Abigail Tan: a hotelier with grit, heart and real momentum
Abigail Tan isn’t your average hotel leader. One morning she’s boxing at 6am. Another she’s in a helicopter, on a motorbike, guitar in hand or signing up for Tough Mudder. If she isn’t moving, she’s eating. That spark runs through her work. She believes hotels should be lived with passion, not managed by habit, and that energy sets the tone at St Giles.
Roots that taught her the hotel business early
Abigail grew up in Penang where hotels and property were normal dinner-table chat. Her grandfather and great-uncle built one of Malaysia’s real estate dynasties, so she saw the nuts and bolts of the industry young. She apprenticed during school holidays, then joined St Giles in 2009 as Director of Corporate Affairs and Strategic Investments. She cut her teeth on the purchase of two New York properties and the detailed transition that followed. She holds a business management degree and a Master’s with Distinction in international management and innovation from the University of Exeter.
What Abigail runs today
Since 2018, Abigail has been CEO for the UK, Europe and North America. She oversees The Tuscany, A St Giles Signature Hotel in New York, plus St Giles London and St Giles Heathrow. She also scouts new acquisitions and management opportunities and shapes the brand from the inside out. In 2025, St Giles Makati in Manila comes under her wing.
Hotels with a Heart
Abigail’s signature initiative is Hotels with a Heart. It isn’t a side project. It sits at the centre of the St Giles Hotels brand. The aim is simple: hotels are about people and place, a woman after my own heart. Through staff-led fundraising and hands-on involvement, the programme supports underprivileged children and education, with a pledge to raise and invest £1 million locally. Beneficiaries include Coram Life Education, which helps children with relationships, health and wellbeing, and Hospitality Action, which supports people in our industry facing illness, mental health challenges or financial difficulty.
How she leads
Abigail treats hospitality as a way of life. She backs her teams, expects high standards and wants work to feel purposeful as well as fun. The same focus she brings to the gym and the cockpit shows up in her boardroom decisions.
The person behind the title
When she isn’t on a plane between London and New York, she’s with her young son and her much-loved dog, Elmo. It’s the balance many founders know well. Build. Grow. Show up for your team. Then get outside and reset.
Why Abigail belongs on Fabulous Female Founders
Abigail has legacy and drive, but what stands out is her conviction. She keeps the St Giles Hotels brand human, anchors impact in local communities and moves at pace. That mix of substance and heart is exactly what I look for in a Fabulous Female.
Interview coming soon.