Board Committees

Board of Directors

Kwek Eik Sheng

Chairman & President

Natividad Alejo

Independent Director

Simeon Ken Ferrer 

Independent Director

KWEK EIK SHENG
CHAIRMAN & PRESIDENT

Mr. Kwek served as Chairman and President of the Board of Grand Plaza Hotel Corporation since his appointment on 1 January 2020. Mr. Kwek is currently the Group Chief Strategy Officer of City Developments Limited (“CDL”) and has been in that role since 2018. Mr. Kwek joined CDL in 2009, covering Business Development for overseas projects before being appointed as Head of Corporate Development. He assumed his role as Chief Strategy Officer in 2014 and was additionally appointed Head, Asset Management in April 2016. Prior to joining CDL, he was with the Hong Leong Group of companies in Singapore specializing in corporate finance roles since 2006.

He currently also holds the position of Executive Director in Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Limited, previously listed on the London Stock Exchange under the name “Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc”. He is also a Non-Executive Director of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels New Zealand Limited and CDL Investments New Zealand Limited, both of which are listed on New Zealand’s Exchange.

He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine and a Master of Philosophy in Finance from Judge Business School, Cambridge University. 

KWEK EIK SHENG
CHAIRMAN & PRESIDENT

Mr. Kwek served as Chairman and President of the Board of Grand Plaza Hotel Corporation since his appointment on 1 January 2020. Mr. Kwek is currently the Group Chief Strategy Officer of City Developments Limited (“CDL”) and has been in that role since 2018. Mr. Kwek joined CDL in 2009, covering Business Development for overseas projects before being appointed as Head of Corporate Development. He assumed his role as Chief Strategy Officer in 2014 and was additionally appointed Head, Asset Management in April 2016. Prior to joining CDL, he was with the Hong Leong Group of companies in Singapore specializing in corporate finance roles since 2006.

He currently also holds the position of Executive Director in Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Limited, previously listed on the London Stock Exchange under the name “Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc”. He is also a Non-Executive Director of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels New Zealand Limited and CDL Investments New Zealand Limited, both of which are listed on New Zealand’s Exchange.

He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine and a Master of Philosophy in Finance from Judge Business School, Cambridge University. 

BRYAN K. COCKRELL
DIRECTOR

Mr. Bryan Cockrell, an American national, has been a Director of the Company since May 1997. Mr. Cockrell is the Chairman of the Pathfinder Group in the Philippines which has interests in tourism-related ventures, properties and other joint ventures undertakings of the Group. Before his stint in the Philippines, he held numerous positions in Singapore, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.  

BRYAN K. COCKRELL
DIRECTOR

Mr. Bryan Cockrell, an American national, has been a Director of the Company since May 1997. Mr. Cockrell is the Chairman of the Pathfinder Group in the Philippines which has interests in tourism-related ventures, properties and other joint ventures undertakings of the Group. Before his stint in the Philippines, he held numerous positions in Singapore, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.  

SIMEON K. FERRER
INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR

Simeon Ken Ferrer is currently Of Counsel at SyCipLaw, having recently retired as a Senior Partner and Head of the Corporate Services Department. His practice areas include corporate governance, banking, finance and securities, foreign investments, mergers and acquisitions. He was listed in Euromoney Legal Group’s Guide to the World’s Leading Capital Market Lawyers for several years. He was cited in the area of capital market in IFLR’s The Guide to the World’s Leading International Law Firms and in Legal 500. He has also been listed as a leading lawyer in the Philippines in the area of commercial and corporate law in AsiaLaw Profiles. More recently, he received the IFLR Asia Best Lawyers award in 2020. Finally, as a Corporate Secretary of Meralco, the largest public utility in the Philippines, he has been consistently recognized as an Asian Company Secretary of the Year by Corporate Governance Asia. He is an SEC-accredited lecturer on corporate governance and is a member of the faculty of the Ateneo Law School. Mr. Ferrer is a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the Philippine Bar Association and a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors. He is also the International Alumni Contact for the Philippines of the University of Michigan Alumni Association.  

SIMEON K. FERRER
INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR

Simeon Ken Ferrer is currently Of Counsel at SyCipLaw, having recently retired as a Senior Partner and Head of the Corporate Services Department. His practice areas include corporate governance, banking, finance and securities, foreign investments, mergers and acquisitions. He was listed in Euromoney Legal Group’s Guide to the World’s Leading Capital Market Lawyers for several years. He was cited in the area of capital market in IFLR’s The Guide to the World’s Leading International Law Firms and in Legal 500. He has also been listed as a leading lawyer in the Philippines in the area of commercial and corporate law in AsiaLaw Profiles. More recently, he received the IFLR Asia Best Lawyers award in 2020. Finally, as a Corporate Secretary of Meralco, the largest public utility in the Philippines, he has been consistently recognized as an Asian Company Secretary of the Year by Corporate Governance Asia. He is an SEC-accredited lecturer on corporate governance and is a member of the faculty of the Ateneo Law School. Mr. Ferrer is a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the Philippine Bar Association and a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors. He is also the International Alumni Contact for the Philippines of the University of Michigan Alumni Association.  

