Education
He has a higher education.
He has a higher education.
Ow Chio Kiat started his career in Hai Sun Hup, which was a cargo handling and port services company. He expanded this into a multi-faceted international shipping and property group. Hai Sun Hup Group was one of only two IPO firms listed on the main board of the Singapore Stock Exchange in 1989 and was subsequently renamed Stamford Land Corporation Ltd in 2001 to focus on its core hotel and property businesses. Mr Ow hived off the shipowning and logistics business by establishing two other listed companies, namely, Singapore Shipping Corporation Limited in 2000 and Cougar Logistics Corporation in 2006.
He is currently executive chairman of Stamford Land, Singapore Shipping Corp and Cougar Logistics. Stamford Hotels And Resorts was set up in 1995 to provide management services and the group has grown to become the largest owner/operator of premium hotels in Australia and New Zealand. Currently, the group operates 9 hotels with nearly 2,200 rooms, 2,500 employees, and is now also a developer of commercial offices and luxury residential properties. Stamford Land has established a significant presence across Australia and New Zealand with hotels in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Auckland. The Stamford brand is positioned in the 4.5 and 5-star market with a portfolio of landmark premium and luxury hotels in key geographic locations.
Mr Ow is a qualified chartered shipbroker. He is a member of the Singapore Australia Business Alliance Forum. He is also an adviser of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs and is Singapore’s representative to the Asean Free Trade Area – Closer Economic Relations Business Council. He is the Singapore representative for Bremen Business International. He was bestowed the Order of Bernardo O'Higgins with the rank of "Gran Oficial" by the President of Chile in 2000. He was also awarded the President's Medal by the Singapore Australian Business Council in 1999 to recognise his contribution to the Singapore Australia business relationship. The IMCA and University of Action Learning conferred the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) honoris causa to Mr Ow in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2002.
He was Honorary Consul-General of the Slovak Republic to Singapore from 2001 to 2007. In October 2007, Mr Ow was appointed Singapore’s ambassador to Argentina.