The Singapore hospitality industry is mourning the loss of a visionary leader, Mr Derek Ong, who was the co-founder and group chief executive of the home-grown hospitality group, Tipsy Collective. Mr Ong passed away at the age of 35, as confirmed by an online memorial posted by the funeral parlour Green Pastures.
The cause of his death, however, remains unknown.
The news of Mr Ong’s passing was also officially announced by Tipsy Collective in a Facebook post on Sunday.
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The company expressed that his “visionary leadership” had a significant impact on the foundation of the company and was instrumental in navigating the group through various challenges and successes.
Derek Ong’s Journey of Success
Derek Ong co-founded Tipsy Collective along with his business partner, David Gan, in 2018. The duo opened their first restaurant, Tipsy Penguin, at NTUC Income@ Tampines Junction the same year.
Since then, the group has expanded its portfolio to include more than 10 restaurants or bars, including popular establishments such as Lady Wu in North Canal Road, Jelebu Dry Laksa in VivoCity, and O/T Bar in Woodlands.
Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic, Tipsy Collective was set to open Tipsy Flamingo in Kuala Lumpur in the third quarter of 2023 and was also exploring opportunities to expand the brand to Indonesia and Vietnam.
One of their latest projects, Tipsy Unicorn Beach Club, located at Siloso Beach, spans a combined 24,000 sq ft of indoor and outdoor space with 500 seats and is expected to cost between $5 million to $6 million.
However, a public relations representative of Tipsy Unicorn confirmed that a preview of the beach club, initially scheduled for Monday, had been postponed due to Mr Ong’s “sudden passing”.
The representative also stated, “We would like to extend our deepest condolences and sympathy to Derek’s family and loved ones, and our thoughts are with them and the Tipsy Collective team during this most difficult time.”
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Outpouring of Tributes for Derek Ong
The news of Mr Ong’s passing has led to an outpouring of tributes from friends, colleagues, and associates.
Singaporean social media influencer and blogger, Wendy Cheng, popularly known as Xiaxue, shared a series of Instagram stories paying homage to Ong.
Local singer Khim Ng, who has been performing at Tipsy Penguin since 2019, also paid her respects to Ong in a Facebook post on Saturday.
A Life Remembered
Before co-founding Tipsy Collective, Derek Ong worked as a part-time banquet waiter during his teenage years and later progressed to become a bartender. He also ventured into other businesses, including selling halal fish bak kwa at one point.
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A wake for Mr Ong will be held on 27 August, followed by a memorial service on 29 and 30 August. His cremation is scheduled to take place at Mandai Crematorium on 31 August 2023.
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