 What did you want to be when you grew up? A fire truck driver as I always liked fast red cars. Your first job: When I was still at school I was a surf lifesaver. During school holidays I would patrol the beach at Coolum (Queensland, Australia). In the winter I was a stockman on a 152,000-acre station west of Mount Isa. Your first pay packet: I was a management trainee and after they had deducted the cost for a white shirt, black trousers and black shoes, for one week’s work I received a grand total of 76 pence (gross). Then I had to pay tax. Your first break: I was fortunate to be employed as a management trainee by a very good and innovative company. I was provided with some of the best training opportunities available at the time. Describe your current role: With new hotels being established across Vietnam, my job is to ensure that Furama continues to stay ahead of other hotels and maintain its high standards of guest service. I’m also managing some hotel renovation projects involving accommodation and spa facilities. The best part of your job: Sitting in morning briefings and reading guest comments stating that the resort provided them with a truly memorable experience. The worst: Early morning starts. Your best quality: My ethic of hard work.Your worst quality: I am not very good at accepting second place and so I set very high standards. Your best achievement: Working in some of the places I have, e.g. Afghanistan, Burma, East Timor, to my relief, my greatest achievement is that I still wake up in the morning alive.
ELVEN HO
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
HKCEC
Elvin Ho has been appointed communications manager at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre. Prior to joining the HKCEC he held several senior positions with multi-national companies, and was the founding managing editor of the Chinese edition of Rolling Stone magazine.
SUZETTE DEVEAU
DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING
INTERCONTINENTAL BALI RESORT
Suzette Deveau has been appointed director of sales and marketing of the InterContinental Bali Resort. In her role she will be responsible for initiating innovative new products and marketing strategies as well as ensuring that brand standards and guidelines are maintained. Her most recent position was director of sales for the Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai.
BERNARD CHAN
BDM
SELECT HOTELS & RESORTS INT.
Bernard Chan has been appointed business development manager of Select Hotels & Resorts International, based in the group’s new regional office in Hong Kong. Mr Chan will focus on sourcing new select memberships in the region and Select will also recruit a travel professional to support him with trade and member servicing. Mr Chan comes to Select from his previous role of more than 10 years as principal and director of P&D Hospitality Consultants, a property consultancy firm that specialises in the hotel industry.
THOMAS B. MEIER
VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS
RAFFLES HOTELS & RESORTS
Thomas B. Meier has been appointed vice president, operations of Raffles Hotels & Resorts. In his new role, Mr Meier will assist Diana Ee-Tan, managing director of Raffles Hotels & Resorts, to oversee the operations of existing hotels, as well as future openings of new hotels under the Raffles portfolio.
MARCO SEILER
GENERAL MANAGER
AMARI NOVA SUITES, PATTAYA
Marco Seiler has been appointed general manager of Amari Nova Suites, Pattaya. Before joining Amari Hotels and Resorts, Mr Seiler, a Swiss national, held positions at Roland Pieroz’s one-Michelin-star “Rosalp Restaurant” in Verbier, at the famous Grand Hotel Victoria-Jungfrau in Interlaken, Switzerland, as well as at restaurants in Spain and Curacao, The Netherlands Antilles. His most recent position was resident manager of the city centre Amari Boulevard Hotel. Mr Seiler will oversee the brand new Amari Nova Suites, which open in November 2007.
AME LAI & KARINE KOH
EVENT MANAGERS
EVENTCLICKS
Ame Lai and Karine Koh have been appointed event managers at EventClicks to meet the growing demand for high-quality international event services in Asia. With a background in fashion and photography production in New York and Hong Kong, Ame Lai brings an artistic flair along with her infectious enthusiasm for producing fun and exciting events. Armed with passion and international experience, Karine Koh joins EventClicks from Singapore, where she conceptualised, designed and managed a wide range of events.
PETER GOWERS & KIRK KINSELL
INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP
Peter Gowers has been appointed chief executive, Asia Pacific of the InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG), and Kirk Kinsell has been appointed president, Europe Middle East & Africa. Mr Gowers is currently chief marketing officer and will remain on the executive committee of IHG. His new appointment will take effect on November 1, 2007. Mr Kinsell is currently senior vice president, chief development officer for the Americas region, and will join the executive committee on his appointment. His appointment is effective from September 1 when he will succeed outgoing president and board member Richard Hartman who formally retires from IHG at the end of September.
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