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Joan Chang (Singapore Entrepreneur)

Joan Chang (born 1980) is a Singaporean property developer and the co-founder of the boutique hotel, Lloyd's Inn and the luxury lifestyle brand, Ove Collection. Under Ove, Joan Chang has launched the boutique condominium, The Iveria in Singapore. In 2020, Joan Chang was featured on Prestige Online's '40 Under 40' list in recognition of her achievements.[1] Joan Chang is also the marketing manager at Macly Group.[2]

Joan Chang
Joan Chang.jpg
Born1980
EducationBachelor of Business Management
Alma materSingapore Management University

Background

Early life & family

 
Pictured: Joan Chang and her father. Photo credit to Samuel Isaac Chua/ EdgeProp Singapore.

Joan Chang is the daughter of Herman Chang, who is the founder of the property development firm, Macly Group.[3][4][5] Speaking to CNA Luxury about her early experiences growing up, she said:

"As long as I can remember, I always went along with my father on construction-site and show-flat visits. He taught me to always be respectful to everyone, no matter their background. And in terms of business, to always be practical because the point of business is to make a profit."[5]

Joan Chang is the oldest of three siblings.[3][6]

Education

Joan Chang was a student at Singapore Chinese Girls School. She then furthered her studies at Singapore Management University (SMU) where she studied finance and marketing.[7] While at SMU, she interned at Nestlé where she was exposed to real-world marketing.[8]

Early career

After graduating from university, Joan Chang was offered a job that would have placed her in New York and Seattle. She rejected the offer and stayed in Singapore to work on the rebranding of Lloyd's Inn.[1] Joan Chang was also a full-time employee at the real estate agency, Huttons for about three years while working on the redevelopment of Lloyd's Inn.[6] Speaking about her time at the company as a business analyst and property agent, she said:

"That full spectrum helped broaden and deepen my knowledge about the real estate business. It taught me what different types of clients like and don’t like, which has helped me a lot as a developer. It also taught me humility and respect. As a property agent, you get all sorts of customers, including ones who make sarcastic comments or who’re rude or impatient."[5]

Major projects

 
Joan Chang pictured at her latest project, The Iveria. Photo credit to Samuel Isaac Chua/ EdgeProp Singapore.

The following are some of the major ventures under Joan Chang's brand, Ove Collection. The brand targets a millennial audience and has built a portfolio in real estate and e-commerce.[9] In August 2020, Ove launched its online retail store offering spa products and home accessories.[10]

Lloyd's Inn (2014)

 
Joan Chang pictured at her first project, Lloyd's Inn Singapore. Photo credit to Samuel Isaac Chua/ EdgeProp Singapore.

The original Lloyd's Inn was first established in 1990 and owned by Herman Chang's Macly Group.[8] With Joan Chang at the helm, it was relaunched as a 34-room boutique hotel in 2014. Joan Chang shared the following about her decision to join the family business:

"Many people tend to associate joining a family business with the fact that everything is handed down to you on a silver platter. However, within a business, there can be many other ways to enhance value, diversify or add a portfolio. Ultimately, these opportunities are there for us to carve on our own."[6]

According to Joan Chang, she adds value to her family's business through her strengths which are in branding, aesthetics and marketing.[11] Under her direction, Lloyd's Inn has won awards such as the Singapore Tourism Board's (STB) Enterprise Excellence Award for Best Marketing Idea in 2016.[12][13] Lloyd's Inn has since expanded to Bali, Indonesia in 2018.[14]

Cara Cara Inn, Bali (2017)

In 2017, Joan Chang launched Cara Cara Inn in Bali, Indonesia.[8][15] She shared the following about Cara Cara's branding as a boutique hostel for young travellers:

"Bali is saturated with hotels and hostels, so I think Cara Cara fits into that gap between the concepts because all rooms come with an ensuite bathroom, which is rare for hostels... we focus on providing service excellence by enabling our guests to be self-sufficient and move more efficiently."[16]

