Northstar

www.travelweeklyweb.com www.travelweeklyweb.com JUNE 2014 | TRAVELWeekly AsiA ■ | 15 PeoPle Simon McGrath appointed as GM of DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru JOHOR BAHRU – Hilton Worldwide and DoubleTree by Hilton have appointed industry veteran Simon McGrath as the General Manager of their second DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Malaysia. The DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru is scheduled to open its doors next month. M c G r a t h , w h o w a s i n s t r u m e n t a l i n the rebranding of DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Phuket - Surin Beach in Thailand, brings over three decades of experience in the international hospitality industry. He has held several senior management roles with prominent hospitality brands in many countries around the globe including Australia, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. SINGAPORE – Pan Pacific Hotels Group has appointed Kimimasa Yuasa as Director of Sales, Japan. Based at the Global Sales Office in Tokyo, Yuasa will be responsible for managing key clients in Japan and expanding the market through the generation of sales leads and bookings for the Group's over 30 "Pan Pacific" and PARKROYAL hotels, resorts and serviced suites in Asia, Oceania and North America. Most recently, Yuasa was Director, Kimimasa Yuasa joins PPHG as Director of Sales, Japan with the company, Yuasa built up a proven performance track record in managing domestic and outbound sales from Japan, developing wholesale package tours for Starwood hotels, as well as fostering MICE business opportunities in second-tier Japanese cities. Prior to that, Yuasa garnered over 20 years of corporate and MICE sales experience in various management positions with New Otani Hotel in Tokyo and Los Angeles, as well as Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York. Pan Pacific Hotels Group appoints Romain Chan as GM of Pan Pacific Hotel and Serviced Suites Ningbo SINGAPORE – Pan Pacific Hotels Group has appointed Romain Chan as General Manager of the 415-room Pan Pacific Ningbo and the adjoining 195-suite Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Ningbo in China. A US citizen, Chan brings to the Group over 30 years of industry experience spanning the United States, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and the Philippines. Embarking on his hospitality career with the Front Office department at Hilton Hong Kong, Chan then spent the next 15 years building up a strong operations portfolio at business and luxury hotels in Hong Kong, Macau , China and the USA, eventually becoming Assistant Director, Front Office Operations at the 2042-room New York Hilton and Towers. Chan assumed his first General Manager position with Century Saigon Hotel in Vietnam in 1994 and later moved on to concurrently helm three Century hotels in the Philippines. Since then, he has also managed Shangri-la hotels as well as a diverse range of hotel, serviced suites, office and retail properties under Harbour Plaza Group and Miramar Hotel and Investment Company in China and Hong Kong. Prior to his appointment with Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Chan was Vice President – Hospitality at Kingold Group Company Ltd, an international diversified enterprise based in mainland China. In his role, Chan oversaw the company's hospitality-related investments including its business hotels, resorts and luxury restaurants.

• Cover