Ong Beng Seng: the man who brought F1 to Singapore

Malaysian-born tycoon Ong Beng Seng and his wife Christina - the Posh'n'Becks of Singapore - brought Formula One to Singapore. A good deal for him, but what's in it for the Lion City?

By all accounts, Singapore's maiden Grand Prix the first ever to be held after dark was spectacular. The sparks flew as the cars "shimmered and slammed" around the demanding Marina Bay circuit, creating a magical scene that was more than a match for the glitz of Monte Carlo, says The Guardian. Many had doubted whether Formula One could pull it off, but the general consensus was: bravo Bernie Ecclestone. However, it also marked a stunning victory for Malaysian-born tycoon Ong Beng Seng, who has been manoeuvring for the best part of 20 years to bring F1 to the Lion City.

Ecclestone and Ong are old friends: they worked together in the 1990s to bring F1 to Malaysia. But "OBS", as he is known locally, cut a low profile at last weekend's jamboree. Notoriously media shy, he is often referred to in Singapore as "the invisible Ong", says the Sydney Daily Telegraph and Mirror. Yet his influence is everywhere. Variously a property tycoon, steel magnate and a hotelier, he is married to Christina Ong no mean entrepreneur in her own right. Between them, the Posh 'n' Becks of Singapore have cornered the market in bringing glamourous western franchises to southeast Asia. Christina's upmarket fashion chain, Club 21, has longstanding links with Armani, Versace and DKNY. Ong himself has made a pile from Hard Rock, Planet Hollywood and Four Seasons franchises; in all, his Singapore-listed Hotel Properties Ltd (HPL) owns 19 upscale hotels in the region.

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