Media OutReach
Ascott Accelerates Oakwood Signings To Capture Rising Demand For Bleisure Travel, Launches Heartfelt Culinary Campaign To Celebrate The Brand’s Commitment To Comfort And Connection
- Secures 16 Oakwood signings in 2024, reflecting a 30% year-on-year growth
- Adds four new Oakwood Premier properties in Adelaide, Bali, Shenzhen and Singapore
- Adds Bali to Oakwood’s growing portfolio of resort destinations, which includes Batam, Chongli and Ha Long
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 January 2025 – The Ascott Limited (Ascott), the lodging business unit wholly owned by CapitaLand Investment (CLI), has accelerated the expansion of its Oakwood brand, signing 16 new properties in 2024 – a 30% increase over the previous year. This includes a bumper crop of four Oakwood Premier signings since the brand refresh of Oakwood in early 2024. Riding the growing demand for bleisure travel, the brand refresh initiative enhanced Oakwood’s appeal to guests blending business and leisure in their travels by offering the comforts of home and beyond.
The rapid growth of the Oakwood brand is anchored in Ascott’s flex-hybrid hotel-in-residence model, which seamlessly combines the comforts of a fully serviced apartment with the luxuries of a hotel stay. Offering a variety of room configurations to accommodate diverse travel needs and lengths of stay, Oakwood properties also provide a wide range of ancillary services, including dining options and meeting facilities. The Oakwood portfolio now comprises nearly 100 properties – both operational and in the pipeline – solidifying its appeal to bleisure travellers. Oakwood’s global footprint spans 14 countries and 50 cities, with a strong presence in key gateway cities such as Tokyo, Jakarta, Beijing and Manila, as well as popular resort locations. New openings in 2024 include Oakwood Suites Chongli, a ski resort in the winter sports hub of Chongli in Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, China; the all-villa Oakwood Ha Long, located in the heart of Ha Long City, a gateway to Vietnam’s UNESCO World Heritage site, Ha Long Bay; and Oakwood Hotel & Apartments Grand Batam, offering tranquil water views on Indonesia’s Batam island. These openings mark the brand’s debut in these prime resort destinations.
Ms Serena Lim, Chief Growth Officer, Ascott, said, “Oakwood remains one of the fastest-growing brands in Ascott’s portfolio, driven by its strong positioning to capitalise on the increasing popularity of bleisure travel. With a 30% increase in signings in 2024 compared to 2023, Oakwood is well-placed to meet the needs of guests seeking a seamless balance between work and leisure. These new signings continue to drive Oakwood’s expansion into the resort sector, including the introduction of Oakwood Jimbaran Villas & Residences in Bali, one of the region’s most sought-after resort destinations. Beyond the volume of signings, we are seeing greater interest from property owners in the higher-tier Oakwood Premier brand following its recent refresh, with one in every four Oakwood signings in 2024 being an Oakwood Premier property. Notably, the signings will mark the entry of Oakwood Premier into new cities such as Adelaide, Bali and Shenzhen.”
The newly signed Oakwood Premier properties include Oakwood Premier Adelaide, Oakwood Premier Luohu Shenzhen and a new property in Bali. In Singapore, the Oakwood Premier brand makes its return with Oakwood Premier Draycott Singapore, located in the Orchard Road precinct. This addition will expand Oakwood’s presence in Singapore to two properties, joining Oakwood Studios Singapore.
Capitalising on the Rise of Bleisure Travel with Elevated Guest Offerings
According to research by Forbes[1], bleisure travel is currently a global market valued at nearly US$600 billion, with projections for a five-fold increase or more over the next decade. Based on American Express Travel’s 2023 Global Travel Trends Report[2], food plays a pivotal role in travel experiences. With travellers often organising vacations around culinary activities – ranging from trying local favourites to participating in cooking classes – 46% of respondents say they would sign up for cooking classes to engage with the culture of the destination, while 34% shop for groceries while travelling.
As this market continues to expand, Oakwood is strategically positioned to meet rising demand by leveraging its brand signatures to elevate the bleisure guest experience, catering to the evolving needs of travellers seeking the perfect blend of business and pleasure. Following last year’s brand refresh, all new Oakwood properties will feature on-site dining options. To date, more than half of Oakwood properties offer the convenience of dining on-property, featuring a variety of culinary options that focus on comfort food.

