Tan Su Shan is the CEO and director of DBS Group.
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An evening with Tan Su Shan, CEO and director of DBS Group, was sold by auction house Sotheby’s on Saturday for 18,900 Singapore dollars ($14,790) to the winning bidder — more than double the pre-sale estimate of about SG$6,000 to SG$8,000.
The evening includes pre-dinner champagne, a six-person private dinner hosted by Tan and a private tour at Singapore’s National Gallery, an art museum housed in two national monuments, according to Sotheby’s.
“Set in an elegant and intimate setting, this dinner promises stimulating conversation and exceptional company – ideal for the discerning bidder seeking inspiration, connection, and a seat at the table with one of Singapore’s most esteemed figures,” the auction house said.
“Su Shan’s participation in the charity auction is an extension of DBS’ longstanding support of the National Gallery Singapore,” a DBS spokesperson told CNBC.
The bank, a founding partner of the National Gallery Singapore, made a SG$25 million corporate donation in 2014.
Tan, who took over the helm of Southeast Asia’s largest bank in March this year, has over 35 years of experience in banking and wealth management. She previously worked in senior roles at Morgan Stanley and Citi, and joined DBS Bank in 2010 as the group head of consumer banking and wealth management.
Shares of the company have jumped over 10% since Tan took over as the first female Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore-based bank.
Big bidders
When it comes to charity auctions, offering meals with celebrities and top business leaders is a well-established practice, especially when the top 1% is in the room.
In 2022, a bidder paid over $19 million to dine with American investor and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, to benefit a San Francisco charity. A Singaporean man also paid more than $2 million to have lunch with Buffett in 2014.
This auctioned experience with Tan was part of National Gallery Singapore’s 10th anniversary gala. More than SG$2.8 million was raised through the fundraising event held on Saturday, Sept. 13.
The funds raised from the event will be used to “advance the Gallery’s mission of making art accessible to all – from enabling new exhibitions, deepening curatorial research, and expanding programmes that engage children, seniors, and underserved communities,” according to a statement from the museum.
The auction, managed by Sotheby’s, took place at the gala and featured close to 90 “rare artworks and luxury experiences,” including an artwork by Chinese contemporary ink artist Li Huayi, which sold for SG$517,000, a record for an auctioned item at the Gallery.