1970s

1975 – Shipping | The Voyage Begins
The group originated when Mr and Mrs Kum established Marine Equipment, an offshore support vessel owning company. The first few charters were to Brown & Root, a US-based offshore construction company, for a project at Kharg Island, Iran, and to Sante Fe Pomeroy, a US-based marine company, for a charter at Das Island, an Emirati Island in the Persian Gulf.
1976 – Shipping | An Era of Growth
They went on to co-found Offshore Equipment to support oil and gas exploration, development and production which is eventually rebranded to Offshore Charter.
1978 – Shipping | International Expansion
Offshore Charters secured its first charter with Saipem S.p.A., an Italian offshore construction company, and began operating its vessel in Egypt.

1980s

1980 – Shipping | First Newbuild Barge Launched
Offshore Charters launched its first newbuild offshore 100-metre barge, Bright 2.
1981 – Shipping | Fleet Expansion Begins
Launch of Offshore Charters’ first newbuild offshore survey/utility vessel, MV Saeed 3801.
1982 – Shipping | Continued Vessel Development
Further expansion with the launch of AHT/Utility vessel MV Offshore Power and utility vessel MV Offshore I. Throughout the 1980s, the business primarily operated in the Middle East.

1990s

1990 – Shipping | Incorporating for Growth
Miclyn Holdings was incorporated as the holding company for the offshore oil and gas support services business.
1994 – Shipping | Industry Recognition
Business expands to 10 offshore support vessels and barges, becomes a key player in the offshore shipping sector.
1990s – Shipping | Expansion into Australia
Expanded operations to the North West Shelf of Western Australia. West Australian Petroleum (WAPET) becomes a client.

2000s

2004 – Shipping | Growth and Consolidation
Following steady fleet renewal and expansion, the group integrates its operations as Miclyn Offshore to launch a new phase of growth. The business has grown to 16 offshore support vessels and barges, and the employee count has grown from 6 employees in 1994 to 85 in 2004.
2005 – Shipping | Strategic Acquisition in Indonesia
Acquires a shipyard in Batam, Indonesia, establishing a regional base for vessels and paving the way for further expansion and fleet renewal.
2006 – Shipping | Expansion into India
With a regional base now in South East Asia, Miclyn Offshore expands into India.
2007 – Shipping | Fleet Expansion Milestone
Miclyn Offshore’s current operating fleet is at 37 offshore support vessels and barges, with an average age of 5 years.
2008 – Shipping | Newbuild Growth Phase
Miclyn Offshore adds 12 newbuild offshore vessels to its fleet.
2008 – Shipping | Strategic Exit
Miclyn Offshore is sold to Macquarie Bank in May 2008, retains shares in Miclyn Express Offshore. The deal closes just before the start of the global financial crisis.
2009 – Hospitality | A New Name in Hospitality
Launch of M&L Hospitality with the strategically timed acquisition of the 161 Sussex Street Sydney site, formerly Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Australia’s largest hotel. Enters into exclusive negotiations for Swissotel Sydney, and subsequently acquires the hotel in June 2010.

