The Quest For Excellence

Managing director of EHL Campus (Singapore) Jenny Ang tells epicure why opening a hospitality school in Asia is the right move despite an ever-changing environment.

- Nida Seah

Leading an institution with a 129-year history can feel daunting, but not Jenny Ang. With 17 years of management experience under her belt, the managing director of the newly opened EHL Campus (Singapore) is more than prepared to steer it into a beacon for excellence in hospitality management education impacting service excellence in the region.

The campus, located in a building that was once a boarding school for children of British soldiers, is the first international outpost of the prestigious Switzerland-based EHL Hospitality Business School (it has clinched the top spot as the world's best university in Hospitality and Leisure Management since 2019). The 42-year-old shares her thoughts on the hospitality industry in Asia, how it has evolved during the pandemic and the relevance of a hospitality degree today.

You were previously the deputy director at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. What's it like to move from music to hospitality?

I see many similarities between the industries. Musicians and artists have an unwavering quest for excellence, perfection and beauty. This value is very much at the core of the hospitality business as well. As a people-centric industry, hospitality professionals need a strong sense of service culture and excellence to impart memorable experiences for their customers.

How do you feel about leading such a prestigious hospitality school?

Being a part of Singapore's first music conservatory and now launching a world-class hospitality university are huge milestones in my life. I have always admired the way in which EHL operates, its pioneering role in developing hospitality management education as well as the high-quality principles it follows. I am humbled to help launch its first international campus in Singapore.