Ms Leong joined Raffles Holdings in 2001 to lead the finance/investments, legal/secretariat and investor relations portfolios, rapidly taking on expanded responsibilities in the group's business development and operations since two years ago.

She was also the chief executive of Raffles International, Raffles Holdings' hotel management arm, until the recent sale.

The $1.72 billion deal, which saw Raffles Holdings' entire hotel operations, including the venerable Raffles Hotel, changing hands to United States private equity firm Colony Capital, was completed at the end of September.

Mr Yong oversaw major capital works for the upgrading of hotels and the development of new hotels in the Raffles International portfolio from May 2000 until the sale.