IN THE HOT SEAT – Abigail Tan
In the Hot Seat this month is Abigail Tan, CEO of St Giles Hotels and Founder of Hotels with Heart. In this intimate conversation, Abigail shares details on her unique route into hospitality, along with the strategies she has implemented to ensure her venues maintain a competitive edge in the fast-paced hotel sector.
Abigail Tan, has long been fascinated by the world of hospitality. From childhood, she marvelled at the details that make each hotel unique, down to the choice of toiletries. With her family deeply rooted in the hospitality industry for over 30 years, Abigail’s career choice felt almost predestined as she said, “One could say I was born to pursue a career in hospitality.”
After earning her Master’s degree in the UK, Tan began her professional journey as an apprentice to the then COO of St Giles Hotels in London. Immersed in the daily operations and strategic planning of the business, she quickly fell in love with the industry. “No two days are ever the same,” she said. “Hotels have the ability to transport you, build relationships, and bring people together.”
No two days are ever the same,” she said. “Hotels have the ability to transport you, build relationships, and bring people together.
Abigail Tan
Abigail’s career has been shaped by personal and professional milestones. Her apprenticeship under the mentorship of the COO—affectionately referred to as Uncle Steve—gave her invaluable insights into hotel operations, leadership, and team building.
The acquisition and rebranding of St Giles’ New York hotels was another pivotal moment for Abigail. Thrust into the challenges of managing a new executive team and navigating cultural differences, Abigail developed resilience, trust, and leadership acumen, she added, “The journey, with its good and bad, helped me develop strength and a thicker skin, a better understanding of working environments and how I, as a leader, could impact the health of a team. It also taught me an important lesson on trust, judgement, and growing through the pain of being bullied, subject to bias, and discriminated against.”
A deeply personal and professional turning point came when her mentor suffered a stroke, which she said, “Threw me into a state of chaos.” This crisis forced Abigail to step up, assume greater responsibility, and reflect on her values as a leader. “It taught me lessons in integrity, respect, and love while showing me who I could rely on,” she shared.
Realising “the show had to go on”, Abigail pushed the fears aside and was determined to try to be the leader that was needed.
To read the full interview, simply click on the link here.
This article was published on 13th February, 2025
