Christopher James Lenz  was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. His parents, of Swiss and German origin, were both chefs and hoteliers. Chris grew up immersed in the hospitality industry.

In 1984, Chris left Canada for Switzerland, and attended Hotel School Lucerne. He gained experience in some of the country’s most renowned kitchens.

In 1989, Chris moved to Hong Kong to join Omni Hotels as Assistant Director of Food and Beverage. He spent nine years with the company, which later rebranded as Marco Polo Hotels, ultimately serving as Regional Director of Food and Beverage for Asia Pacific.

After leaving the hotel industry, Chris launched his first restaurant in 1998, an 11,000-square-foot horror-themed dinner theatre called Igor’s. The concept quickly expanded into a broader portfolio of 37 restaurants, bars, and clubs across Hong Kong and Singapore.

In early 2008, Chris stepped away from the business and embarked on a personal project: building a superyacht. With a team of over 100 people, he spent several years constructing the vessel, Silverlining, which launched in January 2011. Chris and his family then set sail on a nearly three-year journey across 36 countries.

The voyage concluded in Panama, where Chris and his wife Vicky chose to settle so their children could learn Spanish, adding to their fluency in English and Chinese. Continuing his entrepreneurial path, Chris took on a new challenge: the development of  La Compañía Hotel and Resorts.