Norbert is a graduate of the world-renowned Centre International de Glion in Switzerland. He has over 30 years of hotel industry experience in Indonesia, Vietnam, the USA, Germany, and his native Austria, having held senior management positions with notable hotel groups such as Ian Schrager Hotels and Four Seasons in New York, and Mandarin Oriental and IHG in Jakarta and Bali. Fluent in four languages and passionate about connecting capital with project and operational excellence, Norbert has been involved in more than 100 hotel projects overseeing technical, operational, and advisory services throughout the full real estate life cycle. He brings a wealth of experience working with hotel owners, investors, and developers to achieve superior returns and best practice asset management strategies.

Dennis finished Industrial Engineering in Purdue University, Indiana USA. He started off his career as a plant manager for Socoil Corporation Berhad back in 1970 and later got transitioned to being a Director and General Manager for the same company. He was Responsible for setting up various businesses during the period. Includes Consumer Products, Specialty Fats, Oleochemical, Financial Leasing, and Construction businesses. He also ran his own businesses from 1970-1989. In a personal capacity been involved in the following businesses: - Travel agency, computer hardware and software agencies, trading company and property development.
In the late 80’s he was the CEO of Pudu Sinar Sdn. Bhd. He was Instrumental in turning around Park Avenue Hotel in Kuala Lumpur and selling it after the turnaround. The hotel is currently known as Melia Kuala Lumpur. From the early 90s to the early 2010s, Dennis was the general manager of Value Hospitality Management Sdn Bhd. He started managing hotels in various states of Malaysia. Specialize in turnarounds of hotels and Training and developing management team.
Now, he is currently the Managing Director of The Everly Group Sdn Bhd. The company is managing 5 hotels in Malaysia and implementing strategies to minimize costs during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our 4-star Everly’s made money during the 2020 to 2022 COVID years.

Shi’ai Liang is the Vice President, Head of Development APAC for Blueground. Blueground is the leading flexible living operator in the world, and currently operates over 13,000 residential units in 30 cities including San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Berlin, Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore. In her role, she is responsible for Blueground’s expansion in Asia Pacific.
Prior to joining Blueground, she was the Director of Hotel Development for the Asia-Pacific excluding China (APEC) region at Marriott International. In her role, she supported the growth of Marriott International’s thirty brands in Asia Pacific markets through identifying, evaluating, and acquiring hotel management deals and investment partners for Marriott International.
Shi’ai previously held development roles in Singapore and Hong Kong with Rosewood Hotel Group, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Pan Pacific Hotels Group.
Shi’ai holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture degree from the National University of Singapore and a Master of Management in Hospitality from Cornell University, with a concentration in real estate finance.

David Roberts has been in the Hospitality industry in Asia for over 20 years mainly in Asia Pacific. He has held senior roles at the property level and corporate level for well-recognized regional hotel chains. Majority of his career has been in Operation but recently he has senior roles in Development within the region. He is currently with Dusit International focused on growing their portfolio in APAC

Yogendran's journey from the medical industry to the hotel industry is an inspiring one. His hard work, dedication, and willingness to take risks have allowed him to pursue his passion and achieve success in a completely different field. His story is a testament to the fact that it's never too late to make a career change and follow your dreams. His journey in the hotel industry is a testament to his hard work and dedication.
He has excelled in various roles, such as an Executive Housekeeper for Compass Hospitality and Operations Manager with Arenaa Hotels Asia Holdings and would eventually earn him a promotion to the position of Business Development Manager and a Resident Manager with The Schuhe Hotel; simultaneously, he was elected the Vice Secretary of the Malaysian Association of Housekeepers (MAHIR) by industry peers in recognition of his professional accomplishments make him the perfect fit for his current role as the General Manager at Elysium Resorts Malaysia.
He has created exceptional experiences for guests throughout his career and continues to do so through his career. He is a true leader and an inspiration to anyone looking to enter the hospitality industry. He is a true leader and an inspiration to anyone looking to enter the hospitality industry.
His passion for hospitality and his ability to think outside the box make him the perfect fit for his current role at Elysium Resorts. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Having catalysed her career within the risk management departments of the Munich Reinsurance Company in Munich and Deutsche Bank in London, Joanne Kua returned to Malaysia in 2010 to join her family’s business in Malaysia.
In the following year, she was instrumental in leading the MYR1.6 billion sale of Kurnia Insurance Malaysia to AmBank/IAG. In 2012, she took the helm as Group CEO and spearheaded the rebranding of Kurnia Asia to KSK Group; and in 2013, she led the privatisation of KSK Group. 
Later that year, she founded KSK Land, the company’s trailblazing property development subsidiary currently constructing a mixed-use property at the heart of Kuala Lumpur called 8 Conlay, which comprises a five-star Kempinski Hotel, a lifestyle retail quarters and two branded residence towers called YOO8 serviced by Kempinski. 
In 2017, Joanne co-founded Sunday, Asia’s first full-stack Insurtech company that offers real-time customised and affordable non-life insurance products and services in Thailand and Indonesia, which recently secured its Series B funding of USD 45 million. 
In 2018, Joanne was selected as one of Forbes Asia’s inaugural Emergent 25 list of women making a recent mark in regional enterprises. 
She was also named as one of the honourees on Tatler Asia’s Most Influential 2022, as recognition to the positive change these leaders drive in their respective industries, city and its people. 
She holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Economics from University College of London, U.K. and M.Sc in Management and Regulation of Risk from London School of Economics, U.K.

As the Director of Hospitality in Gensler's fast-growing Asia Pacific & Middle East region, Kirk Ellis is one of Gensler's global Hospitality Practice leaders. His approach to finding solutions that address memorable guest experiences, revenue generation, and efficient operations is appreciated by developers and hotel operators alike.
Kirk's design leadership focuses on creating smart and effective solutions that differentiate a project in the marketplace while also balancing aesthetics and constructability.
Having worked in cities around the world, Kirk is a recognized thought leader and speaks at industry events about factors beyond aesthetics that shape the future of hospitality design.

