Claire Chiang is a co-founder and Senior Vice President of Banyan Group (formerly Banyan Tree Holdings), an international hospitality company managing a portfolio of over 100 properties across brands including Banyan Tree, Angsana, Cassia, Dhawa, and Laguna. She pioneered the Group’s retail arm, Banyan Tree Gallery, championing a philosophy of "community capitalism" by sourcing traditional craftwork directly from indigenous artisans.
Alongside her executive leadership in China business development and human capital, she serves as Chairperson of the Banyan Tree Global Foundation, where she directs the organisation’s corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and environmental stewardship strategies. In addition to her executive roles, she holds directorships across several commercial and cultural boards, including ISS A/S, Dufry AG, Mandai Park Holdings, the Singapore Art Museum, and the Wildlife Reserves Singapore Conservation Fund.
A former Nominated Member of Parliament, Ms Chiang has spent decades advocating for corporate governance, gender equity, and social welfare. In 1995, she broke an 89-year-old tradition as one of the first two women admitted to the council of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She remains a pioneering member of the Council for Board Diversity, co-chairs the Ministry of Defence’s ACCORD Family & Community Council, and has served as a Justice of the Peace since 2008. Her public service extends to chairing the Singapore Book Council and the Shirin Fozdar Programme at Singapore Management University, as well as serving on the National Arts Council.
Recognised globally for her contributions, she was named to the International Hospitality Institute's Global 100 in Hospitality list, inducted into the Singapore Women's Hall of Fame, and awarded the Public Service Star for her work-life integration initiatives in Singapore. Ms Chiang holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Singapore and a Master’s degree in Sociology from the University of Hong Kong.
