challenges and determination to stretch herself in different ways. These qualities that keep her happy can also be attributed for her success as a woman leader, and some might add, for her youthful outlook that has made her somewhat a poster girl for active ageing.

Melissa Gail Sing chats with Wee Wei Ling about her leadership style, growing up in one of Singapore’s richest families and being the perfect ambassador for active ageing.

You’ve spent some 27 years with Pan Pacific Hotels Group Limited, a large part of that overseeing every facet of hotel operations. Tell me about your leadership style.

I believe in being hands-on when it comes to management; “remote control” does not work. To me, it is far better to focus on one thing and do it well rather than be overly ambitious and end up not doing anything well. I am also very particular when it comes to execution; good execution is the key to success. Anyone can come up with a concept, but what’s a good concept without the right execution, and practice?

I am quite fortunate, having had the experience of running hotels, spas and restaurants over the past 27 years; as a property owner, I also keep a close eye on the management of hotel expenses. This means that even though I don’t run the hotel operations these days, I am on top of what’s going on. Women, as housewives, run our households, and being a female GM of a hotel is not much different; it’s just like running your own household, albeit a very large one. 

How did your growing up years shape you?

I come from a traditional family in terms of upbringing. A lot of our beliefs were instilled at home - where we were taught core values like respect and filial piety - and at school. My siblings and I are all Chinese-educated. At Nanyang Girls’ High School, which I attended, there was a very strict edict. Teachers were greatly respected and we were guided by tenets like diligence, prudence, respectability and simplicity.

Being the eldest child in my family, I was always taught by my parents to be magnanimous. Their teachings have shaped me into a dynamic and open-minded individual. I am able to accept every comment, good or bad, and can also communicate very well, whether with my children, friends or colleagues at work.

What do you like to do in your leisure time?

I am up by 5.30am three days a week. After my morning exercise, my work day begins. Usually, there are plenty of meetings with various people and it’s always a full day. Outside work, my life is equally full. I do ballroom dancing and have been learning to sing and play the keyboard for many years now. Even though I am Chinese-educated, I am taking Chinese lessons to learn hanyu pinyin and improve my Chinese pronunciation, which helps me in my singing; and I also learn Chinese calligraphy.

Next year, I will be sitting for my Grade 5 vocal examination with the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music. It may sound like I am taking my hobbies too seriously but I firmly believe that in whatever we do, the fundamentals are important. I enjoy the process of putting the lyrics to memory, learning how to sight-read and so on. I like to challenge myself but always at my own pace. I don’t stress myself. What I do for leisure enriches my life and are part of active ageing. 

When I travel, I like to visit wet markets. They are the best places to begin to understand different cultures and to see how people live. I also enjoy entertaining friends in my home; it’s like a clubhouse where we get together.

Having said all that, I don’t think I will retire any time soon to spend my life in leisure. I think raising the retirement age in Singapore is a good thing. Older people are like pots of wisdom; it would be a waste if their knowledge and experience were not tapped on or shared with the younger generation. 

You’ve proven your mettle as a leader with Pan Pacific Hotels, as a businesswoman with St Gregory Spa and Si Chuan Dou Hua, you’ve raised your own children and are a grandmother. In recent years, you seem to be spending more time on socially-driven initiatives. What’s the biggest priority for you now?

What I want now is to lead a more meaningful and fruitful life for myself. I have been so fortunate in terms of having the right upbringing and being blessed in my career and family life. So it is time for me to share whatever I have, whatever I can, with others. I believe that giving back to society is not just about donating money, but also spending time with people. Through my visits to rental flats and interaction with the elderly residents there, I’ve learnt that they are not short of food or necessities but company. If we can just spend some time talking to them, we can make their day. Sometimes we try too hard to do a lot of “extras” but we overlook the simple things. What’s fundamental? Spending time with them. Just half an hour with a cup of tea. It’s that simple! You don’t need to buy them fancy things; just be there for them.

Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions or are there any interests you'd like to pursue?

I just want to be happy every day. And I think I am. I cherish the process of learning something new every day. I believe it is never too late to pick up a new skill or hobby, so we should never stop learning.

 

Credits

Photography: Lionel Lai/Acepix

Grooming: Benedict Choo