Howard Lo

Owner, Liberty Spirits Asia, Tanuki Raw and Standing Sushi Bar

Singapore

Howard Lo is a technology evangelist turned F&B owner. Originally from the US, Howard began his career with Microsoft as part of the product development team for Microsoft Excel. After 5 years in Seattle, Howard left the mothership bubble and transferred to Singapore to be part of Microsoft’s fast-growing regional office. He led the Asia team for community evangelism and support and helped Microsoft connect with technology influencers across the region.

After years of having an itch and ideas for various businesses, Howard felt there was a gap in the Singapore sushi market so he started Standing Sushi Bar in 2009. Unsurprisingly switching into a brand new industry and taking away a critical function of a restaurant (chairs) led to many painful but valuable lessons. With a propensity for persistence, Standing Sushi Bar expanded with a second and third branch in late 2010 and a franchise in Jakarta in 2011.

Armed with experience and travel, Howard has been fortunate to witness F&B developments and trends happening around the world. These ideas led to additional restaurant and bar projects such as Tanuki Raw (restaurant bar), Shinkansen (Japanese protein bowls), The World is Flat (soon-to-open pizza concept), and The Secret Mermaid (craft American spirits cocktail bar). In addition to the restaurants, Howard owns Liberty Spirits Asia, an alcohol import and distribution company focused on bringing in American spirits made by craft distilleries.

Howard runs the business with his wife, Huinan Lim, and together they battle through work issues as well as report to their boss, a 1 year old baby.