Portrait of Michael Kum

Rank #3010

Michael Kum

Net worth $1.2B

Hotels · Singapore

Born
Jan 01, 1945
Age
81
Source
Hotels
Residence
Singapore
Citizenship
Singapore
Marital status
Married
Children
3
Education

Net worth over time

Biography

  • Hotel tycoon Michael Kum runs a hospitality empire spanning 21 hotels across Asia and Europe through his privately held M&L Hospitality.
  • His eldest daughter Jocelyn helps him run the hotel group, which includes brands such as Hilton and Hyatt.
  • The son of street hawkers, Kum got into hotels in 2009 after selling his offshore barges business to Macquarie Group.
  • In June 2025, he acquired Hotel Maria, a 116-room luxury hotel in Helsinki, Finland. It will be rebranded as Waldorf Astoria Helsinki and managed by Hilton.
  • He cofounded Offshore Equipment in 1976, chartering vessels and barges to the oil and gas industry.
  • He also has a stake in Australian vessel operator, MMA Offshore.