WALKING THE TALK

Whether for work or for philanthropic pursuits, WEE WEI LING believes in taking an active, hands-on approach.

- KAREN TEE

Wee Wei Ling's eyes widen when she recounts a conversation with a family who had recently enjoyed a staycation at one of Pan Pacific Hotels Group's properties in Singapore.

One of the children in that particular family had been rewarded with a staycation for improvements in school attendance, learning attitude as well as academic grades. The family was a participant of the UOLPPHG Community Uplift Programme, which collaborates with Ministry of Social Family Development to partner low-income families living in rental housing to achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility.

"We thought they would enjoy the food or playing in the swimming pool but, no, the kids told me they loved the bed the most," says Wei Ling, executive director of Sustainable Partnerships, Lifestyle and Asset at Pan Pacific Hotels Group.

Leaning in for emphasis, she adds: "Sleeping on a bed is something many of us take for granted but for children who grew up sleeping on a mattress or the floor, a simple thing like a bed is a luxury."

The 71-year-old Wei Ling is the eldest daughter of banker Wee Cho Yaw, chairman emeritus and honorary adviser of United Overseas Bank. She is well aware that she leads a privileged life. This same privilege is what pushes the recipient of the Prestige Singapore Patron Award to give back and inspire others to join her in doing so.

Wei Ling began her career by taking on various "rank and file" positions in the hotel, steadily working her way up to her current role, which includes overseeing the group's sustainability, inclusivity and charity initiatives.