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Abigail Tan
Chief Executive Officer at St Giles Hotel Group
You could say I was born to pursue this path
Tell us about how your journey in hospitality began: what first sparked your passion for the industry?
Everything about hotels captured my imagination – how one differs to the next in experience, look, smell, touch, even down to the very important choice of toiletries. My family has been in the hospitality industry for over 30 years, so you could say I was born to pursue this path. My earliest memory of when I first fell in love with hotels was family holidays at the Shangri-La Penang. I would walk into the hotel, take a deep breath and sigh with delight ‘HOTEL’. I loved the smell of it and what it signified.
What truly sparked my more emotional passion was how hotels have this incredible ability to transport you to another place, to enhance your view of wherever you visit, to build an extended family, and to forge relationships. I love how no one day is the same, and the industry offers the opportunity to learn creativity, practical skills, communication, leadership, and people skills – it’s a world of expertise in one place. Hotels have the ability to truly impact lives, and that’s what I love most about this industry.
From Penang to London to New York, what’s been the wildest or most unexpected twist in your journey to becoming CEO of St Giles Hotels?
The purchase of our New York hotels shortly after I joined the Group was definitely the wildest twist. This experience threw me into the deep end as I jumped straight into figuring out how to re-brand a hotel overnight, hiring a new executive team, and learning how the industry worked in a completely different country and culture. I got lots wrong.
But the most unexpected and challenging twist came when Steve, my mentor and the then COO who had been my champion throughout my early career, suffered a stroke. This event threw me into chaos both personally and professionally. On one side, I was rushing immediately to Exeter to be with him for support. On the other side, I had to assume his role and try to carry on his work without messing it all up.
I was a young adult struggling to become an older adult, facing the emotional challenge of potentially losing the person who believed in me, pushed me, and showed me care as a daughter. But the show had to go on, and I had to push all these fears aside and try to be the leader that was needed. It taught me invaluable lessons about integrity, respect, family, love, and who I could truly count on.
My team is like family to me
If someone shadowed you for a day, what would surprise them most about your daily life as CEO?
If someone shadowed me for a day, they would probably be surprised by how much of my time is spent genuinely connecting with people—not sitting in boardrooms or behind a desk. My team is like family to me, and I believe leadership is about being present, listening deeply, and leading with empathy. You would see me walking the floors, chatting with team members at every level, checking in not just on work, but on how they are doing. I often sit down to have lunch with them—not just as colleagues, but as people. That human connection is the heartbeat of everything we do.
You wear many hats: strategist, leader, adventurer. How do you keep your passion alive in your work and your team?
I love how no one day is the same in this industry – whether I’m strategizing for our future growth, leading my team through challenges, or exploring new opportunities for St Giles Hotels, and this constant variety keeps my passion burning bright. Having the most amazing team means that we drive each other to be better, to do the things we are passionate about because we are empowered and free to explore.
I focus on creating an environment where my team feels they can truly make a difference because when they feel valued, believe in their purpose at work, and genuinely enjoy where they work, they become passionate advocates who drive our business forward.
At St Giles Hotels, we make it clear that we are individuals who define the hotel, not the hotel defining who we should be, and we have team-engagement events throughout the year from wellness activities like yoga and massages to team-building workshops, staff parties, and brainstorming projects where everyone is welcome and everyone’s input is valued. Seeing my team everyday inspires me to want to do better, and whether I’m strategizing, leading, or exploring new adventures for our hotels, their passion fuels mine, and together we create experiences that truly feel like home-away-from-home.
Dreams are made possible through hard work, determination, respect, passion
Let’s talk purpose: what inspired you to start Hotels with a Heart Foundation and how has it evolved beyond just a philanthropic project?
Hotels with Heart Foundation was born out of my desire to positively impact the communities in which our hotels operate. It reflects my family’s legacy that showed me dreams are made possible through hard work, determination, respect, passion, with mindfulness and kindness.
The foundation has evolved far beyond philanthropy – it’s become a core part of who we are as a company. We have built strategic partnerships with charities to support homeless youth, underprivileged children and their families, as well as troubled youth. Hotels with Heart’s goal is to be part of the solution and equip those who are overlooked in our community with the tools they need to avoid future hardship. We are working on a big project now to announce in a few weeks that will put all this work on steroids and we are so excited to be working on this – more to come soon.
Can you share a story or moment from Hotels with a Heart that moved you deeply or changed how you lead?
One of the most moving stories from Hotels with a Heart Foundation—and one that truly reflects why we do what we do—involves a young man who was previously homeless. He joined our hospitality school, full of potential and hope. Today, he is working with an international hotel group as a valued member of their team.
What makes this story so special is that he still comes by St Giles whenever he is in the area—just to say hello. He always tells us that we changed his life and gave him not just a job, but a career. It is moments like these that remind me why we started this initiative.
We are incredibly proud to have played a part in his journey, and we are equally blessed to have many more stories like his. Our hope is to continue creating these opportunities.
Don’t wait for permission to lead, just start where you are
What’s your go-to advice for anyone – regardless of their title – who wants to make a real impact in their organization?
My go-to advice is simple: lead with purpose, not position. You don’t need a title to make a difference—what you need is clarity on the impact you want to create and the courage to take action.
Whether you are an intern or a CEO, when you act with integrity and care deeply about the people around you, you naturally influence and inspire. Real impact comes from consistency in the small things—showing up, listening, collaborating, and going the extra mile not because you are asked to, but because you believe it matters.
Don’t wait for permission to lead—just start where you are.
You’re involved in initiatives empowering people across the industry: how do you think leadership in hospitality needs to change to meet the challenges of the next decade?
Leadership in hospitality needs to fundamentally shift from thinking places define experiences to understanding that people create experiences. We need leaders who put their teams first, who understand that when people feel empowered, valued, and believe in their purpose at work, they become the driving force behind innovation and exceptional service.
We need to move away from traditional hierarchical structures toward more collaborative approaches where team members at every level feel they can contribute meaningfully.
Most importantly, hospitality leaders need to understand their role in the broader community. The challenges of the next decade require us to think beyond profit margins to our social impact.
I love good food and even better conversations
When you’re not running hotels or redefining hospitality culture, where are you? Be honest!
Honestly? Ask me this question 3 years ago and my answer would have been perhaps riding my Scrambler (named Daisy) around London or through the country, running away somewhere for the weekend, and most definitely with my friends and family around a dining table somewhere. These days, you’ll still usually find me around the table eating. I love good food and even better conversations. When I am not doing that, I am out walking my dog and spending time with my family and friends—who are truly like family to me. Those everyday moments are what ground me and bring me the most joy.
What’s one belief or quote that keeps you grounded and going, even on the toughest days?
One belief that keeps me going is: ‘This too shall pass.’ It’s a simple reminder that no matter how tough the day feels, it’s temporary—and so is the pressure or pain that comes with it. I’ve learned that resilience isn’t about never falling; it’s about knowing you’ll rise again. That mindset helps me stay centred, focused, and grateful, even during the hardest moments.
Another one by Ralph Emerson is ‘Though we travel the world to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not’. A simple reminder that beauty is within us and in front of us and we just need to open our eyes and hearts to accept them instead of chasing them elsewhere.
