GIO TAN: Founder
Hailing from Indonesia, Gio embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship and has lived the Canadian dream.
After studying interior design at the Institut Teknologi Bandung in Indonesia, Gio went on to further his education at Belgium’s National Higher Institute for Architecture and Urban Development. In 1969, after working in Amsterdam for a year, Gio immigrated to Canada and worked on several interior design teams before forming Gio Tan Design Associates Inc. (GIOTAN) in 1978.
Gio successfully grew GIOTAN into a household name within Toronto’s commercial real estate industry. Leading developers and commercial real estate agents had Gio on speed dial, knowing they could depend on his expertise to help meet all their clients’ and tenants’ interior design needs. His client list was a who’s who of Toronto’s business establishment.
Since retiring, Gio and his wife Wini have been spending their summers at the family cottage on Lake Muskoka or hitting the links at their golf club. During the winter they’re either travelling to warmer destinations or throwing stones, and smashing squash balls and shuttlecocks at the Granite Club.
As Gio’s three sons continue to grow his legacy into the future, they will always be grateful for the invaluable education and opportunities he provided for them.