"Bringing with him a sterling career spanning over 25 years, Yap is no stranger to the hospitality industry. He started with Regent Hotel in his early years and since then has held a number of senior management positions with Resorts World Genting and more recently as the Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Association of Hotels, playing a major role in steering the industry through and out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Part of his impressive resume also includes executive certification with École hôtelière de Lausanne of Switzerland, Cornell Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management, Singapore, as well as being awarded the Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) which is the highest certification from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational institute (AHLEI) in the year of 2013 and Certified Hospitality Trainer (CHT) in 2015. With his extensive reach & experience in the hospitality and tourism industry, he was appointed Industry Advisory Panel for Taylor’s University, Berjaya University College and INTI International University & College among others. He was also a member of various industry panels for the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC), namely the Star Rating Committee, National Spa Council, National Tourism Human Resources Development Council (NTHRDC). Other than that, he also held key positions in committees set up under the Ministry of Human Resources as well as the Human Resources Development Corporation (HRDC).

Sophon has a storied career. His humble beginnings are very inspiring. He started off as being a Spa Supervisor, to an assistant manager role, to eventually becoming a Spa Manager. He was involved in in planning, organizing, directing and controlling the overall operations and administration of the department in accordance with the standards prescribed in the Spa Manual with a strong emphasis on revenue generation. He carried out and established teams to administer Spa consultations with the intention of maximizing yield and ensuring high guest satisfaction. Sophon conducts frequent front and heart of house checks ensuring mise-en-place, service procedures, standards of cleanliness and hygiene, repair and maintenance, host grooming, and manning levels are in order and takes appropriate action where necessary.

Furthermore, Sophon provides guidance and assistance to Spa supervisory hosts helping them in the execution of their responsibilities and helping them to set their own goals and objectives. Along the way, he earned some very valuable achievements and established new brand standards. He directed and controlled all subordinate Spa hosts to ensure that day-to-day operational matters are handled on time and guest expectations are met.

Today, his the Director of Spa & Wellness for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. A very vital wing in the company which adds a hefty and significant value in achieving guest satisfaction. The wellness incentive that hotels offer is very vital 

Mimi is a versatile professional trainer with a specialization in Hospitality programs. She specializes in Front Office operations, Housekeeping Operations, Hotel Safety and Facilities Maintenance, F&B Costing and Customer Service. Mimi is the current Head of Resorts at MK Land. She demonstrated as a strong team player, hardworking, always filled up the role outside her duties and well executed the tasks given diligently. She always goes the extra mile and manages effectively regardless the business circumstances. Mimi has worked on MK Land projects and is fully committed on her deliverables. Her past hotel experience helped her in grooming hotel students and prepare them for the industry. Mimi is well versed in the hotel/resort industry. Her experiences dealing with multiple parties especially when it comes to handling varied facets in the hospitality industry is very impressive. Today, Mimi continues to embark on her journey as MK Land Holdings Berhad’s Head of Resorts and firmly believes that passionate, empowering and excellent service will always pay dividends for you and is a cornerstone in the hospitality industry.

Amy is a seasoned expert in master planning development consultancy and a diverse range of real estate consulting projects, specialising in multi-scenario highest-and-best-use studies for both traditional and emerging asset classes. Recently, she has written research white papers on trending real estate issues, specifically on senior housing, data centres, and the adoption of ESG in the real estate industry in Malaysia. With extensive experience in providing investment advisory services to local and foreign investor groups, as well as delivering independent market reports for IPO listing submissions, Amy brings invaluable data driven insights to her clients.

Her expertise extends to the captivating hospitality sector, where she has spearheaded an array of hotel consultancy studies for a diverse range of owners and institutional clients. With a focus on luxury resorts, business hotels and boutique assets, she has provided keen data-driven insights into the evolving landscape of guest expectations and market trends on projects all around Malaysia – including Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Penang, Melaka, Desaru and Kota Kinabalu.

In her earlier roles as Head of Research in the international property consultancy firms of Savills and CBRE, Amy played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s strategic direction in their Malaysian affiliate offices. Prior to that, she held the position of Head of Market Research & Analytics at Sunway Property, where she established a highly-regarded in-house property think-tank and spearheaded impactful research and planning initiatives that guided senior management decisions. Her corporate background has endowed her with a profound understanding of client-side requirements, evident in the clarity and effectiveness of her consulting advisory.

Combining her practical industry experience with a strong foundation in corporate real estate valuation gained during her tenure in Colliers, Amy brings a well-rounded perspective to her consulting engagements. Her ability to provide valuable insights and strategic recommendations has earned her a reputation as a trusted advisor in the real estate sector.

With a wealth of experience spanning two decades in the Malaysian real estate industry, Amy is frequently sought after by esteemed clients, financial institutions and developers, to share her expertise at prominent real estate events in Malaysia and Singapore. Her comprehensive research knowledge and authentic presentation style allows for effective delivery of key real estate findings, making her a trusted and influential speaker in the field.

Law is an experienced lodging development professional based in Indonesia, covering Indonesia and Malaysia for The Ascott Limited. Driven by a passion to ensure Owners’ investments are safeguarded, he takes pride in providing the best recommendations for the network of over 100 Owners under his team’s steward. During his tenure in the past 3 years, the Indonesia team signed up over 35 hotels and serviced residence despite challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. He first joined the group under CapitaLand’s Graduate Development Programme and went on to cover investment, business development and asset management roles in Southeast Asia across various asset classes

Ken Tay finished a bachelor’s degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering and had his Master’s degree in MSc Management Science at University of Kent. He started his career as a Support Engineer at O'Connor's Engineering Sdn Bhd where he spent a good 3 years. O'Connor's Engineering Sdn Bhd (O'Connor's) is primarily a premier system integrator within the country in the telecommunication sphere. We offer solutions to a multitude of industries to cater to their needs in Telecommunications, Testing & Measurement, Communication Information Technology, Security Surveillance and Audio Visual.

