Born in 1975, Rosemarie grew up in Singapore and left for boarding school in England at aged 14. In 1997 she graduated with a Diploma in Interior Design at Chelsea College of Art & Design, London, and in 1998, with a 1st Class BA (Hons) in Fashion (Textiles) at the renowned Central St. Martin’s College of Art and Design, London. After nearly a decade there, she returned to Kuching to join her family business.
She started out in the field of construction, property management and then took the helm at Arena Sukan, Kuching’s 1st multi-sport complex, as the company’s Director in 2008. She’s been actively running it since, and has successfully introduced in-house tournaments and sports coaching for the youths.
In 2011, her entrepreneurial spirit led her into her first hospitality venture. She conceptualised, designed and rebuilt 2 shophouses along Kuching’s Main Bazaar. A year later, the Ranee Boutique Suites , Kuching’s first luxury boutique hotel was launched. Consisting of 24 rooms, each with its own individuality, charm and character. The Ranee has received many accolades. On Trip Advisor, it was ranked the #1 hotel in Kuching for the last consecutive 5 years.
Her second venture into the hospitality industry is called The Marian Boutique Lodging House , Kuching’s first heritage boutique lodging house which opened in May 2017. Restored from an all-girls St Mary’s School boarding house which is more than 100 years old, it has been painstakingly restored over 5 years, to reflect its heritage and history and now comprises 40 rooms and an infinity swimming pool.
Adjacent to The Marian, as part of its services, is Kuching’s first massive warehouse style dining hall which has been built by the restoration of an old warehouse called The Granary Kitchen + Bar.
During her years in the hospitality industry, she has acquired great knowledge and insights into the hotel and travel industry, gained invaluable experience and been actively involved in related events, the various Tourism Ministries and the travel trade.
Rosemarie is also greatly inspired by old buildings and Sarawak’s rich colonial past. She has an intense passion for old furniture, local traditional arts and crafts and enjoys giving old things a new lease of life. Rosemarie supports over 50 independent local and rural artisans, charities and NGOs. By creating, re-designing and re-packaging their products, she is able to create new demands and greater opportunities for their products to sell.
With 2 standalone gift shops called The Ranee Artisan Gallery, her most successful projects are the development of new handicraft products like upcycled fan covers, hand woven baskets and place mats made by the ladies in the longhouses that she has adopted.
She is currently the Treasurer of Sarawak Heritage Society and the President of Jawatankuasa Agrokraft Borneo, a newly formed committee to encourage the development of rural community products.