Charity meal auctions with Warren Buffett and other famed U.S. investors are well known. Singapore is now joining the trend with a recent auction for a dinner with one of its most prominent bankers, highlighting the city-state’s growing appetite for luxury experiences.
The winning bidder paid S$18,900 ($14,790) for the chance to dine with Tan Su Shan, chief executive officer of DBS Group Holdings Ltd., in an auction conducted by Sotheby’s last week. The event, part of National Gallery Singapore’s 2025 auction, is a rare instance of a fundraising in Asia featuring a leading corporate executive.
Besides the six-person meal, the successful bidder will also join Tan and her husband on a private tour atthe National Gallery, an art museum housed in two national monuments. Sotheby’s promotion material on its website described the dinner as one that “promises stimulating conversation and exceptional company,” ideal for someone “seeking inspiration, connection, and a seat at the table with one of Singapore’s most esteemed figures.”
The winning bid—more than double the pre-sale estimate of S$6,000 to S$8,000—underscores how experiences are increasingly prized alongside traditional art and collectibles in Singapore’s luxury market. The nation is a key financial hub in Asia, where wealth management is an important engine of growth.
Tan, 58, a former private banker, became the first woman to lead Singapore’s largest bank in March, succeeding Piyush Gupta after his 15-year tenure. She previously held senior positions at Morgan Stanley and Citigroup Inc. before joining DBS in 2010 where she rose through roles in wealth management, institutional banking and other businesses. DBS crossed $100 billion market value in June—the first listed company in the city-state to reach the milestone.
The gallery’s 2025 auction raised a record of more than S$2.8 million to support initiatives including new exhibitions and research, according to a spokesperson. “We continually seek to offer our donors rare and exceptional experiences that inspire generous giving,” the spokesperson added.
Nearly 90 rare artworks and luxury experiences were auctioned during the glitzy evening ceremony that was part of the gallery’s 10th anniversary celebrations.
DBS has been a founding partner of the gallery since 2014, and Tan’s participation in the charity auction is an extension of its “longstanding support,” a spokesperson from the bank said in response to a query from Bloomberg News. A spokesperson from Sotheby’s confirmed the final price but declined to provide any other details, such as the identity of the winning bidder.