He also became a Solutions Architect for vnetwork System and made his way up in becoming a product manager before he later on became Business Development Manager.

Today, Ken Tay is the Chief Business Development Manager for HostPlatform. Technology is the core of the new normal. That’s the mantra of the company. Ken spearheads the business development unit of HostPlatform which offers a wide array of services which also has a pulse in the hospitality industry. Ken and his team is currently bent on imparting the latest tech offerings essential for growth and revenue, most especially in the hotel industry in Malaysia where there is still room for improvement.

Bousserind is a life-long hotelier, from the age of 18 where she learned to assist guest luggage service with the Clefs d’Or Concierge, while graduating from an International Hospitality Management college in Paris, to her latest role as Director of Sales in luxury resorts, performing through the pandemic. Using her 14 years of experience from hotels and corporate offices in France, Benelux, United Arab Emirates and now Thailand, she is currently working for HotStats to develop profitability intelligence for hotels and developers in APAC.

Based in Bangkok, her core role is to provide hotels with revenue retention levels (profits) within their departments, and analyze these performances against their market. This allows them to monitor costs while increasing margins on a monthly basis.

Hotstats is a global, hotel profit and loss data benchmarking company, collecting detailed data with over 500 KPIs of depth from over 10,000 hotels each and every single month. At the end of the day, hoteliers and owners do not put occupancy figures or even revenues in the bank, they put profit! This is what Hotstats is all about.

DORIAN LANDERS is one of the best resort planners and hospitality design directors in Asia. With many of the region’s most acclaimed resorts done under his stewardship, Dorian has worked extensively with Bensley, WATG, DHA, Hirsh-Bedner, Pentago and several other top hotel designers/architects. He is well known by the technical services of world class brands Four Seasons, Accor, Marriott, Capella, Six Senses as he always adds to brand equities by his no non-sense, value oriented approach and creating unique market oriented storylines.

What makes Dorian’s work unique : he has a luxury hotel background, is extremely market driven, profit oriented and very focused on small details that make properties memorable for guests as well as ease the work of hospitality staff.

Bryan Chan is Senior Development Director for South East Asia & Korea at IHG, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. Based in Singapore, Bryan is responsible for supporting the strategic growth of IHG brands in South East Asia & and Korea, with a strong focus for both city hotels and resorts in Malaysia, Vietnam and Philippines, as well as a functional expertise in integrated resorts.

Since joining IHG in 2014, Bryan has worked to launch new products, services and brands across various jurisdictions. In Vietnam, he forged close partnerships with developers to grow large integrated destinations such as the 2,709-key onsen and theme park resorts with Sun Group, plus the rebranding and expansion of the Ho Tram Strip. In Malaysia, Bryan launched Holiday Inn Express, and introduced IHG’s suite of Luxury & Lifestyle brands, including Hotel Indigo, Regent and Kimpton, with the latter two located at the trendy new "TRX" financial district of Kuala Lumpur. Bryan also launched various branded residence projects across the region.

Prior to joining IHG, Bryan worked in project and structured finance at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) in Singapore, where he worked on the structured financing of Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World at Sentosa. Before that, he was at Morgan Stanley’s investment banking division in Hong Kong. Bryan holds an M.A. in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelors in Business Administration and Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Muhammad Imran Sarwar is Industry 4.0 Evangelist, who demystifies Industry 4.0 landscape and its disruptive technologies. With more than 18 years of Industrial experience, Dr. Imran is working closely with organizations in their journey of embracing digital transformation by contributing in readiness assessment, roadmap implementation, R&D, up-skill and re-skill strategies, solution architecture, prototyping and deployment strategies for Smart Manufacturing 4.0, Smart City, Smart Supply Chain and Smart Construction 4.0. These solutions leverage the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), autonomous machines, Cloud & DevOps infrastructure, Big Data & Analytics along with Machine Learning, AR and Blockchain. He is keynote, and plenary speaker for International conferences, symposiums and technical workshops in the Middle East and Asia Pacific region covering technical aspects of Industry 4.0, Smart City and Digital Supply Chain. As a research fellow, he had published research articles in international conferences and peer-review journals indexed in Scopus and ISI. He is a member of the IEEE and ACM scientific community. He is Adjunct Associate Professor in DRB-HICOM University. Dr. Imran worked as technical adviser for Centre of Research Institute of Malaysia, CIDB under Ministry of Works for Construction 4.0 transformation and roadmap for Malaysia Construction industry. Moreover, he has contributed for digital transformation strategy Halal 4.0 for industry in Penang under Penang Halal International which is the agency of Penang State government responsible for the promotion, facilitation and development of the Halal Business Ecosystem and Activities.

Kingston Khoo, the Group Head of Marketing & E-Commerce at Tradewinds Corporation and president of Eco-STEPS (Sustainable Tourism & Environmental Preservation Society) Malaysia, has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. 
He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Technology Management from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and is a licensed tourist guide in Malaysia. His passion for sustainable tourism has driven him to become a strong advocate for promoting the preservation and conservation of Malaysia's rich natural and cultural heritage. 
With more than a decade of experience as a product manager for one of Malaysia's leading DMCs, Kingston has developed a deep understanding of the significance and advantages of sustainable and responsible practices in enriching a traveler's experience. 
He is currently the Group Head of Marketing & E-Commerce at one of Malaysia’s leading hotels and resorts group, which he has been a part of for the last 6 years.
Kingston’s expertise lies in his ability to recognize the importance of sustainable tourism in preserving Malaysia's environment and its communities.