Ms Tan Bee Leng, Chief Commercial Officer, Ascott, said: “As bleisure travel continues to grow, our guests are increasingly seeking distinctive culinary experiences. This reflects a broader shift towards experiential travel, where food acts as a gateway to understanding and appreciating the culture and heritage of each destination. Oakwood is well-positioned to ride this trend and distinguish itself with its multi-faceted approach to culinary tourism. With Home on a Plate as one of our brand signatures, Oakwood apartments are equipped with kitchens, allowing guests to prepare local dishes using ingredients sourced from the region. This hands-on approach not only fosters a deeper cultural connection but also offers flexibility in dining choices. Additionally, our food & beverage programme, All You Knead is Comfort, goes beyond the physical dining spaces by offering guests interactive culinary events like cooking classes, food tastings and seasonal offerings. These activities enable guests to engage directly with local chefs and food traditions, enriching their stay and creating lasting memories.”
All You Knead is Comfort Brand Campaign 2025
Oakwood’s All You Knead is Comfort brand campaign this year taps into the universal power of comfort food to soothe the soul and satisfy the palate. Celebrating comfort food as a language that resonates with everyone, the campaign invites guests to experience the comforts of home through food-inspired activations, including cooking classes, celebrity chef collaborations and limited-time offerings at on-property restaurants, available through 31 March 2025.
As part of this campaign, Oakwood is also showcasing its culinary capabilities with the launch of its first digital cookbook, Comfort, Curated. Featuring recipes by Oakwood chefs from all 12 countries that Oakwood currently operates in, the cookbook presents a collection of comfort food dishes from various regions, and is available for free download on the brand campaign webpage. Through this initiative, Oakwood invites guests to recreate a taste of home no matter where they are, and when they return home, a taste of the destinations they have visited.
Among the featured recipes in Comfort, Curated, Chef Nixon Low, representing Oakwood Studios Singapore, reimagines the beloved Singapore dish Hainanese Chicken Rice, giving it a creative twist by turning it into Hainanese Chicken Rice Nigiri with a Japanese flair. In India, Executive Chef Reagan Fernandes from Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad presents his favourite local delicacy, Haleem – a hearty stew of meat and lentils, enjoyed both as street food and as a fine dining speciality. Other highlights from the cookbook include King Fish Tacos by Head Chef Jean-Pierre (JP) Sauterelle of Oakwood Premier Melbourne, Khmer Margherita Pizza by Chef Pok Phearum from Oakwood Premier Phnom Penh, and Steamed Pork Buns by Chef Andy Huang from Oakwood Premier Guangzhou.

Alongside the digital cookbook, Oakwood properties have teamed up with local culinary experts to offer exclusive, limited-time menus and masterclasses for guests. At Oakwood Apartments PIK Jakarta, local celebrity Chef Devina Hermawan will debut a special menu featuring authentic Indonesian cuisine in February 2025. In Thailand, Guest Chef Pawat Kritsaruenon (Tong), a finalist from Season 2 of the competitive reality TV series, MasterChef Thailand, will host a culinary masterclass at Oakwood Suites Bangkok, sharing simple and authentic Thai recipes that guests can recreate in their apartments. In China, Oakwood properties will host cooking classes in celebration of Lunar New Year, where guests can learn to make traditional Chinese comfort food like dumplings and sweet glutinous rice balls also known as Tang Yuan.
For more information on the full list of culinary activations across Oakwood properties, please visit: https://www.discoverasr.com/en/all-you-knead-is-comfort.
Hashtag: #ascott
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About The Ascott Limited
Since pioneering Asia Pacific’s first international-class serviced residence with the opening of The Ascott Singapore in 1984, Ascott has grown to be a trusted hospitality company with 980 properties globally. Headquartered in Singapore, Ascott’s presence extends across about 230 cities in over 40 countries in Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the USA.
Ascott’s diversified accommodation offerings span serviced residences, coliving properties, hotels and independent senior living apartments, as well as student accommodation and rental housing. Its award-winning hospitality brands include
Ascott,
Citadines,
lyf,
Oakwood,
Somerset,
The Crest Collection,
The Unlimited Collection,
Fox,
Harris,
POP!,
Preference,
Quest,
Vertu and
Yello. Through Ascott Star Rewards (ASR), Ascott’s loyalty programme, members enjoy exclusive privileges and offers at participating properties.
A wholly owned business unit of CapitaLand Investment Limited, Ascott is a leading vertically-integrated lodging operator. Harnessing its extensive network of third-party owners and in-market expertise, Ascott grows fee-related earnings through its hospitality management and investment management capabilities. Ascott also expands its funds under management by growing its sponsored CapitaLand Ascott Trust and private funds.
For more information on Ascott and its sustainability programme, please visit
www.discoverasr.com/the-ascott-limited. Alternatively, connect with us on
Facebook,
Instagram,
TikTok and
LinkedIn.
