Tourism New Zealand has appointed Stephen England-Hall to the position of chief executive, with effect from early April 2017. He will be based in Auckland. He has worked across New Zealand, the UK and North America as a senior executive of leading digital marketing, data and technology companies.
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre has appointed Rick Aylett to the role of senior manager of operations. Aylett has vast experience in event operations and venue management, and joins the Centre from Atlantic Group where he held the group general manager position for operations.
Dorsett Hospitality International has promoted Rebecca Kwan to the position of senior vice president of sales – Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. Kwan, who is also the general manager for Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong, took office as senior vice president of sales – Hong Kong in November 2015.
Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit has named Patitta Chinin its new senior director of sales – corporate, leisure and MICE. She was last director of sales and marketing at Movenpick Hotel Sukhumvit 15 Bangkok, and director of sales and marketing at Radisson Suites Bangkok Sukhumvit.
British Airways has picked Noella Ferns to be its regional general manager for Greater China and the Philippines, based in Hong Kong. Ferns has been with the company for over 20 years. She last led the Hong Kong, Philippines and Taiwan sales teams to drive growth in corporate accounts, trade partnerships and new business, while also overseeing the airline’s channel shift strategy.
Evason Ana Mandara in Nha Trang, Vietnam has named Michael Murphy its general manager. Murphy was the pre-opening general manager at Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain in China from July 2104 to October 2015, and next general manager of Vinpearl Luxury Nha Trang.
Conrad Centennial Singapore has welcomed the return of Heinrich Grafe as its general manager. He had left the hotel in 2013 after 16 years to lead Conrad Tokyo as general manager.
Marco Polo Hotels has appointed seasoned hotelier Dalip Singh as hotel manager of its three Hong Kong properties – Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, Prince Hotel and Gateway Hotel. Singh previously served as the managing director of KOP Properties.
Perth Convention Bureau has placed Amy Hallam in the newly created role of senior business development manager. Hallam will focus on bidding and securing large-scale international conferences for Perth and Western Australia. Prior to this appointment, she worked with the City of Perth in Economic Development.
Opened August 2016, The Garage Bar on the lobby floor of Cordis Hong Kong at Langham Place in Mongkok is said to be the first outdoor food truck destination in a hotel.
Previously known as The Backyard, the venue has undergone a renovation to create additional space and seating. As outdoor drinking space is rare in Mongkok, The Garage Bar is a welcome oasis for city folks.
Concept The Garage Bar offers an urban food culture experience by blending Western food truck favourites with traditional Asian flavours and pairing dishes with nearly 40 local and international craft beer brands. All that is delivered in a striking red and black setting with two vintage Citroën vans – one from 1966 and the other from 1972.
Must-eats include the Hongkongese Burger, a New Zealand steak in a bamboo charcoal pineapple bun (known among the locals as bolo bao); Crab & Cheese Melt Sandwich; and Churro Cherries Dulce.
Beer lovers will rejoice over a sample option that features local and international – three different labels will create a personalised “beer flight”.
MICE application The Garage Bar is such a stylish venue, and the vintage vans lend many Instagrammable moments. Spanning 322m2, The Garage Bar is split into the 134m2 Upper deck and 188m2 Lower deck.
It is ideal for welcome or closing cocktail receptions with 50 to 150 guests.
Music plays in the bar, but event planners can bring in a live DJ for an additional fee.
The only downside to The Garage Bar is its open-air nature, which makes it susceptible to weather elements. As a wet weather back-up, event planners are offered another bar, Alibi, or a private function room.
Organisations that have used The Garage Bar for their events include Wine Luxe, Mothercare, IATA and Columbia University.
Service Top marks for attentive service. Despite it being a large venue, staff came by frequently to check on diners’ needs and to tidy tables. I also like how knowledgeable the staff are about the different beers available and are willing to share tips on how to pick from over 40 craft beer brands.