Matt Holmes is the Vice President of Development for South East Asia & Pacific Rim (SEAPR).
Based in Gold Coast, Australia, Matt leads a team of developers to drive the development strategy for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts through the expansion of its managed and franchised hotels portfolio across the SEAPR sub-region.
Matt brings with him two decades of experience in the tourism sector, out of which 14 years were spent with Wyndham. From 2016 t0 2020 he has served as Wyndham’s Director of Development, Australasia where he played a significant role in driving the company’s regional presence which includes the introduction of the Wyndham Grand and Wyndham Garden brands in Australia as well as the launch of the TRYP by Wyndham brand in New Zealand. Prior to his role with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in Australasia, Matt spent two years with RCI Pacific and six years with RCI Europe based in London where he was responsible for growing the network of RCI and The Registry Collection affiliated resorts across the entire European region.

Steve is responsible for RHG’s development strategy and execution in Indonesia since 2022. He has made it his mission to communicate RHG’s mission throughout the region by being practical, straightforward, and offering value-adding solutions.

Before joining RHG Steve was handling Development at Artotel Group, an Indonesian based hotel group specialized in lifestyle and boutique concepts. During Steve’s tenure the group expanded their presence from 12 to 54 hotels between 2018 and 2022 and was responsible for the first overseas signing of the group.

Steve started his career in real estate consultancy & advisory, with Spring Real Estate in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. In 2017, Steve moved to South East Asia, as part of a strategic alliance between CBRE Singapore and Leads Property Indonesia. Being based in Jakarta since then, Steve was part of the Research & Investments team and offered feasibility studies and investor solutions to both institutional and private investors based in Singapore and Indonesia.

Steve is a Dutch national with Chinese-Indonesian roots and is fluent in Dutch, English, Bahasa Indonesia and Advanced in German and Spanish.

Dr. Suresh Ramasamy is a highly accomplished and respected cyber security and technology professional with over 20 years of experience in the industry. He currently serves as the Chief Research Officer and the Chief Information Security Officer for the Center for Advanced Computing and Telecommunications (CACT), where he oversees the research and development of the Pan-Asian cyber threat research group. Dr. Suresh has held various leadership roles in organizations such as Hong Leong Group and Digi Telecommunications, leading the growth of their digital strategies and implementing new technologies. 
He has won multiple awards for his contributions to the industry, including Cyber Security Professional of the Year in 2017. Dr. Suresh is a Professional Technologist under the Malaysian Board of Technologist and has co-authored and edited ISO standards related to cyber security

Sophia Goh is the current Cluster Director of Human Resources at Miri Marriott & Mulu Marriott Resort & Spa. She is a certified Human Resource Professional and Registered Action Learning Coach. She is a Multi-disciplined HR generalist with specialist knowledge and proven field practice in Compensation & Benefits(C&B) and Industrial Relations (IR). Mildly mortified by the moniker of ‘mother hen’ to many from championing just causes and tender mercies so deserving of the rank & file. Yet conversely, equally battle-hardened in tricky, acrimonious dismissals; domestic inquiries through to successful ratification in Labor/Industrial Court, en route to establishing landmark precedence for case studies in the present and judgments of the future in the matter of evidentiary proceedings and discovery. Autonomous, self–regulating, goal-oriented, high functioning empath, greatly aided as a student of philosophy, psychology, neuroeconomics, natural justice and the Laws of equity as well as of the land. Equally adept and at ease in either team or independent functioning as per the scope of office, both professional and pastoral. Her aspirations are to marshal her competencies and capabilities collectively with all whom she’s responsible over - to craft and confluence enduring outcomes in harmonic resonance with organizational objectives. An apical leveraging of conjoined Human Capital Development & Resource group efforts towards market leadership concomitant with the vital long view focus on sustainable growth year on year. From being tasked to lead, conceive and deliver the full spectrum revamp of a Front Office Department, to Strategic Human Resources Leadership, Sophia has solidified her ground in one of the most vital umbrellas of the hotel industry.

Diyana joined IIB in April 2023 as the Head of Sustainability & ESG. She possesses over 15 years of experience in sustainability, urban design and project management in built environments. Prior to joining IIB, she was the Senior Project Manager (Sustainability Lead) at CBRE, where she refined her skills in and is committed to providing long-term sustainable business models and resource solutions.

As Head of Sustainability & ESG at IIB, Diyana is primarily responsible for developing and implementing group sustainability & ESG strategies, as well as to coordinate and align resource solutions to help achieve our mission and vision.

Diyana is a member of International Project Management Association (IPMA) and has experience working with skyscrapers such as Merdeka 118 and TRX. She earned her Masters of Science (MSc) in Integrated Construction Project Management and her Bachelors Degree in Interior Architecture from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).

Previn holds an excellent scholastic record from the University Technology of Malaysia and begun his career in a leading international property consultancy firm in Kuala Lumpur in the early 1990s. Here he was exposed to all facets of the property industry, beginning his career in the Research and Consultancy Department. He then ventured into the Valuation Department and finally his passion for sales and marketing led him to the agency department, where he closed the single biggest residential deal in the history of the said firm. He was then head hunted to another leading property consultancy to head the Residential Agency.
After a short stint with Tenggara Capital Bhd as the Commercial Manager and also Head of Marketing and Sales (Property), Previn was head hunted to start up a brand new Hospitality Management Company, Signforce His last position in this dynamic company was as the Chief Marketing Officer overlooking the sales and marketing of some of the finest hotels and resorts in the region.
Previn is a Registered Estate Agent with the Board of Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents, Malaysia and has been registered since 1995. He is also a Certified Residential Specialist from NAR and is a Registered Valuer and Property Manager.
He has been honoured with a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) Designee by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), an association of influencing and shaping the real estate industry. Previn has a strong passion for excellence in Corporate Real Estate and his pet is the Hospitality Sector.

A hotelier by profession with 32 years of experience in the hospitality field as General Manager with proven expertise & successful track record. Boasting extensive experience in business development, financial planning, yield management, revenue management & hotel operation.