About CapitaLand Investment Limited (www.capitalandinvest.com)
Headquartered and listed in Singapore, CapitaLand Investment Limited (CLI) is a leading global real asset manager with a strong Asia foothold. As at 30 September 2024, CLI had S$134 billion of assets under management, as well as S$102 billion of funds under management held via six listed real estate investment trusts and business trusts and a suite of private real asset vehicles that invest in thematic and tactical strategies. Its diversified real estate asset classes include retail, office, lodging, industrial, logistics, business parks, wellness, self-storage, data centres, private credit and special opportunities.
CLI aims to scale its fund management, lodging management and commercial management businesses globally and maintain effective capital management. As the investment management arm of CapitaLand Group, CLI has access to the development capabilities of and pipeline investment opportunities from CapitaLand’s development arm.
As a responsible company, CLI places sustainability at the core of what it does and has committed to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions for Scope 1 and 2 by 2050. CLI contributes to the environmental and social well-being of the communities where it operates, as it delivers long-term economic value to its stakeholders.
Media OutReach
SL Aesthetic Group Marks 22 Years of Innovation and Regional Expansion in Singapore and Southeast Asia
Founded in Singapore in 2003, the Group has grown to encompass five specialised brands operating more than twenty outlets across Singapore and the region.
- SL Aesthetic Clinic offers doctor-led skin, face and body treatments, and is one of Singapore’s longest-running medical aesthetics clinic.
- SkinLab The Medical Spa, a dermatology-focused medical spa, specialises in medical-grade facials and skincare products for sensitive skin.
- TrichoLab, a dedicated hair and scalp health brand specialising in medical hair loss solutions.
- PROLOGUE brings together Prologue The Lifestyle Medical Clinic and Prologue Centre for Women’s Wellness as a unified lifestyle and preventive medicine brand, addressing chronic health concerns and promoting women’s wellness across life stages.
- Euphie (Malaysia) is the Group’s Malaysia-based extension comprising Euphie Skin Solutions and Euphie Clinic, delivering medically supervised aesthetic care.
The Group has served more than 100,000 patients, with care provided by a team of 12 doctors and more than 100 trained specialists.
Over the past two decades, the concept of beauty and wellness has broadened into a more holistic approach to personal care—one that goes beyond aesthetics to support overall wellbeing. People are placing greater emphasis on long-term health, from their mental health and nutrition to their physical appearance. This shift has driven growing demand for preventive, medically supervised services that integrate aesthetics with broader health concerns.
In response to these changing needs, SL Aesthetic Group has expanded its medical services beyond skin and hair treatments, introducing more than 40 new offerings across its five specialised brand portfolios, including women’s health services.
Dr Kelvin Chua, Founder and Senior Medical Director of SL Aesthetic Group, said: “Reaching 22 years reflects the continuity of care we have built over time. As patient expectations change, our focus remains on delivering medically supervised services that support long-term health and well-being.”
As part of this expansion, the Group launched Prologue The Lifestyle Medical Clinic and Prologue Centre for Women’s Wellness in 2025. Prologue The Lifestyle Medical Clinic focuses on preventive care for chronic conditions, supported by artificial intelligence–enabled health screenings for early detection of conditions such as dementia and cancer. Meanwhile, Prologue Centre for Women’s Wellness addresses women’s health needs across different life stages, including perimenopause, menopause, and postpartum recovery.
Within Singapore, the group strengthened its physical presence with the opening of its tenth SL Aesthetic Clinic and SkinLab The Medical Spa outlet at iMall in Marine Parade, as a response to strong and sustained demand from patients in the eastern region.
Regionally, SL Aesthetic Group marked a milestone as its Malaysia-based brand, Euphie — comprising Euphie Skin Solutions and Euphie Clinic — celebrated its first anniversary. Building on this foundation, the Group plans to open an additional outlet in Malaysia, extending its medically supervised services to a wider patient base.
Looking ahead, SL Aesthetic Group plans to continue expanding its clinical footprint while maintaining regulatory compliance, clinical standards, and patient safety.
For more information, visit: https://slaestheticgroup.com/
Hashtag: #SLAesthetic
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About SL Aesthetic Group
SL Aesthetic Group is one of Singapore’s longest-established medical aesthetic groups, with a presence in Singapore and Malaysia. The Group houses a diverse portfolio of brands, including SL Aesthetic Clinic, SkinLab The Medical Spa, TrichoLab, PROLOGUE, and Euphie (Malaysia).
