‘Grab the opportunities, ride the storm,’ says CDL’s Kwek Leng Beng

HAVING grown its property business well beyond Singapore’s shores, City Developments (CDL) executive chairman Kwek Leng Beng hopes the group will continue to make its mark in the world.

“In the years to come, I would like CDL to have more presence in many parts of the world. I think there are opportunities, but all we need to do is to grab them and ride the storm,” Kwek said on Tuesday (Sep 5) evening, at a gala dinner celebrating the group’s 60th anniversary.

Since 1963, CDL has grown from eight employees to become a global real estate company with over 8,000 employees worldwide. Assets have grown from S$18 million in 1972 to S$31 billion today, and a strategic push to diversify led the group to build its overseas property development and asset management businesses over the last decade.

In conjunction with its 60th anniversary, CDL also worked with the National Council of Social Service to set up a 14,400 square foot wellness centre for children and families at its City Square Mall.