I have worked for hotel chains including Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Hotel Equatorial Group, Resorts World Genting, Resorts World Sentosa, Impiana Hotels & Resorts Management, Royale Chulan & Bintang Hotels & Resorts Group in countries including Malaysia, Singapore, China & Thailand.

Pre-opening team for several newly set up hotels & the integrated resort - Equatorial Bangi Resort, Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore, Red by Sirocco & THE FACE Style.

Guiding many hotels through from brand concept, design, build, pre-opening & post opening including 4-Star hotel, Red by Sirocco in Kuala Lumpur. My recent accomplishment including newly opened 5-Star hotel, THE FACE Style in Kuala Lumpur

Spencer Lee is currently the Senior Vice President – Sales & Marketing for Genting Malaysia Berhad. He taking care the Sales and Marketing for the Resort World Genting. Within his 1,5 years he had revisited the whole guest experience from pre booking to post booking / pre arrival and post visit.

Before RWG, Spencer spearheaded BigLife (a subsidiary of AirAsia Digital) since late 2018 to transform BIG Rewards (fka AirAsia BIG Loyalty) from an airline loyalty programme into a comprehensive lifestyle reward platform. He grow the sales and marketing capability beyond Malaysia, increased its revenue, set up new revenue stream and humanizing the data to power the business. Spencer also grow the AirAsia loyalty program to be an universe lifestyle program for AirAsia and beyond AirAsia ecosystem. It became a profitable business and drove more value back to the airline while still putting it’s member value in is top priority as we digitally the whole business.

Ming Chew has over 20 years of wide-ranging professional experiences that includes statutory audit, transaction reporting for IPO, share registration & IPO processing, internal audit, risk management, IT/cybersecurity advisory, operational risk and control review, financial due diligence, management consulting and corporate governance advisory.
He is currently serving a wide range of private & public listed companies; and multi-national clients for their outsource/co-source internal audit needs. These clients operates in varied industries including financial services, property development, engineering & construction, plantation (upstream & downstream), manufacturing, hotel & leisure, oil & gas, furniture, food & beverages, retail, pharmaceutical, logistics, information technology, and non-governmental organisations. Ming Chew is also actively involved in providing corporate training on governance, ERM, business continuity, cybersecurity and corporate liability to companies of various sizes from public listed to small & medium enterprises.

Shen is an accomplished leader in the digital, online classifieds, marketplace space and the hospitality industry. His 20-year experience in senior management roles has given him traction towards making his mark in the industry. He enjoys helping businesses grow and has successfully done so across various industries.

He is the current Executive Director for Cheong Fatt Tze. An Independent Boutique Hotel that was conceived and constructed before the end of the 19th century and then restored to its former glory, this 18 room boutique hotel sets the tone for George Town’s Heritage Hotel industry and stands today as one of the most iconic boutique hotels in Malaysia.

In another realm, Shen has delved deeper into wearing multiple hats and operated at both strategic and operational levels. He takes the time to deep dive into different areas with portfolio companies all of whom are at varying stages of growth. With his guidance, support and strong focus on operational excellence coupled with energy and work ethic, he has helped entrepreneurs reach their full potential.

Shen is a master of planning, strategy and execution of marketing, functions and activities with a goal of growing consumer traffic, engagement and lead generation; and increasing customer penetration, loyalty and revenue.

Mondi Mecja was appointed as Country General Manager for Ascott Malaysia in September 2019. In this role, he is responsible for enhancing Ascott’s presence and driving greater results for the brand in the county. Mondi is a passionate leader in the hospitality industry, with a passion for giving back to the community. He is involved in Creating
Shared Value and firmly embeds it into all parts of his professional involvements as part of the intrinsic values and guest satisfaction.
Mondi holds a Bachelor of Human Sciences degree & Certified Hotel Administrator, American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, USA. He brings over 25 years of management experience in the hospitality industry. He is also an active Vice President of the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Kuala Lumpur Chapter and has been supportive of all the industry initiatives organized by MAH over the years. His contributions to the industry have been recognized, and he was recently awarded the Leadership Personality Award (Most Outstanding) at the Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards 2018-2020. 
Over the past two years, Mondi has overseen impressive growth in Ascott Malaysia's portfolio, which has expanded from 7 to 15 properties under his leadership with the likes of Ascott Star KLCC Kuala Lumpur, Citadines Connect Georgetown & Ascott Gurney Penang, lyf Raja Chulan, Domitys Bangsar, Citadines Prai and soon to open 4th quarter of 2023 will be HARRIS Sunshine Penang & Citadines Waterfront Kota Kinabalu. Upcoming 2024 will be Somerset Metropolis Kuala Lumpur, Citadines
Tanjung Tokong and many more in the pipeline.
Mondi’s favourite past time is playing Football, and a true Health Enthusiast. Besides all the above, Mondi believes in giving back to society by actively preserving a safer, healthier, and more Sustainable Environment for everyone.

Sebastien is responsible for managing and further expanding Club Med’s resort portfolio in South-East Asia and Pacific.

Created in 1950, Club Med has more than 40-year operating presence in Asia with resort operating in Thailand, Japan, Maldives, Indonesia and Malaysia as well as strong direct distribution network in every major market in the region. The all-inclusive operator is now aiming at increasing its footprint in the region with additional multicultural, family-focused and experiential resorts.

Sebastien has been working for Club Med for 8 years covering diverse geographical areas such as Mediterranean, Middle East & Africa and South-East Asia and Pacific. Since 2017, Sebastien has been based in Singapore and was appointed to senior regional director position in 2020 for development and asset management.

French national, Sebastien holds a Master’s Degree in Management from ESCP Europe Business School in Paris, France obtained in 2014.

Bharath is currently the Vice President of Revenue Management at ONYX Hospitality Group, one of Southeast Asia’s leading and fastest-growing medium-sized hospitality management companies. In his role, he heads the crucial functions of Revenue Management and Distribution systems.