Founded in the 2000s, SL Aesthetic Group specialises in skin and hair health, women’s wellness, and holistic medicine. Across its clinics and outlets, the Group offers a comprehensive range of FDA-approved aesthetic and medical treatments, all supervised by trained and certified healthcare professionals holding Certificates of Competency (COC) recognised by the Singapore Medical Council’s Aesthetic Practice Oversight Committee (APOC).
Media OutReach
Aon Appoints Kulshaan Singh as Enterprise Client Leader, Asia Pacific based in Singapore
Based in Singapore, Singh will leverage his extensive experience across some of Asia’s most dynamic markets to deliver innovative approaches to Risk Capital and Human Capital for Aon’s enterprise and large multinational clients in Asia. Reporting to Craig Torgius, chief client officer and head of enterprise clients, Asia Pacific, Singh will focus on building strategic partnerships and unlocking new opportunities supporting clients to achieve their growth ambitions.
“Kulshaan brings a rare blend of strategic acumen with strong execution ability, global insight and local expertise to our Asia Pacific team,” said Torgius. “His ability to lead transformation, foster collaboration and deliver results across diverse industries will be invaluable in helping clients navigate an increasingly complex risk landscape.”
With over two decades of experience in consulting and executive leadership, Singh held prominent roles including managing director for talent solutions for southeast Asia at Aon, CEO Mercer Singapore and chief people officer at Charoen Pokphand Group. Most recently, as the global group chief people officer at Thai Union Group, he spearheaded large-scale transformation initiatives including organisation design, succession and leadership alignment.
Reflecting on his new role, Singh said, “I feel privileged and excited to be back at Aon and look forward to working closely with Aon’s global and local teams to deliver solutions that help clients navigate complexity and interconnected challenges.”
Read more about Aon’s capabilities in Asia Pacific here.
Hashtag: #Aon
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE:AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues provide clients in over 120 countries with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that help protect and grow their businesses.
Follow Aon on newsroom and sign up for news alerts here.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this document is solely for information purposes, for general guidance only and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although Aon endeavours to provide accurate and timely information and uses sources that it considers reliable, the firm does not warrant, represent or guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or fitness for any purpose of any content of this document and can accept no liability for any loss incurred in any way by any person who may rely on it. There can be no guarantee that the information contained in this document will remain accurate as on the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No individual or entity should make decisions or act based solely on the information contained herein without appropriate professional advice and targeted research.
Media OutReach
Zero-Emission Technology Underpins the Future of Urban Living
As an economy reaches a new stage of development, the central question is no longer how fast it can grow, but how well it can sustain that growth over time. The development trajectories of many countries show that crossing an income threshold often brings complex structural pressures: Mounting strain on urban infrastructure, environmental degradation, and higher expectations for quality of life.
In this context, traditional growth models, those that prioritize short-term economic returns, begin to reveal their limitations. What emerges instead is a clear demand for development paradigms in which economic performance, environmental resilience, and social value are conceived together from the outset, rather than treated as sequential or secondary considerations.
For Vietnam, this transition is particularly significant as global capital flows increasingly favor ESG-aligned markets, and urban residents shift from a focus on asset ownership to a more holistic pursuit of living quality and long-term wellbeing. Real estate, therefore, is no longer simply a supply-and-demand equation, but a foundational platform for shaping lifestyles, communities, and sustainable urban ecosystems.
It is precisely within this structural shift that Vinhomes Green Paradise is positioned as a forward-looking benchmark, reflecting the long-term vision of Vinhomes to develop real estate on an “ESG++ from the ground up” foundation, where sustainability is not an added feature, but the core architecture that underpins enduring economic and social value.
Geography as Destiny: A Living Natural Heritage
Many believe that Vinhomes Green Paradise is a “new wonder” of modern society, bringing together a rare convergence of forward-looking planning, contemporary living standards, and visionary development. Yet beyond its scale or sophistication, its very location is a wonder in itself. It is a place where human intelligence and capability are applied not to dominate nature, but to collaborate with it, leveraging an irreplaceable “forest-backed, sea-facing” setting that cannot be replicated, while preserving, restoring, and ultimately giving back to the natural environment.
Among more than 90 submissions from across the globe, New7Wonders selected Vinhomes Green Paradise as the first project worldwide to receive the “Official Participant” certification in the global “7 Wonders of Future Cities” campaign.
“This is a truly exceptional project,” said Jean-Paul de la Fuente, Director of New7Wonders and Chairman of the global campaign. “Vinhomes Green Paradise is a ‘precious jewel’, a place that is exceptional for living, working, and enjoying life. The project symbolizes the kind of cities that dare to dream, dare to pave new paths, and dare to break boundaries to realize a future where nature, community, and growth coexist in harmony.”
