Millennium & Copthorne Hotels history

CDL had been founded in 1963, and grew into one of the country's largest land holders before beginning its expansion onto the international market.

The late Mr Kwek Hong Png, founder of the Hong Leong Group, tasked his son Mr Kwek Leng Beng to develop King's Hotel, even though the young man had no experience in hospitality. It was in 1967 that the land the hotel sits on was sold to Hong Leong Group in the Singapore government’s first hotel land sale.

In 1972, Kwek extended his business interests into the real estate market by acquiring control of CDL, which had already completed several prominent developments in Singapore.

In 1992, CDL started acquiring several hotels in New Zealand and soon after established the largest hotel chain in the country.

CDL's first foray outside of the Asian region came in 1993.

Among the group's purchases were its first properties in the United States, including the Hilton and the Broadway in New York City, bought in 1994.

1999: MCH acquires all the hotels from CDL, and then acquires the Regal Hotels in the United States.

2000: The company forms a cross-selling and marketing alliance with Maritim Hotels in Germany.

In 2001, MCH began rolling out a new hotel brand, the so-called "boutique" brand M Hotel.

In 2014, M&C acquired three hotels, the high-end Boscolo Palace Roma in Rome, the Novotel New York Times Square and the all-suites Chelsea Harbour Hotel in London.

In October 2017, CDL launched a bid for M&C, in which it owned a 65.2% stake.