The lot – sold at an auction Saturday – includes pre-dinner champagne, a six-person private dinner hosted by Tan and a private tour at Singapore’s National Gallery, according to auction house Sotheby’s.
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Tan Su Shan, CEO of DBS Group Holdings. Photo courtesy of the group |
It described the dinner as one that “promises stimulating conversation and exceptional company,” ideal for someone “seeking inspiration, connection, and a seat at the table with one of Singapore’s most esteemed figures.”
The winning bid, more than double the pre-sale estimate of SGD6,000-8,000, reflects how experiences are increasingly valued alongside traditional art and collectibles in Singapore’s luxury market.
Tan, 58, is chief executive of DBS Group Holdings. She became the first woman to head Singapore’s largest lender in March.
She previously held senior roles at Morgan Stanley and Citigroup before joining DBS in 2010, where she advanced through positions in wealth management, institutional banking, and other sectors, according to Bloomberg.
DBS in June became the first listed company in Singapore to cross the $100 billion market capitalization mark.
A spokesperson for Singapore’s National Gallery said the auction raised a record of more than SGD2.8 million to support projects including new exhibitions and research.
Nearly 90 rare artworks and luxury experiences were auctioned during the evening, part of the gallery’s 10th anniversary celebrations.
There have been some similar dining bids with notable figures in the past. 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, according to CNBC.
