Montara Hospitality Group has announced the return of Anthony Lark as managing director and general manager of Trisara resort in Phuket. He joined Trisara in 2000 and has over 25 years of experience leading luxury hotel groups in the region.
Anthony Lark
Hermann Wegmueller
Hermann Wegmueller has been made the new CEO at Meeting Point Asia with headquarters in Bangkok. He takes over from Jan Respen, who has left the Thai destination management company for private reasons. Wegmueller joins the company from Go Vacation Thailand, where he was executive director product & contracting.
Akira Park
Akira Park has been named general manager of Mantra Samui Resort. Park spent most of his hospitality career with Hyatt Hotels, starting in the US before moving to South Korea. His most recent post was in China where he was involved in opening a hotel in Qingdao.
Jeunesse Expo5, Annual World Conference 2014
With only six weeks to put together a mega conference, official event contractor MCI has to mobilise two offices to get things moving fast. By Prudence Lui
By the time global event specialist MCI was appointed official contractor for the Jeunesse Expo5, Annual World Conference 2014, there were only six weeks left to the big day.
To ensure a timely delivery of the three-day event in Macau, MCI’s Hong Kong and Macau offices joined hands in event planning and execution.
The programme comprised a pre-opening night for 100 VIPs who attended a private dinner followed by a viewing of The House of Dancing Water show in City of Dreams, presentations, product briefs and launches, ceremonies that recognised top performing distributors, and entertainment.
According to MCI Group Hong Kong’s managing director, Peter Kinnane, the event drew “phenomenal’ interest from the Jeunesse network, selling out to more than 12,000 people daily.
To manage the crowds, MCI worked with the client to hold the conference at The Venetian Macao and to accommodate delegates at the nearby Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central and Holiday Inn Macao Cotai Central.
“It was spectacular that Macau is able to hold the event in one location (on Cotai Strip) where all guests are within walking distance of the event venue. No other places in the world could allow such an arrangement with such ease, and this convenience will become more advantageous as Cotai Strip continues to expand,” said Kinnane.
The high human traffic meant that crowd controls were needed. MCI set up queue controls and security measures at two registration areas – one at The Venetian Macao and the other at Sands Cotai Central.
As MCI was required by law to inform the Macau government of the number of people inside the CotaiArena at any one time, MCI created a daily event ticket with a seat allocation, and put in place an entry and exit scanning system at the doors.
“As the CotaiArena had capacity for just over 10,000, an overflow room had to be created almost overnight,” Kinnane added.
By allocating seats, MCI was able to group attendees by their home countries, which in turn created a vibrant atmosphere with national flags and colours.
The diverse background of attendees also called for a flexible script that was engaging. MCI formed technical and translation teams with more than 35 people to respond to last minute changes. To translate the script from English to six other languages, MCI leveraged the Jeunessse QR system and barcoded each transporter so it could be linked to a delegate. Disposable rubber ear tips on headphones expedited the circulation of audio devices.
Throughout the event, delegates could view and purchase the range of Jeunesse products. Sales was strong.
The event ended with Scott Lewis, Chief Visionary Officer of Jeunesse Global, noting the company’s network of distributors were energised.
Patricia Beaudoux
Marina Bay Sands has appointed Patricia Beaudoux its new director of international sales – Asia. She is responsible for establishing and managing key meetings and events accounts across North America tradeshows, international associations and multinational corporations. She reports to Mike Lee, vice president of sales at Marina Bay Sands.
Lindy Wee
Lindy Wee is now chief executive of Singapore Exhibition Services, replacing Stephen Tan who has stepped down from his role at the company. Wee rose to this position from her former role as director of PR and conferences.
Rex Loh
InterContinental Singapore has promoted Rex Loh to the position of area director of sales & marketing. Loh will manage six hotels across four brands in the destination. He joined the company as director of sales & marketing in December 2013, bringing with him over 16 years of valuable experience helming sales, marketing and revenue functions in the hospitality industry.
Lee Ng
Lee Ng has joined Silka Cheras Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as general manager. Prior to this, Ng was the complex director of sales & marketing at The Royal Begonia, Sanya. He has also worked with Shangri-La Singapore, Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur and The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur.
Clive Edwards
Ayana Resort and Spa Bali has promoted Clive Edwards to general manager, from his previous role as interim general manager of Ayana and Rimba.
Tarik Temucin
The Ritz-Carton, Beijing has promoted Tarik Temucin to general manager from his former position as hotel manager.
Reviews
Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown
A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.
A versatile powerhouse
Arena @ Expo, a multipurpose concert hall at the Singapore Expo is a flexible space for high octane concerts and lifestyle events.
Amari Bangkok
The five-star property excels in backing its expansive facilities with seamless service and personalised attention, setting the benchmark for luxury in Bangkok.