NATIVIDAD ALEJO
INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR

NATIVIDAD ALEJO
INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR

RICARDO P.C. CASTRO JR.
DIRECTOR

Ricardo P.C. Castro Jr. is a retired International Partner of Baker McKenzie law firm where he was a member of its Policy Committee and of its Manila member firm,Quisumbing Torres, where he was the Managing Partner for eight years. His practice areas included Dispute Resolution and Litigation, Global Mobility, and Corporate Compliance. At present, he is a member of the Advisory Board of Southwestern Institute for International and Comparative Law based in Texas, U.S.A. and of the Board of Trustees of the University of San Agustin. He is involved with Christoffel Blindenmission (CBM), a foundation based in Germany extending assistance to the disabled in the world’s 80 poorest countries, where he was a member of its International Board for eight years. He is a lecturer in the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education program for lawyers. He has been a law professor, bar reviewer, and was a Bar Examiner in the 2004 bar examinations. After his retirement from active law practice in 2015, Mr. Castro has been elected and is presently an officer or a director of more than 30 corporations involved in property development, business processoutsourcing, minerals, tourism, fashion, and manufacturing.  

RICARDO P.C. CASTRO JR.
DIRECTOR

Ricardo P.C. Castro Jr. is a retired International Partner of Baker McKenzie law firm where he was a member of its Policy Committee and of its Manila member firm,Quisumbing Torres, where he was the Managing Partner for eight years. His practice areas included Dispute Resolution and Litigation, Global Mobility, and Corporate Compliance. At present, he is a member of the Advisory Board of Southwestern Institute for International and Comparative Law based in Texas, U.S.A. and of the Board of Trustees of the University of San Agustin. He is involved with Christoffel Blindenmission (CBM), a foundation based in Germany extending assistance to the disabled in the world’s 80 poorest countries, where he was a member of its International Board for eight years. He is a lecturer in the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education program for lawyers. He has been a law professor, bar reviewer, and was a Bar Examiner in the 2004 bar examinations. After his retirement from active law practice in 2015, Mr. Castro has been elected and is presently an officer or a director of more than 30 corporations involved in property development, business processoutsourcing, minerals, tourism, fashion, and manufacturing.  

WONG KOK HO
DIRECTOR

Mr. Wong Kok Ho has been an executive director of Asia Financial Holdings Limited, a public listed company in Hong Kong Stock Exchange, since 2nd May 2007 and has served the Group for over 40 years. Mr. Wong is an executive director of Asia Insurance and a director of several other subsidiaries of the Company. Mr. Wong was the Chief Executive Officer of Asia Insurance until October 2016 and has extensive experience in the insurance industry. He sits on the boards of AFH Charitable Foundation Limited, The People's Insurance Co. of China (Hong Kong), Limited, AR Consultant Service (HK) Limited, Professional Liability Underwriting Services Limited and Asia Insurance (Philippines) Corporation. Mr. Wong is also an independent non-executive director of Sompo Insurance (Hong Kong) Company Limited, and an adviser to both BE Reinsurance Limited and BC Reinsurance Limited. Mr. Wong was educated in Hong Kong and Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia and is a fellow member of The Chartered Insurance Institute, London. 

WONG KOK HO
DIRECTOR

Mr. Wong Kok Ho has been an executive director of Asia Financial Holdings Limited, a public listed company in Hong Kong Stock Exchange, since 2nd May 2007 and has served the Group for over 40 years. Mr. Wong is an executive director of Asia Insurance and a director of several other subsidiaries of the Company. Mr. Wong was the Chief Executive Officer of Asia Insurance until October 2016 and has extensive experience in the insurance industry. He sits on the boards of AFH Charitable Foundation Limited, The People's Insurance Co. of China (Hong Kong), Limited, AR Consultant Service (HK) Limited, Professional Liability Underwriting Services Limited and Asia Insurance (Philippines) Corporation. Mr. Wong is also an independent non-executive director of Sompo Insurance (Hong Kong) Company Limited, and an adviser to both BE Reinsurance Limited and BC Reinsurance Limited. Mr. Wong was educated in Hong Kong and Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia and is a fellow member of The Chartered Insurance Institute, London. 

YAM KIT SUNG
DIRECTOR, GENERAL MANAGER, CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER, COMPLIANCE OFFICER & CHIEF AUDIT EXECUTIVE

Mr. Yam Kit Sung has been appointed Director of the Corporation on 1 January 2020. He obtained his Bachelor of Accountancy (Honors) degree from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Upon graduation, he joined the international accounting firm, Price Waterhouse based in Singapore as an auditor and later joined CDL Hotels International Limited (now known as Millennium & Copthorne Hotels International Limited) as an Internal Auditor. In 1996, he joined The Heritage Hotel Manila as an Operations Analyst and was appointed General Manager of the Company in April 2000. In June 2006, Mr. Yam was appointed General Manager –Asset Management (China) for HL Global Enterprises Limited, a company listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange and he stepped down from this position on 15 January 2020.

He was appointed Vice President of Operational Finance (Asia & North America) for Millennium Hotels and Resorts, which is the parent company of the Corporation, in September 2019. He also sits on the Board of several companies in Millennium Hotels and Resorts.