“Seeing women in senior positions matters — it signals to the next generation that leadership isn’t reserved for a select few.”

For The Peak Singapore’s International Women’s Day 2025 feature, “How They See It” highlights women who are challenging industry norms and driving change. Angeline Tan, senior vice president at SingHaiyi Hospitality & Momentus Hotels & Resorts, is redefining leadership in an industry built on human connection. She discusses how hospitality is more than service — it’s about crafting spaces where people feel seen and valued, the systemic barriers that continue to hold women back in leadership, and why visibility isn’t just about representation — it’s about responsibility.

“I never saw motherhood as a limitation. If anything, raising two children as a single mother while managing a growing hospitality portfolio only sharpened my instincts. The long nights, the relentless schedules, the need to anticipate and solve problems before they arose — these became my strengths. But for a long time, others didn’t see it that way.

People assumed my family commitments would limit my ambition, that I wouldn’t take on bigger responsibilities, or that I’d hesitate when the pressure mounted. I worked twice as hard, not just to meet expectations but to surpass them. The discipline it takes to manage a home while leading a company taught me something invaluable: Leadership is not about titles or appearances.

It’s about resilience, adaptability, and the ability to navigate complexity with a clear head.

I lead Momentus Hotels & Resorts with this mindset. Our work is managing hotels, yes, but it’s also about crafting spaces where people feel seen and valued. Hospitality, at its core, is about people. And yet, in an industry built on human connection, the path to leadership for women remains narrow. It’s a reality that frustrates me because I know firsthand the impact of diverse leadership.

When women take charge, they bring with them perspectives that enrich decision-making, enhance guest experiences, and drive innovation in ways that traditional structures often overlook.

Throughout my career, I’ve seen how deeply ingrained biases hold women back. There’s an unspoken assumption that leadership in hospitality demands a kind of relentlessness that women — especially mothers — cannot sustain. That belief is outdated. Women are leading global businesses, shaping industries, and redefining what strong leadership looks like. And still, in 2024, it will take more than a century to reach full gender parity.

That statistic is staggering, and yet, for many of us in leadership, it’s not surprising. Change is slow because systemic barriers remain deeply entrenched. But slow progress does not mean stalled progress. Every step forward makes a difference, and I am committed to ensuring that each step taken within my sphere of influence is a meaningful one.

The biggest obstacle for women today is access. Access to leadership roles, to mentorship, to workplaces that see talent before gender. This is why we’ve built structured development programs at Momentus Hotels & Resorts — the MAX Management Trainee Programme and the Momentus Management and Leadership Programmes (MMP and MLP). These initiatives are designed to remove barriers, ensuring that career progression is determined by skill, not bias. But access is about more than policies; it’s about culture.

If we don’t actively encourage women to see leadership as attainable, if we don’t create an environment where they feel supported and empowered, then even the best initiatives won’t lead to real change.

Still, programs alone aren’t enough. We also need cultures that actively support women’s ambitions. This means fostering environments where diverse voices are heard, where leadership is built on collaboration rather than hierarchy, and where women don’t have to justify their place at the table. It’s about action — ensuring that representation isn’t just a goal, but a reality.

This is why at Momentus Hotels & Resorts, I advocate for visible leadership. Seeing women in senior positions matters. It signals to the next generation that leadership isn’t reserved for a select few — it’s a space they have every right to occupy.

I’ve seen how small, deliberate changes create lasting impact. At Momentus Hotels & Resorts, we partner with organisations like SGEnable and the Yellow Ribbon Project, because inclusivity in hospitality should extend beyond gender. An inclusive workplace isn’t just about who leads — it’s about who feels empowered to contribute, at every level.

The hospitality industry has the power to set the standard for what an inclusive workforce looks like. If we are in the business of creating spaces that make people feel welcome, then that philosophy must extend to our own employees as well.

Leadership, to me, has never been about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about leading with purpose, with empathy, and with the conviction that the work we do must have lasting value. Over the years, my definition of leadership has evolved. I want to ensure that the next generation — especially the young women looking up and wondering if there’s a space for them — sees leadership as something within reach.

There is an old belief that leadership is about power. I reject that idea. Leadership for me is about responsibility. It is about the choices we make, the doors we open for others, and the willingness to challenge outdated norms, even when it’s uncomfortable.

For women in leadership today, visibility is a responsibility. When we lead, we show others what is possible. When we thrive, we make it harder for the next generation to be told that they can’t.

Today, I lead Momentus Hotels & Resorts with that responsibility in mind. I lead knowing that visibility matters, that every woman who takes the stage opens the door for another. And I lead with the belief that real progress isn’t measured by how many women break through, but by how many more don’t have to fight to get there.

Because the real measure of success is not only about individual achievement — it’s about creating a world where success is not determined by gender, but by talent, vision, and perseverance.”