Rising in the market

HENRY CHU’S OPENNESS TO NEW EXPERIENCES AND PASSION FOR FOOD HAVE SHORED UP HIS CREDENTIALS AS CEO OF BREADTALK GROUP.

- Jordan Murray

There are two important reasons why Henry Chu, CEO of BreadTalk Group, decided to enter the food and beverage industry more than three decades ago. The first was because he worked a vacation job with Burger King in his youth, taking orders and flipping patties for a few dollars an hour. That experience was exciting enough that he decided to stick around and see where the business took him. The other reason is a lot simpler. “I just love to eat,” he says.

Having worked in executive leadership roles in the industry for most of his adult life, Henry’s affection for food is genuinely amusing. When The CEO Magazine asks him about his favorite meals, he admits there isn’t a single favorite that comes to mind. “Being Singaporean, I love hawker food,” he explains. “I also love noodles and pasta. I think I prefer noodles to rice but I also love spicy food and I’m always eager to have soups. You name it, I’ll try it!”