His social circle includes royalty and celebrities, but glamour is not the name of his game. Upfront Models founder and director WATSON TAN shares with Grace Ma what keeps him grounded in his 22-year career
Watson Tan is, understandably, a busy man. After all, he owns and runs a talent management agency with more than 500 models and an art gallery that represents 77 artists from 15 countries. But instead of hurrying me through this interview, the director of Upfront Models and Art Front Collective asks if I need a drink and if the room temperature is comfortable for me as we start our chat.
Mid-interview, he pulls a face when he asks if he really has to answer my questions on management books that have influenced him or the apps that he uses to organise his daily routine. “I want to tell you I read management books, but I don’t. And I have a personal assistant who does everything for me!” he exclaims candidly, laughing.
Tan is exactly wysiwyg – what you see is what you get. “My branding is reflected in my company name: upfront. There’s all this glamour, and misconceptions of me being who and who, and knowing who and who, but that’s just the surface,” he says. “I still enjoy being around ‘normal’ people such as the girls and guys next door, not just around socialites and royalty. That grounds me so that I don’t get carried away.”
Denne historien er fra July 2019-utgaven av Prestige Singapore.
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Denne historien er fra July 2019-utgaven av Prestige Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
GLAMOUR AND BEYOND
PRESTIGE'S BEYOND THE HORIZON BALL PULLS OUT ALL THE STOPS.
RACING BULL
Lamborghini's breakthrough plug-in hybrid, the Revuelto, might be the supercar it needs to pull ahead in the electrification space race.
SYMPHONY OF THE SENSES
Prestige sits down with world-class pianist and Rolex Testimonee HÉLÈNE GRIMAUD as she shares her journey through sound and silence.
Tapestry of the Heart
Jaipur Rugs, which recently launched in Singapore, is one of India's largest manufacturers of hand-knotted rugs. Its secret commitment to a social mission of equality and empathy.
FJORDS, FREEDOM AND FINE FOOD
Oceania Cruises' Riviera will make its debut voyage to Alaska in 2025, bringing guests deep into the wilderness of America's northernmost state while delivering The Finest Cuisine at Sea.
LESSONS FROM THE LONG ROAD
An extended cruise from Vancouver to Tokyo proves that to go further and deeper, you sometimes have to slow down.
Checks and Balance
Louis Vuitton's latest fine jewellery range, Le Damier de Louis Vuitton, is inspired by the house's Damier check. Artistic director for watches and jewellery FRANCESCA AMFITHEATROF takes us through the process.
IN DAZZLING FORM
Powered by a new movement, the Asia Pacific exclusive editions of the Round Skeleton Baguette 31 editions by Franck Muller sparkle with baguette-cut diamonds or coloured precious gemstones.
A TIME FOR SQUARE
In October, Patek Philippe unveiled its first wholly new collection of timepieces in 25 years. Prestige Singapore was among the first in the world to see the Cubitus trio of timepieces and find out how they were created.
STILL THE ONE
With a distinctive design including an off-centre dial, outsize date and an asymmetrical layout, the Lange 1 stood out from the horological pack when it was launched in 1994. It continues to do so even today, three decades on.
