Dare to be Different The Albert Hong Story The Life of an Architect and Entrepreneur
Albert (centre right), with school friends Tan Geok San (left) and Tan Geok Tian (far right). ii Dare To Be Different: The Albert Hong story
Dare to be Different The Albert Hong Story The Life of an Architect and Entrepreneur Albert Hong with Timothy Auger WS Professional NEW JERSEY LONDON SINGAPORE BEIJING SHANGHAI HONG KONG TAIPEI CHENNAI TOKYO Introduction iii
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Published by WS Professional, an imprint of World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. 5 Toh Tuck Link, Singapore 596224 USA office: 27 Warren Street, Suite 401-402, Hackensack, NJ 07601 UK office: 57 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HE National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Names: Hong, Albert. Title: Dare to be different : the Albert Hong story. Description: Singapore : World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., [2016] Identifiers: OCN 940529204 ISBN 978-981-31-4017-2 (hardcover) Subjects: LCSH: Hong, Albert. Architects--Singapore--Biography. Classification: LCC NA1530.S55 DDC 720.92--dc23 Copyright 2016 by Albert Hong All rights reserved. Desk Editor: Shreya Gopi Designer: Jimmy Low Front endpaper: RSP's Nakheel Mall & Tower, located in the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. Back endpaper: The Jubilee Land housing complex in Almaty, Kazakhstan, developed by RSP and KAZGOR. Image preceding Dedication: The Oberoi Hotel Gurgaon, an award-winning project in India. Image courtesy of RSP (India). Printed in Singapore vi Dare To Be Different: The Albert Hong story
To my late mother, whose love and dedication towards me never faltered, despite all the pain and obstacles she faced in life, and who taught me never to waiver in my faith in God Almighty. Introduction vii
Acknowledgements Dare to be Different Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com Countless people have helped me during my long life, and I owe them a debt of gratitude. There is not enough space to acknowledge them all here. However, I would like to mention just a few. I owe much to my late mother for her unconditional love and guidance; and to my late wife Peggie, for her loyalty and unwavering support. I thank my twin brother Eddie Hong for being such a devoted brother. I must thank Robert Kuok for much wise counsel and advice on business matters. I am grateful to Dr Phay Seng Whatt, who offered me not only career guidance, but friendship, and consented to be the godfather of my daughter Angela. He was a man of high principle. I cannot forget my debt to Ong Sek Pek, for his help and kindness when I was working in Malacca many years ago. I owe much to Piet Yap, who gave me my first big break in business. I must mention my secretary Annie Siew, who has shown enormous loyalty and dedication over these past 51 years. Finally I thank Sharmila Gunasingham, who inspired me to produce this book, and Amresh Gunasingham, who spearheaded the project with the help of GR Visions, Timothy Auger and K. C. Vijayan. viii Dare To Be Different: The Albert Hong story
Foreword D r Albert Hong has built a career through hard work and a spirit of enterprise. Over the past 50 years, he worked his way up the ranks of Dare to be Different Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com the Singapore office of Raglan Squire to become Executive Chairman of the firm, now known as RSP. Albert was ahead of his peers in recognising the need to look beyond Singapore. Under his leadership, RSP embarked on projects in Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, the Middle East and most successful of all India. This was before most people saw the potential of these markets. His vision has led his firm to become one of the biggest architectural firms in Southeast Asia. Beyond personal achievements, a man s legacy is defined by his contribution back to the nation and community. In this, Albert has given back generously. In his early years, he donated time and professional expertise to public institutions such as the Housing and Development Board and the Singapore Institute of Architects. He recognised education as the most important key to success. He thus gave generous support to many educational institutions, including Raffles Institution and the Singapore University of Technology and Design. He also helped deserving individuals. This book provides a glimpse of Albert s life his perseverance, entrepreneurial spirit, dreams and contributions to society. He is a worthy example for any aspiring entrepreneurial professional to follow. Goh Chok Tong Emeritus Senior Minister Introduction 10049_FMatters.indd 9 ix 8/4/16 3:11 PM