Edward Koh chairs BestCities Global Alliance
Edward Koh, executive director of the Conventions, Meetings & Incentive Travel division of the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau, has been appointed as BestCities Global Alliance’s board chair.
In his new role, Koh will prioritise knowledge creation and client engagement in the fields of legacy and sustainability, with a goal of growing the global impact of meetings events. He is committed to enhancing BestCities’ focus on economic, social and environmental sustainability, enabling alliance members to offer delegates more responsible ways to meet amid the growing climate emergency.
Koh takes over from Kit Lykketoft, director of the Copenhagen Convention Bureau. During her two-year tenure as board chair, Lykketoft oversaw the addition of two new partner cities – Guadalajara and Dublin – and navigated the alliance through the global pandemic, among other accomplishments.
Julia Swanson, CEO of the Melbourne Convention Bureau, will assume Koh’s vacated role of incoming board chair, while David Noack Perez, director of the Madrid Convention Bureau, will take up the position of board treasurer.
Michael Issenberg joins TFE Hotels’ Board
Hotelier Michael Issenberg has joined the Board of TFE Hotels, where he will assist the company with the next stage of its growth and evolution.
A 26-year veteran of Accor, where he helms as chairman and CEO of Accor Asia Pacific, Issenberg brings more than 42 years of international experience at executive management and Board level in the travel and hospitality industry to the table.
He is also the current chair of Tourism Australia and a director of the Star Entertainment Group.
Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta welcomes new manager
Vishal Sanadhya has been named the new hotel manager for Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta.
With more than 16 years of experience with Four Seasons, he will take charge of day-to-day hotel operations.
He was previously part of the pre-opening team at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, and has supported several Four Seasons properties in other locations, including Beijing, Maldives, Singapore and Mumbai.
W Goa appoints Siddharth Joshi as new DOSM
W Goa has named Siddharth Joshi as its new director of sales & marketing.
With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Joshi’s in-depth knowledge of the market and his strategic approach to sales and marketing will help him develop and implement sales and marketing strategies to drive revenue growth, enhance the hotel’s brand positioning, and foster strategic partnerships.
Joshi joins the W Goa team from The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts where he was also director of sales & marketing.
Taiwan events industry takes sustainability strategy forward
Taiwan’s Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) has commissioned the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) to implement its Sustainable MICE, Taking Strides Towards Net Zero project under the MEET TAIWAN programme this year.
The project, which aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations, will comprise three parts: evaluation and guidance, speaking out and taking action, and encouragement and honour.
The first segment, evaluation and guidance, provides three resources – helping business events companies reduce carbon emissions, the Taiwan MICE Sustainability White Paper, and helping business events companies gain ISO certifications and producing corporate sustainability reports.
These resources are designed to enhance the industry’s sustainability. MEET TAIWAN will provide customised consultation services to help industry players meet sustainability goals.
The second segment, speaking out and taking action, involves promoting Taiwan’s international image as a destination for sustainable business events. It carries on from last year’s Net Zero Carbon Events – Route to Net Zero report published by the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC)during COP 27. This year, BOFT and JMIC have co-organised an event for COP 28 to jointly promote the net zero initiative for the global business events industry. That, along with the Taiwan MICE Sustainability White Paper and carbon reduction results of Taiwan’s business events industry, will contribute to Taiwan’s sustainable business events image.
In addition, Taiwan has launched the 100 x 100 campaign, which calls on 100 business events stakeholders to carry out 100 sustainable actions.
For the third segment, encouragement and honor, Taiwan’s business events companies will be recognised for their contributions to sustainable events. The annual Sustainable MICE Awards this year will highlight achievements with an SDGs Action Award and a Carbon Reduction Action Award.
BOFT has also declared 2023 a year of carbon reduction and sustainability action for Taiwan’s business events industry.
BCD Travel gets closer to Asia-Pacific customers with Sri Lanka call centre
BCD Travel has opened a fully-owned service centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to facilitate more efficient programme deployment for clients in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore as well as to support its global travellers with frontline services during out-of-office hours in their regions.
The BCD Asia-Pacific Service Center draws on Sri Lanka’s abundant pool of skilled talent and favourable market economics. The company is said to be the first global travel management company to join the Sri Lanka Board of Investment, which demonstrates the facility’s contribution to the local economy and job creation.
The BCD Asia-Pacific Service Center is also creating a local Sustainability Committee and will appoint a local charity to further expand its outreach to the local communities.
“Coming out of the pandemic, our laser focus was on ‘building forward’ through a sustainable operating strategy,” said John Snyder, president and CEO at BCD Travel.
“Investing in a country emerging from political and economic instability not only supports our strategy for sustainable growth, but also demonstrates our commitment to care for our communities and feed the future.”
The BCD Asia-Pacific Service Center is pivotal to BCD’s preparation for the travel industry’s emergence from the pandemic and for clients’ subsequent growing demand for travel. The service centre currently has close to 200 full-time employees and is in active expansion mode. The company expects it to be one of its largest operations in Asia-Pacific by the end of this year.