Prior to joining ONYX, Bharath held several senior roles in Revenue Management and Commercial leadership across the APAC region. His most recent positions include AVP Revenue Management at Centara Hotels & Resorts Thailand, Head of Commercial at Scenic Hotel Group New Zealand, and Head of Revenue Management APAC at Oakwood Asia Pacific in Singapore.

Bharath is passionate about technology, embraces change, and always looks into the future to try and foresee what is the next big thing that will impact RM & Distribution. Throughout his career, he has worked on creating robust Revenue Management systems, processes & culture by embracing technology.
Currently at ONYX Hospitality Group, he is spearheading some exciting projects that will position the company as an industry thought leader in Revenue Management and Distribution.

Having started of his hospitality journey 11 years ago, Hariish Veera has swiftly climb up the ranks to his current role as Director of Revenue Management at Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara. His career started as a Front Office Service agent in 2012 at Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur before moving on through various roles in Front Office and then moving up to a Revenue Analyst role in the hotel. In 2019, he was promoted to the Maldives as the Revenue Manager of Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort and Spa, where he would spend the next 3 years managing the resort in one of the highest revenue generating markets in the world. He then returned back to Malaysia in February last year to start his current role at Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara, tasked with driving the hotel through the recovery phase post pandemic. In his own words “It does not matter where we start your journey but it is how we set our aspirations and continue to grow that makes us climb to greater heights. Never forget to appreciate the amazing resilience we have in us!

Kim is the Regional Director for Southeast Asia in STR, a premium data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights provider for the global hospitality industry. STR is a division of CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP), a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information and analytics in the commercial and residential property markets.
Kim is a digital marketing professional with over 20 years’ experience within the hospitality industry. She has assisted independent hotels and hotel chains grow their revenue through their website development, traffic and revenue generation, channel distribution and reputation management combined with market intelligence and data analytics. Kim is based in Singapore.

Xavier has spent most of his career with ACCOR, holding different management roles in Europe and South-East Asia, including, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Expert in all hotel operation modes (management, franchise, lease) he has a comprehensive understanding of large organizations as well as smaller local operators.

His last position, prior to joining NOVA Asset Management, was COO at TAUZIA Hotel Management (Now part of The Ascott Limited), where he gained a comprehensive understanding of Indonesia's growing market.

Xavier opened NOVA Asset Management’s Jakarta office in 2019, as managing director and partner. NOVA Asset Management (a Bangkok based Company) provides a full range of hospitality services to hotel owners and investors, i.e., Feasibility Studies, Operator Selection, Branding & Product Positioning, Project Development Management, Owners’ Representation, etc.

NOVA Asset Management being already well established in Thailand and Indonesia is now looking at entering the Malaysian market, always in the best interest of hotel owners and investors.

Performance-driven professional with 18 years of combined expertise in Human Resources – People Management in hospitality industry, talent acquisition, corporate and employment laws. Strategy architect in the development of innovative HR initiatives to streamline processes and capitalize on organizational development. A creative & critical thinker, problem solver and decision maker who effectively balances the needs of employees with the mission of the organization. Strong communication, interpersonal relations, mentoring, negotiation and organizational skills.

Equipped with track record of hands-on experience in Human Resources operations (in both union & non-union environments) and Learning & Development of Hospitality Industry.

Academically, holds a Master of Business Administration from UNITAR International University. Professionally, certified trainer by HRDF (TTT/1591) and CIHR by Asia E University

Rita is the current Director of Sales for Amari, Malaysia. She has always worked beyond her skills and experience. She is very passionate about her role and has always exceeded expectations. She has gone through a series of Sales & Marketing gigs for a number of different hotels across Malaysia. This has helped her polished her skills that has resulted in accolades that cannot unnoticed. Rita is responsible for the sales, marketing, analytical aspects, management and other vital systems for all the jobs that she’s been through.

As the current Director of Sales for Amari, Rita oversees and manages sales staff and reservation. She is also in charge of creating and implementing sales strategies, and reaching revenue growth targets in all market segments. She works closely with the general manager, revenue management, and marketing functions to determine appropriate sales tactics and maximize revenue, promotional coverage, and market share. Rita continues to do her best in obtaining new or repeat business, ensuring guest satisfaction, participating in sales and outreach to high-profile clients, and negotiating contracts.

Mr. Dhami is a Result-Driven professional with extensive experience in leading and managing people towards their career, duties and develop training programs. These placements have enabled him to develop not only specific hospitality industry experience, but also a valuable and transferable skill set in this fast-paced sector. He is a Certified Hospitality Trainer by American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) and graduate, with honors degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management.
He is an independent business owner and Currently the Managing Directorship of Best world Overseas & Tranquility Spa & Wellness in Malaysia.
He is Certified Spa Director from Natura Bisse’s, Barcelona, Spain, trained in spa management courses at Chetawan Thai Traditional Massage School & Watpo Traditional Medical School, Bangkok, Thailand in collaboration with Malaysian Association of Wellness and Spa (MAWSPA). Mr. Dhami is a committee member for Safe2spa Task Force COVID 19 Campaign under the guidance of Ministry of Tourism Arts & Culture, Malaysia (MOTAC). He is also associated as Director of Events with Asia Pacific Spa & Wellness Coalition (APSWC).

His role involved decision making for business set up, design & concept, revenue management, cooperating in partnership, events, exhibition, government and non-government associations and oversea the project.

He expanded the Nepal’s largest chain of spa Tranquility Spa to Malaysia in Putrajaya Marriott Hotel and Palm Garden hotel. The spa has been rated as 5 stars by the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture Malaysia. Year 2019 Mr. Dhami is registered as authorized Inspector officer for Spa & Foot Massage Centre rating with Ministry of Tourism Art and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC). His Spa Holds the Best Hotel Spa award for the year 2020-2021 endorsed by Tourism Malaysia.

He was one of the invitees by MOTAC to draft a “White Paper” to the government of Malaysia to all industry stakeholders on issues faced by the spa industry.