According to Joan Chang, the name 'Cara Cara' was derived from the word 'caravan' and that the inn is the first boutique hostel on Kuta Beach.[17]

The Canopy Spa, Bali (2018)

Joan Chang launched The Canopy Spa in November 2018.[14] Located on the top level of Lloyd's Inn Bali, the spa is Joan Chang's first foray into this aspect of lifestyle services.[18]

The Iveria, Singapore (2019)

The Iveria is a 19-storey and 51-unit boutique condominium located off River Valley Road.[5] According to Joan Chang, The Iveria was designed for millennial home-buyers who are interesting in luxury living. The Iveria was the first project to be developed under Joan Chang's lifestyle brand, Ove.[19]

References/ Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Prestige 40 Under 40 2020: Joan Chang". Prestige. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  2. ↑ Kang, Victor. "Around 600 People Visited Tedge Showflat Despite Virus Concerns". PropertyGuru. March 3, 2020. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kalpana Rashiwala. "A passion for real estate". The Business Times. February 11, 2019. Accessed on 2 December 2020. Retrieved from Sgsme.
  4. ↑ Tay, Timothy. "Premium homes for millennials". EdgeProp. April 6, 2019. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Lee, Tracy. "Could this 29-year-old property developer be Singapore's new lifestyle queen". CNA Luxury. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Tan, Annabelle. "Changing the course: Joan Chang leads the millennial charge to transform our lifestyle scene". Prestige Online. August 19, 2020. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  7. ↑ "JOAN CHANG: HOW LLOYD’S INN WENT FROM A LONE BUDGET HOTEL TO A HIP REGIONAL BOUTIQUE BRAND". Singapore Management University Office of Alumni Relations. September 14, 2018. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Chan, Melissa. "At 23, This S'porean Converted An Old Budget Hotel Into A Popular Staycation Spot For Millennials". Vulcan Post. July 25, 2018. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  9. ↑ Goh, Melissa. "IWD 2020: WINNING ADVICE FROM 3 LEADING FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS". The DC Edit. March 5, 2020. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  10. ↑ Yeo, Amelia. "Joan Chang, Co-founder of Ove Collection, Launches Online Store With Home Accessories and Spa Products". Tatler Singapore. September 25, 2020. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  11. ↑ Tay, Timothy. "Proving her mettle". EdgeProp. November 24, 2018. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  12. ↑ "Singapore Tourism Awards 2016: 29 exceptional individuals and organisations hailed as tourism industry’s best". National Archives Singapore. October 5, 2016. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  13. ↑ Tay Suan Chiang. "4 Singaporean hoteliers go big in boutique accommodation scene overseas".The Business Times. June 29, 2018. Retrieved from Sgsme.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Chang, Joan. "The Peak Next Gen: Joan Chang of Lloyd’s Inn". The Peak Magazine. June 4, 2020. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  15. ↑ Dewi Nurjuwita. "How Lloyd’s Inn went from a lone budget hotel to a hip regional boutique brand". Lifestyle Asia. September 12, 2018. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  16. ↑ Chang, Joan. Service for millenials. (2019). Excellence Explored. 8-11. Research Collection Institute of Service Excellence. Accessed on 2 December 2020. Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/ises_research/66
  17. ↑ Paramitha Ganeshwari. "Cara Cara Inn, Boutique Hostetel Pertama di Kuta Bali, Direkomendasikan Terutama Buat Backpacker". Tribun Bali. October 2, 2017. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  18. ↑ Cho, Nadia. "The Most Unique Spa Experiences In Bali". JetSet Times. July 2, 2019. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
  19. ↑ Kissa Castañeda. "Inside The Iveria By Ove Collection, A Condominium In Singapore Designed For Millennials And Luxe Minimalists". Tatler Singapore. November 6, 2019. Accessed on 2 December 2020.
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