2010s

2010 – Shipping | Equity Capital Market Transaction
IPO of Miclyn Express Offshore, with M&L retaining a minority shareholding.
2010 – Hospitality | Beginning of Rapid Portfolio Expansion
Acquires Ibis on Bencoolen, Singapore. Acquires Swissotel Sydney.
2011 – Hospitality | Hotel Buying Spree Accelerates
Acquires Hilton Nagoya, Japan; Travelodge Docklands, Melbourne; Ibis Novena, Singapore; Comfort Hotels Portfolio Japan (3); DoubleTree by Hilton Melbourne – Flinders Street.
2012 – Hospitality | Entering New Markets
Acquires Hilton Auckland and Hyatt Regency & Hyatt House Stratford London (formerly Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites Stratford London).
2012 – Hospitality | Major Redevelopment in Sydney
Applied for development approval for a large-scale redevelopment of Four Points Sydney, the city’s largest hotel project in 20 years. Once complete, the hotel will be rebranded Hyatt Regency Sydney.
2012 – Community | Philanthropy for Public Health
The family donates S$1million to Changi Health Fund which champions innovation, research, and education to advance healthcare and elevate patient outcomes at Changi General Hospital.
2012 – Healthcare | MedTech Beginnings
Dr. Steven Kum is approached to advise medical technology companies, including LimFlow.
2013 – Hospitality | Strategic Asset Sales
Strategically divests Ibis Novena in Singapore for S$150million.
2013 – Community | Continued Commitment to Philanthropy
The family donates another S$1million to Changi Health Fund.
2014 – Hospitality | Strategic Divestment in Japan
Strategically divests three Comfort Hotels in Japan for S$28million.
2014 – Hospitality | Landmark Sydney Redevelopment
Commences a A$250million redevelopment of the former Four Points Sydney, including a new 25-storey tower with nine levels of commercial office space, 222 additional hotel rooms, 4,000 sqm of meeting and event space including two pillarless ballrooms, a 272-seat all-day dining restaurant, a 200-person executive lounge, and the rooftop open-air Zephyr Bar. The hotel will be rebranded as Hyatt Regency Sydney upon completion.
2014 – Healthcare | First MedTech Investment
Begins investing in medical technologies, focusing on unmet healthcare needs, starting with a substantial investment in early stage MedTech company LimFlow. Dr Steven Kum performs the first-in-human (FIH) trial at Changi General Hospital, Singapore.
2015 – Hospitality | Accelerating Global Portfolio Growth
Acquires Doubletree Christchurch – Chateau on the Park; Park Inn by Radisson Brussels Midi; Hyatt Place Heathrow; and Radisson Blu Schiphol Amsterdam.
2015 – Hospitality | Land Acquisitions for New Hotel Builds
Acquires land in Manchester and signs a development agreement to build a 328-room dual hotel. Acquires land next to Barangaroo on Sussex Street Sydney to build a new 182-room boutique lifestyle hotel.
2015 – Shipping | Re-Entry into Offshore Marine Sector
M&L acquires approximately 5% in MMA Offshore Ltd (formerly Mermaid Marine), an ASX-listed marine services provider operating in the Asia-Pacific region. Accumulates a stake of 17.7% by 2017.
2016 – Hospitality | High-Value Exit in Japan
Strategically divests Hilton Nagoya, Japan for S$188million.
2016 – Hospitality | Transformational Rebrand
Rebrands Four Points by Sheraton Sydney as Hyatt Regency Sydney following a four-year redevelopment. The new Hyatt Regency Sydney features 888 rooms and 4,000 sqm of meeting & event space – redefining Sydney’s convention and corporate stay market.
2016 – Hospitality | Continued Investment
Acquires Park Inn Schiphol Amsterdam and Hilton Prague Old Town.
2017 – Hospitality | Last Hotel Sale to Date
Strategically divests Travelodge Docklands Melbourne for A$107million.
2017 – Commercial Real Estate | One Wharf Lane
Spotify establishes its Australian headquarters at One Wharf Lane, the new commercial tower at 161 Sussex Street, part of the major Hyatt Regency Sydney redevelopment.
2017 – Hospitality | First New Build Development
Opens newly built West Hotel Sydney, Curio Collection by Hilton, on Sussex Street Sydney after a 13-month construction period.
2017 – Hospitality | Buys in Western Australia
Acquires Novotel Perth Langley.
2017 – Shipping | Expansion into Offshore Renewables
Invests in “Ran Barge 1,” a 400ft cargo barge supporting offshore drilling, construction, and windfarm projects in the North Sea.
2017 – Community | Major Donation to Community Hospital
The family donates S$1million to Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital. Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital delivers compassionate, affordable care to the elderly and those in need – serving Singapore’s community for over a century.
2018 – Shipping | Strengthening Middle East Presence
Acquires a 50.2% stake in Singapore-listed Atlantic Navigation Holdings (UAE) via Saeed Investment, expanding offshore vessel chartering, repair, and fabrication capabilities in the region.
2018 – Healthcare | Expanding MedTech Investments
Invests in MD Start III, an accelerator and incubator fund providing Seed, Series A, and B funding to early-stage MedTech ventures. Also invests in Sofinnova Crossover Fund I, which focuses on late-stage, de-risked companies nearing commercialisation, with a portfolio comprising 75% biotech and 25% MedTech.
2018 – Hospitality | Major UK Expansion
Opens newly built dual-branded Hyatt Regency and Hyatt House hotels in Manchester on the grounds of the University of Manchester. Secures 20-year guest room guarantee with the University of Manchester.
2018 – Alternatives | Early Sustainability Exploration
Begins discussions with Goterra on integrating its circular, sustainable food waste management system into hotel operations, exploring its potential to reduce food waste and enhance sustainability practices.
2019 – Hospitality | Further UK Expansion
Acquires Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Express Aberdeen Airport in Scotland.
2019 – Hospitality | 10-Year Milestone
Marks a decade in hospitality with 26 hotel acquisitions and six strategic divestments.
2019 – Hospitality | Melbourne Expansion
Begins construction on the historic Equity Chambers site, which will later be opened as Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street.

2020s

2020 – Healthcare | Building a Diverse MedTech Portfolio
Milestone 10 healthcare technology investments.
2020–2021 – M&L Group | Resilience Through COVID-19
Continues investments despite the pandemic, demonstrating adaptability and industry leadership. The family steps in to provide funding support across all Hospitality, Shipping and Healthcare businesses. Donates thousands of meals to frontline workers in Singapore.
2020–2021 – Community | Caring for Our Community During COVID
The family donates thousands of meals to frontline workers at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital as well as N95 masks and hand sanitizers to foreign worker dormitories.
2021 – Hospitality | 20th Operating Hotel
Opens newly built Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street, bringing M&L’s hotel portfolio to 20 operating hotels across seven countries.
2023 – Alternatives | Sustainability Leadership
Strengthens commitment to provenance and ethical food sourcing through strategic investment in sustainable grocer The Little Farm and advances circular waste solutions through biologically engineered and automated waste management innovator Goterra. M&L also invests in The Yield Lab Asia Pacific, an accelerator fund backing agri-food tech startups focusing on underserved areas in agricultural technology across Asia Pacific.
2023 – Shipping | Fleet Sale
Atlantic, of which M&L holds a 50.2% stake, sells fleet for US$183million.
2023 – Healthcare | Scaling Heights in MedTech
M&L holds 20 healthcare investments. LimFlow receives FDA approval and is acquired by Inari Medical. M&L opportunistically disposes its stake in Limflow with the Inari Medical acquisition of Limflow for US$415million including milestone payments.
2024 – Hospitality | Global Sustainability Initiative
Hyatt Regency Sydney becomes the world’s first hotel to implement Goterra’s conservation-driven circular economy solution, capable of processing up to 5 tonnes of organic waste per day, using live maggots onsite to convert waste into protein and fertiliser.
2024 – Shipping | Exit from MMA Offshore
Cyan Renewables acquires MMA Offshore for AU$1.1billion. With the acquisition, Cyan Renewables set to become the Largest APAC Platform for Offshore Wind Energy Services. M&L divests from its 7.7% stake through the strategic sale of MMA Offshore.
2025 – M&L Group | A Unified Identity
Global rebrand launches, uniting Hospitality, Healthcare, Shipping, and Alternatives under the single banner of M&L Group.