JAELLE ANG
Co-founder and CEO of The Great Room
With an indomitable spirit, Jaelle Ang brought her dream to revolutionise the office space to fruition with The Great Room. Along the way, she faced rejections and doubts from potential investors and partners as she articulated and floated what seemed like an abstract concept to many when she first launched the brand in 2016. Five years on, co-working spaces are part of the corporate lingua franca. The Great Room has expanded across Asia and was recently acquired together with another brand in Europe to the tune of US$100 million.
Jaelle is a trailblazer. A Great Room workspace is one that veers away from the usual densification model of co-working spaces and takes inspiration from luxury hotels and business clubs to create spaces that encourage creativity and networking with design, brand collaborations and wellness activities. But that’s not all. In its latest openings, the hospitality-led co-working space operator that offers flexible office set-ups, has also set new standards for sustainability in the physical workspace – from making a conscious choice in using more recycled and upcycled materials for furnishings to installing lighting that greatly reduces energy consumption.
“While I have had the best mentors at different stages of my life, I have never actually asked anyone to be my mentor,” says Jaelle, who does not believe a formal mentorship relationship is absolutely necessary for one’s career and personal development. However, she is very generous in sharing her knowledge and anecdotes about her career trajectory through various platforms, and has served with the People’s Association’s Young Women’s Leadership Connection.
At work, Jaelle focuses on fostering a culture of learning and self-empowerment among her staff. For instance, she gives job opportunities to motivated applicants who don’t have much working or relevant experience, as she places a greater value on the drive to learn and improve.