Shafar is the current Director of Operations for Ascott Kuala Lumpur. Shafar has done a stellar job so far in his stay with Ascott. Managing the budget for each department within the hotel to ensure that expenditures are reasonable and within industry standards. He has developed marketing plans to promote the hotel to potential customers using a variety of methods such as social media, advertisements and commercials. Moreover, Shafar monitors occupancy rates to ensure that rooms are rented at optimal times to maximize revenue. He also works with management to create employee training programs to ensure that employees are meeting their job responsibilities in accordance with company standards. He also oversees all operational aspects of Ascott KL. Ensuring that all hotel standards are met by staff members through conducting weekly inspections of facilities and interviewing staff members about any issues or concerns.

Shafar’s accolades and experience in the hospitality industry is one that can’t be just thrown under the bus but rather placed out in the open. He continues to share his time, talent and skills in helping Asott KL get to the summit.

Marcus L. Stephenson is Professor of Tourism and Hospitality Management and Dean of the School of Hospitality at Service Management at Sunway University (Malaysia). He is the co-author of Tourism and Citizenship: Rights, Freedoms and Responsibilities in the Global Order (2014, Routledge), co-editor of International Tourism Development and the Gulf Cooperation Council States: Challenges and Opportunities (2017, Routledge), and editor of the Routledge Handbook on Tourism and Small Island States in the Pacific (2023, Routledge). He has conducted tourism research in the Caribbean, East Africa, Middle East, Pacific Island states, and the United Kingdom. Marcus has published extensively on the sociology of tourism.

Adj.Prof Anthony Wong Kim Hooi has been a pioneer in tourism since 1974 and has seen many changes the last 47 years.
Founder of Asian Overland Tourism and Hospitality Group since 1976. He has always been ahead of the industry from Ecotourism, Adventure tourism, Incentive, conference and eco Green hotels and Sustainability. Has been recognised globally with many awards and was even invited by United Nations New York to speak at the Rio +20 Earth conference, Rio, Brazil in 2012 on Sustainable Green hotels.
He has been appointed adjunct professor by UUM and Taylors University in his field of expertise in Tourism,Hospitality and Events and as an associate fellow at UKM Lestari and he has been teaching in the academic field locally and regionally for over 30 years. And runs the Greenest hotel in Asean, Frangipani resort in Langkawi for last 17 years with over 200 ways to save. 
He is secretary of MAHO- Malaysian Association of Hotels Owners and Board member of Malaysian Green Building Council. And he has been teaching Green Sustainable Hotels for the last 10 years for Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH). And on Constructed Wetland for Malaysian Green Building Council (Malaysia GBC) last 5 years and this topic the last 15 years certifying architect and engineers attending my course on this topic and was board member (Malaysia GBC 2018-2020)
International PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Board member and secretary 2000-2015. Constructed Wetland was approved by the Enviroment Quality Council on Aug 10, 2017 and the 12th Malaysia Plan 2021-2025 accepted to treat waste water. 
Adj.Prof Anthony has also been doing organic farming in his Frangipani Resort in Langkawi for 16 years(recently had to rename to 'Cottage by the Sea' by Frangipani due to some technical issue) and has started an lntergrated Organic farm school at the resort and also at 12.5 mile Gombak(closed now due to Covid) which may be the only such schools in the country and developing certification with Razak Business School . 
Appointed by MPC- Malaysian Productivity Corporation developing Tourism Strategy 2019-2021 and current our Prime Minister principle of promoting Ecotourism using UN 17 SDG as my consultant effort to MPC.
Invited by UN New York to speak on Sustainable Green Hotel at Rio + 20 in 2012.
International Speaker on Ecotourism, Sustainability in Asia Pacific the last 30 years.
Winner of many local and lnternational awards in Tourism and Hospitality in his 48 years. 
Last November 20-23 2022, with UNDP and UN SDSN (Sustainable Development Solution Network) launch ' Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Hospitality' with over 200 ways to save at the Cottage by the Sea by Frangipani.

Graduated in Civil & Construction Engineering and Holds Master of Business Administration (MBA). 
Has more than 20 years’ experience in Engineering Consultancy, Construction and held various positions in SEDIA before heading the Investment Development Section.

Sandeep is a Property Investor, Hotelier and Tech Entrepreneur. As a Property Investor, he has been involved in over half a billion transacted value. He has also carved the lane of conceptual to realty consultation and management.

Sandeep is fun, vibrant and inspiring to work with. From a medium sized firm into a leader in the hospitality industry. Throughout the challenging times for the sector, Sandeep was an exceptional leader and composed as always. Sandeep continues to work on expansion plans and other facets that will help Malaysia’s hospitality industry grow.

Adrian is the Director of Pavilion Hospitality which is the hospitality arm of a leading Malaysian property developer that develops and operates World Class shopping malls and branded residences in Malaysia and overseas besides owning and operating luxury and premium Internationally branded hotels.

A hospitality veteran of 36 years in hotel operations, working his way up within the ranks and into senior leadership roles over the years has brought him on his journey to 4 countries and numerous cities over 2 continents. He has been associated with top hotel brands like Marriott, Shangri-La, the Dorchester Collection, Banyan Tree, Hyatt and Four Seasons Regent.

At Pavilion Hospitality, Adrian’s role has expanded into hospitality asset management of hotels with HMA’s and managing the hotels under a franchising agreement with various hotel operators for the owning company. A new venture into F&B management has also increased the portfolio of the ownership with various F&B establishments and concepts being created to supplement their hotel and mall operations. Strong pipeline projects as well under Pavilion within Malaysia as well as overseas ventures in Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, China and Japan details the company’s growth trajectory in the hospitality sector.

He is a graduate of the American Hotel and Motel Association program and a Cornell University School of Hotel Administration alumni having graduated in various leadership programs.

Meng is a Experienced Director of Sales with a demonstrated history of working in the hospitality industry. Skilled in Sales, Sales Management, Hospitality Industry, Event Management, and Pre-opening. Strong sales professional graduated from Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman (TARC).

