CNBC International

How Banyan Group Built a Global Brand — and Survived

The video chronicles how Singapore’s Banyan Group turned an abandoned Phuket plot into a flagship luxury hospitality brand and, over three decades, expanded to a global portfolio of about a hundred properties across twelve distinct brands. Founders Ho Kwon Ping and Claire Chiang credit a survival‑first mindset—building reserves, diversifying business lines, and embracing sustainable development—to weather industry shocks from SARS to COVID‑19. Key insights include the group’s core strategy of converting overlooked locations into destination resorts, its three‑pronged model of owned hotels, branded residences, and fee‑based management services, and a rigorous sustainability ethos that influences every partnership decision. By insisting on service‑charge payouts to staff and rejecting projects that conflict with environmental standards, Banyan has cultivated trust among associates and communities. Memorable moments highlighted include Ho’s admission that “90% of success is survival,” the emotional toll of the pandemic when he feared collapse, and the rapid acclaim of the Mandai Rainforest Resort—awarded among the world’s top ten within a year of opening. The founders also stress that purpose and profit are not mutually exclusive, but mutually reinforcing. The story illustrates a replicable blueprint for hospitality firms: prioritize resilience, embed sustainability, and align family‑driven values with business objectives. As the next generation prepares to diversify into impact investing and adjacent sectors, Banyan’s model signals how purpose‑centric leadership can sustain growth in a volatile market.