Leng Beng, the 84-year-old executive chairman of property giant City Developments Limited, previously filed a lawsuit against his son, who is also CDL’s group CEO, along with several board members and directors over alleged governance lapses and an “attempted coup” to consolidate control of the company’s board.
In a statement regarding the feud, Sherman pointed the finger at Dr. Wu, his father’s long-time adviser, accusing her of being the underlying cause behind the dispute.
“(She) has been interfering in matters going well beyond her scope, and she wields and exercises enormous influence,” he said, adding that efforts to handle matters sensitively were unsuccessful due to Wu’s “long relationship” with his father.
Here is what to know about the adviser.
She was a Taiwanese celebrity
Wu, originally from Taiwan, obtained a Master’s degree in piano performance from New York City’s The Juilliard School in 1982 and later completed a PhD in music education at New York University, according to an interview with Lianhe Zaobao last August.
She subsequently moved back to Taiwan in the early 1990s, where she produced several music albums and hosted a popular music TV program, according to CNA.
She met Leng Beng three decades ago
She first crossed paths with the tycoon at a dinner party in Taiwan in 1992, an interaction Wu described as feeling like an interview.
“He asked me all kinds of questions, one second asking about politics and economics, the next second talking about music, the questions jumped back and forth,” she recalled. “He seemed to be interviewing me to see if my mind was flexible and if my answers were consistent. Fortunately, I answered them well.”
When she relocated from Taiwan to Singapore that year, she had the chance to learn about hotel management under Leng Beng’s guidance.
She said that through her role, she attended meetings with him and gained hands-on experience in overseeing hotel decorations and handling inspection processes.
In the early 2000s, she entered the early childhood education industry, establishing a kindergarten in the city-state. She later sold the business and became more dedicated to hotel management.
Over time, she expanded her influence and climbed the ranks at Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, a subsidiary of CDL. She served as its director until her termination in January but rejoined the board as an adviser seven months later.
She is Leng Beng’s “eyes and ears”
Wu was involved in an employment tribunal case in London in 2018, where a judgment referred to her as Leng Beng’s personal assistant. It also noted that she was not officially an employee and was paid directly by the chairman.
The judgment also noted that she served as his “eyes and ears” because of his age.
She has an interest in cybersecurity
Wu became interested in cybersecurity after the Covid-19 pandemic and introduced GeekCon International cybersecurity conference to Singapore last May, according to The Business Times.
In an interview discussing cybersecurity threats while serving as Geekcon’s secretary-general, Wu said Leng Beng fully supports the conference and is its honorary consultant.
