Let’s start with your story. Where did you grow up, and how did your upbringing shape who you are today?
I was born and raised in Hong Kong. Sometimes I joke and tell people I grew up at the airport, given how much time I’ve spent there. I was very fortunate to see my parents grow Plaza Premium Group, to create a business based on the Notion that lounges can be accessible to all travellers, and then seeing them grow the business from a single airport lounge in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur to the World, to then becoming the global leader in airport hospitality.
Even after nearly 30 years in business, they remain as passionate and driven as ever, always pushing the boundaries, thinking of new ideas to improve the travel experience. And even today, I can see they are still open to learn, incredibly passionate, and they thrive on creating.
I am very grateful today I have such a platform; today, we have a footprint of over 150 countries globally. Growing up in this environment has made me curious, open to learning, and resilient.
What drew you to aviation? Was there a particular moment or influence that sparked your interest in the industry?
I have a little confession: while I spent a lot of time at the airport when I was a child, I didn’t like the airport as the airport was my parents’ workplace, so more time spent at the airport meant less time with my parents for me.
That changed very quickly when I was older; airports meant I could travel and explore different cultures. However, when I travelled, I too could see a lot of opportunities to make the travel experience better. Travelling is a pleasure, it opens up our horizons, encourages us to view things with a new lens, and is a great experience – yet, the experience at the airport is often overlooked and the customer experience is not thoroughly considered, if you found out your gate is 30 minutes away and you were travelling with your kids and parents, would you consider purchasing a buggy? Absolutely! Then I started to see lots of these pain points throughout.
As our company grows, I continue to see new possibilities and ideas we can bring to the airport space. It excites me and inspires me to make a lasting impact on the travel industry.
Having spent over 13 years with the company, I now serve as Chief Transformation Officer, overseeing PPG’s transformation efforts. My focus is on building a better airport experience and spearheading our long-term vision, driven by people, technology, and sustainability, to carry our brand forward.
Have you experienced a moment where you thought, “I did it”? If so, how did it feel or look?
No, because that is not me, I am more of the camp that asks myself, ‘how can I do better,’ and I look forward to my next challenge.
Who is a woman leader who has had a meaningful impact on you, and why?
My mother, Mrs. Linda Song. She co-founded Plaza Premium Group alongside my father. Back in the days, not a lot of women owned a seat at the table. Over the past 27 years, she has embodied the true spirit of a working mother, balancing diverse roles with unwavering dedication. She has never taken a passive role; instead, she is authentic, bold, and relentlessly driven.
The path paved by my mother, Linda Song, proves that family and entrepreneurial ambition can thrive together, empowering women to build organizations that value empathy, flexibility, and unity at every level. Today, I strive to lead with the same spirit, demonstrating that corporate transformation is most powerful when informed by the lived experiences of women, mothers, and families at every stage.
What advice or motivation would you give to women trying to build a successful career while balancing work and personal life, especially in a demanding sector like aviation?
Being a mom of three and working in the business is not easy. I would call it work-life integration instead of balance. To create and grow in a complex business like ours, it is no secret that time and sacrifice are needed.
I also think that as a working mom, it is wise to take advantage of the stage in life you are in. When we go on family trips, I observe the needs of travelling as a family. I have experienced the challenges of travelling with kids firsthand. This inspired me to bring ideas to address the pain points families face at airports.
Since becoming a mother, I have developed many more family-friendly experiences and amenities, including children’s playrooms and family suites in our lounges to keep kids entertained while parents can rest. We also provide airport passenger services such as buggy and meet-and-assist to ease the airport journey. Additionally, we curate festivities for children during Christmas and Easter.
At the end of the day, the most important thing is to love what you do, enjoy being a parent and enjoy your work. Things will work out.
What changes would you like to see in aviation today or in the future?
I would like the aviation industry to become inclusive and sustainable, while offering a more enjoyable and seamless airport experience that delivers a truly human-centred journey for all passengers. Airport business is fundamentally a people business.
Accessibility is a top priority. As the first global Strategic Partner for Accessibility with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), we help advance universal standards that make airports accessible to all. Additionally, through our partnership with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), over 3,000 frontline PPG team members will receive training and certification to better understand and support travellers with hidden disabilities. We are also proud of our progress in gender diversity, with women representing 48% of our global workforce and 41% of senior leadership.
Looking ahead, I envision aviation fully embracing people, sustainability, and innovation, core to PPG’s mission. This includes creating more career opportunities, driving digital transformation, and fostering inclusive environments.
However, achieving these goals requires efforts beyond PPG alone. Meaningful progress requires collaboration and partnership among all aviation stakeholders, airlines, airports, governments, and suppliers. Most importantly, collaboration enables the co-creation of value for each stakeholder and passenger, ultimately making travel better for everyone.