According to him, this spirit is exactly what the world is seeking in the cities of tomorrow.
After personally visiting the site in Can Gio, Jean-Paul de la Fuente identified the project’s geography as its most irreplaceable asset. Spanning 2,870 hectares, Vinhomes Green Paradise is uniquely positioned between two globally significant ecosystems. To the front lies the vast Pacific Ocean, with 121 kilometers of coastline. Behind it stretches the 75,000-hectare Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, recognized by UNESCO.
At the heart of the megacity sits an 800-hectare saltwater lagoon, the largest of its kind in the world, functioning as a natural ecological regulator, a “green heart” sustaining biodiversity, climate balance, and urban vitality.
Unlike many coastal developments around the world, nature here is not reduced to a backdrop. It is treated as a living heritage, actively preserved and regenerated through dedicated mangrove restoration funds that protect not only the project, but also the ecological shield of Ho Chi Minh City.
While many global developments aim to comply with ESG standards, Vinhomes Green Paradise goes further, introducing an ESG++ model built on five pillars: Environment, Social, Governance, Regeneration, and Adaptation.
This approach reflects a paradigm shift in urban development. Cities of the future must not merely “do less harm”. They must actively give back to nature and society.
Jean-Paul emphasized the importance of this vision: “Future sustainable cities must not ‘take’ from nature, they must ‘give back,’ helping restore and nurture the planet.”
This regenerative mindset is embedded from the earliest stages of construction. Advanced K-DPM technology transforms dredged soft mud into durable construction material, completely eliminating waste discharge into the environment, a breakthrough in large-scale coastal development.
Technology as the City’s Invisible Infrastructure
If nature is the soul of Vinhomes Green Paradise, technology is its invisible nervous system. The entire megacity is designed to operate on 100% clean energy, sourced from offshore wind turbines located 20 kilometers from shore and large-scale solar systems. Transportation within the city and connections to central Ho Chi Minh City are oriented toward zero emissions, supported by electric mobility and high-speed rail.
IoT, AI, and Big Data platforms operate continuously to monitor environmental quality, optimize energy use, and provide early warnings for climate-related risks, ensuring resilience in an era of increasing uncertainty.
One of the core criteria of the “7 Wonders of Future Cities” campaign is placing people at the heart of urban design. At Vinhomes Green Paradise, this principle is elevated further: Residents are not passive beneficiaries, but active co-creatorsof the city.
The megacity features globally scaled cultural and lifestyle landmarks, including a 122-hectare entertainment complex, the 7-hectare Blue Waves Theatre with 5,000 seats, an outdoor performance plaza for 60,000 people, two 18-hole championship golf courses designed by Tiger Woods and Robert Trent Jones, a 108-story tower among the world’s top 10 tallest, and the Cosmo Bay night-time economy hub.
Healthcare, education, and lifelong wellbeing are equally prioritized, with Vinmec healthcare partnering with Cleveland Clinic (USA), Vinschool and Brighton College (UK) in education, and Vin New Horizon redefining senior living. Together, they form an ecosystem where human potential is continuously nurtured.
Residents also play a direct role in environmental stewardship, participating in biodiversity monitoring, mangrove planting, waste sorting, and adopting electric mobility, becoming true “ecological ambassadors” of Can Gio.
The Wonders of the Future Are Being Built Today
For Jean-Paul de la Fuente, Vinhomes Green Paradise represents far more than an urban project.
“The project is positioned as a powerful symbol of Vietnam’s national aspirations and its determination to assert its place on the global stage. What was seen on site is only a small part of a much larger vision,” he said.
Reflecting on the impact of previous New7Wonders campaigns, he noted: “The previous two campaigns, ‘New7Wonders of the World’ and ‘New7Wonders of Nature’, both generated what researchers call the ‘Wonder Effect,’ significantly boosting the economies and societies of the winning destinations.”
Drawing a parallel with Ha Long Bay, he added that he truly believe Vinhomes Green Paradise can achieve something similar, but on an even larger scale, competing directly with iconic cities around the world.”
As Jean-Paul concluded: “If our previous campaigns celebrated the heritage of the past and the beauty of the present, then the ‘7 Wonders of Future Cities’ campaign celebrates the vision being created for future generations.”
“The wonders of the future are taking shape today through the choices, creativity, and determination of pioneering urban planners and developers.”
In that global narrative, Vinhomes Green Paradise stands as a powerful testament to Vietnam’s ambition: A city where geography itself is a wonder, where growth does not compromise the future, and where nature, technology, and humanity evolve together, creating a legacy not just for Vietnam, but for the world.
Hashtag: #Vinhomes
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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