“Kwek Leng Beng’s story is worth reading. In my years interacting with him as a government minister and as a friend, I found him thoughtful, realistic, and creative. He is not given to publicity or flashy living. He is a worrier. His lifework consisted of building on what he inherited from his father and turning CDL into a remarkable international enterprise.”
– George Yeo, former Cabinet Minister of Singapore
For the first time, the legendary dealmaker opens up on his six decades of breakthroughs in sectors ranging from real estate to hospitality, from finance to manufacturing.
Just who the heck is Kwek? Kwek Leng Beng may be one of Singapore’s most successful businessmen, but he is also among the country’s most enigmatic. While his companies and brands are blue-chip counters and household names, the man has steadfastly remained reticent and at times mysterious.
Few know that he owns a global hotel empire across five continents or had the measure of Donald Trump in New York. Even in Singapore, many have only a faint inkling that he had a hand in the iconic architectures that dot the Marina Bay skyline, from The Sail to The South Beach, and also Marina Bay Sands.
In the hands of bestselling author and journalist Peh Shing Huei, the first authorised biography of Kwek offers:
- The secrets behind the straight-talking business leader’s success over six decades of breakthroughs
- Rare access and insights into Kwek’s idiosyncrasies and personal principles
- A look into his tormented relationship with his father and his plans for succession
Strictly Business: The Kwek Leng Beng Story is a rare private sector addition to Singapore literature, one hitherto dominated by politics and government. Most importantly, it finally takes a stab at answering the question: “Just who the heck is Kwek?”
About the Author
Peh Shing Huei is a Singapore Literature Prize-winning author and journalist. He was The Straits Times‘ news editor and China bureau chief. He is the author of 12 books, including seven bestsellers: When the Party Ends, Neither Civil Nor Servant, Tall Order and Standing Tall: The Goh Chok Tong Years, The Last Fools, The Price of Being Fair, and Strictly Business: The Kwek Leng Beng Story. He is a regular commentator on Singapore and China affairs. He is a graduate of the National University of Singapore and Columbia University in New York.
Product Description
ISBN: 978-981-12-8448-9 (Hardcover), 978-981-12-8451-9 (Softcover)
Page Count: 300
Year Published: 2023
Author: Peh Shing Huei
Publisher: World Scientific Publishing & The Nutgraf Books
Reviews
“Kwek Leng Beng’s story is worth reading… He is not given to publicity or flashy living. He is a worrier. His lifework consisted of building on what he inherited from his father and turning CDL into a remarkable international enterprise.”
– George Yeo, former Cabinet Minister of Singapore
“There are very few people who have weathered the significant ups and downs of the hotel business better than him. I have admired his tenacity, instincts and pure determination at building CDL into the organisation it is today – an amazing achievement by an amazing man.”
– David Michels, former Chief Executive of the Hilton Group
“LB is one of the most respected personalities in Asian real estate and his biography will be a precious recollection of how the enterprise was built through the ups and downs of the property cycle as well as global business cycle, his knack for the deals be it at home or abroad, and his instinctive understanding of international real estate. It is a valuable part of the annals of Singapore real estate and business, and most certainly an essential read for those of us in business.”
– Philip Ng, Chief Executive Officer of Far East Organisation
“The fascinating story of one of Singapore’s great entrepreneurs and developers. The mysterious Kwek Leng Beng comes to life as he travels the world and builds a great hotel empire, real estate developments and a wide variety of other businesses. This is a tale of power, wealth, combined with sheer determination, which reads as a metaphor for Singapore’s rise as a nation.”
– Moshe Safdie, architect of Marina Bay Sands and Jewel Changi Airport
“Kwek Leng Beng is a maverick entrepreneur who is deeply passionate about hotels and properties… There are few Asian business leaders with his proven track record across six decades. Strictly Business tells you the secrets behind this master dealmaker’s success.”
– Philip Yeo, former Chairman of the Economic Development Board in Singapore
“This long overdue book captures his sharp business instincts. It places him among the giants of Asia’s top business leaders.”
– W. Chan Kim, Distinguished Professor and Co-director of the INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute
Behind the Book
Telling the story of this maverick businessman was no mean feat. Kwek lived up to his reputation as a man of few words. It is why, despite hours of conversation, six interviews between Peh, our team, and Kwek in his office in Republic Plaza and the opulent presidential suits at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront and the St. Regis Singapore were hardly enough. Anything that was not strictly business was hardly worth talking about. Small talk? Get out.
To fill in the gaps, Peh spoke to nearly 30 of Kwek’s business associates, colleagues, family members, and his few friends. These were supplemented by months of research from books, newspaper articles, and company annual reports.
Just like how he had to get creative with his sources of information, he also plays with form in this authorised biography, breaking with conventional prose in certain chapters to present the narrative in interesting listicles and even song lyrics.