The facility will be led by a local management team, with Pradeep Kumar at the helm as executive director. Kumar reports to Greg O’Neil, BCD’s president for Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa & Global Network.
Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre reopens with events on the books
The waterfront Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland has reopened with high interest from event organisers.
The venue is said to have secured 117 events for the 2023/2024 financial year, with an estimated value of NZ$3 million (US$1.8 million).
Viaduct Events Centre is regarded as one of Auckland’s premier waterfront venues, and used to host several major events, most notably New Zealand Fashion Week, New Zealand Design Awards, since its opening in 2011 and prior to its closure in 2018.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited chief executive Nick Hill said: “Auckland is proud to open the doors once again to this landmark building and offer it as one of our unique world-class venues available to hire.
“This hasn’t happened overnight so thanks to the hard work of the team at Auckland Live and Conventions and the wider Tātaki Auckland Unlimited whānau, we are able to expand the portfolio of venues ready to welcome a range of events.”
The venue spans three levels and offers 6,000m² of space. It takes in eight function rooms that are ideal for a wide range of events, from tradeshows to gala dinners. Its banquet space has capacity for up to 1,200 guests.
Event organisers enjoy easy access to five-star accommodation, world-class hospitality and a central transport hub.
Jan Tonkin, managing director of The Conference Company said the business events and conferencing sector is ready to return to the Viaduct Events Centre.
“The re-opening of the Viaduct Events Centre is welcome news indeed for business events hosts. Its harbour views, day-lit rooms and balconies make it a very appealing environment for meetings and conferences and the Waiheke Room is an ideal space for large scale dinners and exhibitions.
All in all, as conference organisers, we’re delighted to have the venue available once again and already have bookings there in May.”
Royal Albatross offers corporate bookings complimentary beer this May
For the month of May, The Royal Albatross ship in Singapore is offering complimentary unlimited beer, for corporates that book their Weekday Corporate Package on Mondays to Thursdays.
There are three corporate buyout packages available, all of which include 2.5 hours of sailing, and 1.5 hours of dockside.
Package A, an evening sail from 18.00 to 22.00, starts at S$10,500 (US$7,850) for a minimum of 30 pax, while the additional headcount is S$280 per pax up to a maximum of 130 people.
Package B is from 09.00 to 13.00, and will start at S$8,500 for a minimum of 30 pax, while the additional headcount is S$250 per pax up to a maximum of 130 people. Package C is from 11.00 to 15.00, and will start at S$12,500 for a minimum of 30 pax, with the additional headcount price the same as Package B.
For more private gatherings, Royal Albatross also offers section buyouts for Weekend Dinner Cruises, tailor-made to accommodate smaller groups of 30. Food is freshly prepared on board in the galley by the head chef and kitchen team, and can be buffet-style, or a four-course menu.
Contact info@tallship.com.sg
Pan Pacific Orchard makes two new executive appointments in F&B
Pan Pacific Orchard has added Amelia Matheson and Pedro Samper to its leadership ranks, ahead of its opening on June 1, 2023.
As director of F&B, Australian-born Matheson will lead commercial strategy for the restaurants. Matheson moved from Melbourne to Singapore in 2014 and she spent most of her career with independent F&B establishments. Prior to moving to Pan Pacific, her last role was with The Garcha Group where she managed a cluster of four boutique hotels.
Meanwhile, the hotel’s culinary programme will be spearheaded by Samper, who has honed his skills over two decades in Michelin-star kitchens across cities like Hong Kong, Japan, and Spain. The San Sebastian native was most recently Executive Chef at Four Seasons Resort Dubai in Jumeirah Beach. This is his first stint in Singapore.
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Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has released three new episodes of the Event Expert Docuseries, which showcases experts and creators of events working behind the scenes.
The latest episodes feature customer service manager David Howie, operations manager Anthea Fahey, and lighting specialist Matthew Dix.
As customer service manager, Howie ensures MCEC’s facilities and services are operating effectively for all events. Having worked at the organisation for over 20 years, he has a wealth of knowledge and his episode highlights some of the unique design details of venue.
Operations manager Fahey oversees events from bump-in to bump-out. Working across teams, contractors and clients, she creates and implements cohesive floor plans to deliver seamless events. She plays a crucial role in ensuring all events held at MCEC are safe, accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
Lighting specialist Dix illustrates the importance of collaboration to achieve a unified design. Part of his role is researching cutting-edge technology to keep MCEC at the forefront of the industry.
Earlier episodes feature event planner Maxine McIntyre, sustainability manager Samantha Ferrier, executive pastry chef Alessandro Bartesaghi, digital event manager Mark Higgins, and event delivery manager Amir Asady, who has since been promoted to operations manager.
MCEC’s head of marketing, Liz Kozmevski, said: “Through the series, we aim to inspire and educate our customers on how they can leverage our world-class facilities and expertise to create unforgettable experiences… We hope the series inspires others to host their events at MCEC and witness the magic for themselves.”