Supporters of Singapore's claim to be Asia-Pacific's premier travel node have a good case. This might ruffle feathers in perennial competitor Hong Kong or in bold upstart Shanghai. Nevertheless, if you are going to choose a city for a global travel technology giant, like the UK-headquartered Travelport, Singapore is an obvious candidate.
Today, Travelport's Asia-Pacific regional office is located in the Lion City, and its senior regional director is a Singaporean, one Chua Hui Wan.
Chua, who grew up in Singapore, and then studied in Australia, at the University of Tasmania, before returning home, first started working at Abacus International, a major player in the airline, travel and leisure industry.
With transferable skills in the travel sector, she moved in 2005, to the UK-headquartered travel technology giant, Travelport. The company has over 3,500 employees globally.
Chua now has two pre-teen children, a daughter and a son, and being a working mother, she has a lot to cope with. 'I feel very lucky being Singaporean. This city is a fantastic place to bring up a family,' she says, rather than lamenting the strains of work and motherhood
Nevertheless, Chua's post is a demanding one that requires frequent visits to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and various parts of mainland China.
The appointment came in April this year, and gives Chua responsibility for driving Travelport's commercial strategy and operations across the continent.