WHAT'S IN MY PORTFOLIO

What's In My Portfolio: Seng-Hoo Ong

02 May 2024

Seng-Hoo Ong is the Chief Strategic Officer and Managing Partner of Potato Head Family

“I’ve been with Potato Head since the beginning – the brand’s Founder & CEO, Ronald Akili, has been one of my best friends for over 25 years. When he told me about his vision for Potato Head, I was all in. I started as the CFO and shareholder in 2011 when it started in Bali and am now in charge of business development to grow the brand globally.

Potato Head is a regenerative lifestyle brand that started with a simple idea: A desire to create good times through food, music, and drinks. As more people joined, we realized that those good times were made better by doing good. Our goal remains simple – with bigger aspirations to live a beautifully sustainable lifestyle without compromise. The brand was founded on the Balinese principle of duality. Clashing is key – it’s when opposing forces collide that we find opportunities and solutions.

I feel the idea of good times while also doing good is an important balance to keep in mind, both in business and in life. If we want to create a long term future for ourselves, our guests, and our friends and family, we should always be thinking about how to do good – for ourselves, and for the planet. 


(Related: What's in My Portfolio - Andrew Pang)


Seeing Potato Head in Bali get recognized as one of the World’s 50 Best Hotels in 2023 was a huge moment for us and increased the motivation to expand our brand. In the near future, we want to secure another two Potato Head Villages globally and ten more in five years. The idea is that Potato Head Villages are resorts that can be located in all terrains: Beach, desert, mountain, etc.,  so there’s really a global appeal. 

As for Potato Head Singapore, we have grown into a multifunctional and multilevel venue offering different experiences since opening 10 years ago, but still stay true to our core brand that’s driven by a world of music, art, food, drinks, and design. Today, Potato Head Singapore boasts three floors offering different experiences: A casual, family-friendly restaurant with The Dining Hall on Level 2, a speakeasy-style cocktail bar with Studio 1939 on Level 3, and The Rooftop on Level 4, which is an escape from the city that serves tropical cocktails.”