A private dinner with Tan Su Shan, chief executive of DBS Group, sold for SG$18,900 ($14,790) at a Sotheby’s charity auction in Singapore — more than double its pre-sale estimate.
The package includes pre-dinner champagne, a six-person meal hosted by Tan, and a private tour of the National Gallery Singapore, housed in two historic monuments.
Sotheby’s described the evening as an “elegant and intimate” experience promising “stimulating conversation and exceptional company.”
Supporting the arts
The auction was part of the National Gallery Singapore’s 10th anniversary gala, which raised more than SG$2.8 million to fund new exhibitions, research, and community programs. DBS, a founding partner of the museum, contributed a SG$25 million donation in 2014.
“Su Shan’s participation in the charity auction is an extension of DBS’ longstanding support of the National Gallery Singapore,” a bank spokesperson said.
Tan’s leadership and market response
Tan, who became CEO in March and is the first woman to lead Southeast Asia’s largest bank, brings more than 35 years of banking and wealth management experience. She previously held senior roles at Morgan Stanley and Citi before joining DBS in 2010.
Since her appointment, DBS shares have climbed over 10%, reflecting investor confidence in her leadership and the bank’s strategic direction.
Big money dinners
High-value charity meals with business leaders are not new. In 2022, a record $19 million was paid for a lunch with Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett. A Singaporean bidder also spent more than $2 million on a Buffett lunch in 2014.
Saturday’s Sotheby’s event featured nearly 90 auction lots of rare artworks and luxury experiences. The top-selling artwork — a piece by Chinese ink artist Li Huayi — fetched SG$517,000, marking a record price for a Gallery auction.
