Mr Dennis Tan
Founder & Managing Director

Dennis Tan founded Crigen in 2003, the parent company and manager of Danai Spa and has more than 15 years of experience in the industry. As the Managing Director and owner of the company, Mr Tan led the set-up and development of Danai Spa’s first boutique at Tanjung Bungah, Penang Malaysia in 2004.

He has since grown the brand, opening a total of seven outlets across Malaysia. The brand’s first wellness boutique was opened at Tanjung Tokong, Penang Malaysia, in 2020. Under Tan’s leadership, Danai Spa has emerged as one of Malaysia’s most recognised wellness destination for locals and tourists alike. Recognising the ever-evolving needs of the health and wellness industry, Mr Tan has diversified the growth of Danai Spa through comprehensive business strategies, including investment into digital health, developing high-tech innovation services, and pursuing domestic and regional growth.

Under the umbrella of Crigen Resources, Tan has also founded several brands, each serving a niche area in the health and wellness industry. These include Nimeos Salon, a halal Advanced Aesthetics centre; La’Gent by Danai Spa, a hair salon specialising in hair and scalp treatments; and Crigen Accor Life Science, an eco-friendly company manufacturing household and personal care products.

In recognition of his pursuits to grow the company through sustainable innovation, Tan received the “Wellness & Spa Personality” Award on behalf of Danai Spa, at the Global Business Leadership Awards in 2019.

Ms Cynthia Tong
Founder & Operation Director

Cynthia Tong founded Crigen in 2003, the parent company and manager of Danai Spa. Danai Spa opened its first boutique at Tanjung Bungah, Penang Malaysia. She has served as the Operations Director of Danai Spa since its opening, and has helmed the company in an array of tasks including managing daily spa operations, managing and upskilling trainers, and enhancing the experiences of the spa’s through the incorporation of high-tech innovative services within the spa. She is currently also the Marketing Director of Danai Spa.

Cynthia has over 20 years of experience in the spa and wellness industry. Together with her joint founder Dennis Tan, she has led Danai Spa on its path to becoming a well-established and well-known wellness destination for locals and tourists alike. It has featured consistently on TripAdvisor’s list of top 10 spas in Malaysia. Under her leadership, Danai Spa has also attained several awards over the years, including Global Brands in Best Consumer Choice Spa in 2016 and Global Best Consumer Brand in Spa and Wellness in 2015.

In early 2020, Cynthia started Crigen Accor, a manufacturing company that specialises in the production of antiseptic products. Her foresight enabled the company to sustain its operations through the lockdown period in Malaysia, and continue generating revenue. She has multiple projects in the pipeline which include related health and wellness products such as meal replacement bars and a range of skincare.

In recognition of her entrepreneurial achievements, Cynthia is also the recipient of numerous awards, including the 100 Most Influential Sustainable Entrepreneur Of The Year in 2017, Adjunct Professor in Beauty Care Expert Universal Academy in 2017, and the National Youth Award for Wellness Industry in 2015.

Mr Chris Daniel Wong
Co-Founder & Corporate Affairs Director

He was appointed as the Corporate Affairs Director of Crigen Resources in 2016. Wong has over 10 years of experience in providing corporate restructuring, business development and capital raising strategies, serving as the lead advisor for several Malaysian companies embarking on initial public offering (IPO) listings in Bursa Malaysia, the Australia Stock Exchange (ASX) and private listing in 1exchange (1X) Singapore.

Having joined in 2016, Wong has spearheaded several fundraising and listing projects for Danai Spa, including the ongoing project to list the company on Singapore’s first private securities exchange, 1X, dubbed the third board in Singapore. He is also advising the company on its long-term plan of an IPO on the ASX.

Wong is also the founder of CoMetro Capital & Private Equity, a company incorporated in 2013. Wong also led merger and acquisition exercise between Crigen Resources and a Malaysia-based property construction company in 2018 to develop properties based on health and wellness themes, the first of its kind in Malaysia. Crigen Resources is also now operating as a health and wellness property developer.

Wong is currently the President of Malaysia Digital Chamber of Commerce. He is also a partner to Max Capital Holdings Ltd, a global venture and private equity company where he co-founded the Global Investment Community (GIC). He is trained in Finance Accounting by Harvard Business School.

For more information about Mr Wong, visit: chrisdanielwong.com/about/

Mr Graham Steer
Non-Executive Director

Mr Steer has over 40 years’ experience in accounting and financial management, and his specialties include corporate advisory and strategically guiding clients to navigate complex financial matters. Mr Steer has frequently been invited to hold board positions and continues to hold permanent advisory roles within many organisations, where he is valued for his judicious advice throughout the negotiation processes, mergers and acquisitions, share and asset restructuring and other transaction matters. The vast knowledge and experience he brings includes direction into stock and asset restructuring, as well as advice on mergers and acquisitions.

Amongst his many board positions, Mr Steer has served as director of a joint venture in grain trading and exporting. The JV produced oaten hayas well as beef, for the purposes of exporting to China. As part of his tenure as a director of the Australian venture, Mr Steer also oversaw a Shanghai office which was responsible for marketing and distribution in China. Amongst other businesses associated with the Asian market, Mr Steer was also a director of the Australian subsidiary of a German company manufacturing and supplying railway products. During that time, Mr Steer assisted in further expansion of the company by establishing a branch in China, advising on the development of that group company, including the appointment of its first General Manager.

Mr. Shanil Nanayakkara
Non-Executive Director

Mr Nanayakkara has over 20 years’ senior management experience in both Australia and the United Kingdom providing corporate entities with turnkey solutions to establish and expand operations, both in Australia and overseas. He is experienced in effecting positive organisational change and increasing profitability whilst maintaining core values within a business. Drawing on his previous successes, he continues to provide strategic guidance in relation to the Australian operations of numerous significant international businesses. His guidance spans initial setup phase to longer term growth and expansion phases.

Procuring high value contracts between government and the private sector is a key area of his success. Mr Nanayakkara has negotiated and secured major projects, including direct negotiations with a foreign government on behalf of a multinational developer to provide an airport and transport hub with associated infrastructure in a state significant contract. He has also successfully managed the submission of multimillion dollar government tenders for two distinctly different commercial operations and successfully negotiated with an Australian Government Department, securing a 160% increase in funding for a commercial client. This was the second increase in funding secured in consecutive financial years, an achievement made more notable with the backdrop of significant cuts delivered in the Federal Budget.

Over the years, Mr Nanayakkara has helped safeguard businesses in commercial and financial difficulty across a range of industries (including legal, financial services and construction), implementing and managing rescue plans, and ultimately seeing them flourish. Mr Nanayakkara co-founded Australian Presence Legal, a boutique commercial law firm based in Sydney. Mr Nanayakkara will continue to serve as a director of Australian Presence Legal, following his appointment by the Company.

Drawing from his experience in the legal, commercial and government sectors, Mr Nanayakkara will carry out negotiations, prepare and manage tenders and oversee acquisitions and joint ventures made by the Company.