Chaw Soong Meng has always been Strong-willed and always resourceful, Meng carries great commitment in everything that he does, from his daily duties to departmental efforts for annual staff performances. There was once whereby he was down with a high fever, and yet he continuously show up with an undeterred work spirit! It was great having Meng as my colleague, and it is without a doubt that he will be a great asset to any organization in future.

Chaw Soong Meng is a solid team player, he knows how to motivate himself and the team, who knows how to work in synergy with the key leaders & the mid-management, while driving revenue performance.

On a personal level, I had Meng full support & loyalty, what more can a leader ask for, I surely would not hesitate to hire Meng again, would the opportunity arise.

Shireen is experienced in legal, capital markets (REITs) and corporate real estate. She started her career in Shell Malaysia, has held senior leadership roles in MNCs (Shell, Tesco Malaysia) and Malaysian PLC MRCB, including 15 years in a globally integrated environment, overseeing regional expansion, business investments, mergers and acquisitions. Shireen oversaw business operations and was instrumental in developing new markets, ensuring robust investment strategies, compliance to regulatory guidelines, corporate governance, risk management and sustainability. Shireen championed sustainable development of commercial and public infrastructure projects and implemented social and technological solutions to deliver Malaysia's first IT enabled transit hub amongst many others.

I have been privileged to work with fantastic luxury hotel companies around the world. My CV is my life’s work, and this work is not just a list of jobs, or even a career résumé. It is part of who I am, the craft I developed and the values I hold. It is part of the legacy I will leave, and a true reflection of my labour of love.
I have a solid track record of directing all aspects of luxury hospitality operations to achieve company’s success and profitability. Adept at delivering luxury hospitality services, guest satisfaction, problem solving, and devising tactical business solutions. Recognized as a creative and proactive visionary with outstanding communication and negotiating skills. An opening specialist, highly skilled in crisis management and hotel strategy.
Openings as GM include, The Regent Bali (2012), The Manor House at Fancourt SA (2010), Six Senses’ 1st two urban properties (2018), Six Senses Duxton and Six Senses Maxwell, Singapore. Served as SVP of F&B in a corporate role, opening several more properties during that time (2016).

Deborah Melissa Bottreau is a highly successful award winning entrepreneur and graphic design graduate from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology. She is the Founder and CEO of Sienna Design, a leading creative and branding agency based in Malaysia. With a passion for entrepreneurship, Deborah is also involved in several
startups focused on e-commerce, crowdfunding, and marketplaces.
Deborah is a fluent speaker of English, Spanish, and Bahasa Malaysia, and a skilled athlete with multiple championship titles in showjumping, dressage, and enjoys playing polo with her string of ponies. In recognition of her achievements, Deborah is currently the Founder and President of the Malaysian Young Entrepreneurs ASEAN Association (MAYA), which supports and empowers young entrepreneurs in the ASEAN region. Additionally, she sits as the founding Secretary General of the ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Council (AYEC) and serves as Vice Chairwoman representing Malaysia at the recently launched ASEAN Young Women Entrepreneurs Club (AYWEC).
Overall, Deborah is a trailblazing entrepreneur and leader in the creative industry, with a passion for empowering young entrepreneurs and promoting diversity and inclusion in business.

Yasin is Associate Vice President of Development, Asia at Minor Hotels. Minor Hotels is an international hotel operator headquartered in Thailand with a global portfolio of more than 530 hotels. Yasin is responsible for the expansion of the group’s eight hotel brands across Asia (excluding China). He has over ten years of hotel development experience in Asia, the Middle East and Africa and has held previous development and consulting positions with Marriott International and HVS. He is a graduate of Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland.

Jan Wong is an entrepreneur, youth advocate, and founder of OpenMinds; a 10 years bootstrapped, martech consultancy firm based in KL, Singapore and Hong Kong. Starting at the age of 17, he has ventured into eight businesses, a part time lecturer at the Asia Pacific University, a certified e-commerce consultant, published an academic journal during his Masters degree, sits on the Academic Advisory Board of KDU, Sunway College and Sunway University, a regional keynote speaker with over 250,000 participants to date, a mentor for startup and corporate innovation teams including Techstars Global, NEXT50 Singapore and Nestle, a regular contributor on BFM radio, a 3-time TEDx speaker, recognized as one of the top 10 new generation businessmen to watch in 2020, ASEAN Youth Fellow 2022, listed on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2017 list, and the author of Building Your Digital Net Worth. 

After a year of unprecedented growth for La Vie Hotels & Resorts, the company has announced the appointment of Shankar Sreekumar as Head of South & South East Asia.
The hire of Shankar comes during a huge period of growth for the owner centric hotel management company as it charges ahead in bolstering its team across South and South East Asia.
“Shankar is a proven professional with a strong background in tackling and succeeding in challenging roles with market-leading hospitality brands,” said Craig Bond, Managing Director, La Vie Hospitality Group.
“We are excited to have him as a part of the La Vie family, further building out and strengthening our roots in South and South East Asia, as we head towards what is absolutely going to be another stellar year of growth for the company,” he continued.

Jacyntha Foo serves as a Regional Key Accounts Manager at Grab For Business Malaysia, overseeing key accounts in sectors including Travel & Hospitality, Retail, Professional Services, Technology, and Healthcare. She has 7 years of experience in business development, corporate account management, and recruitment.

Patricia is a hospitality industry professional with more than 30 years’ experience. She specialises in hotel business applications, focusing on hotel distribution and reservation systems.

In her present role as VP Strategic Accounts for Shiji Distribution Solutions Asia Pacific, Patricia assists hotels to distribute ARI, and digital and static content to OTA’s, GDS and other Channels.

Being a Chinese hospitality technology company, Shiji Group has unique access to the Chinese market, with their switch connecting to over 100 channels in Greater China.

Previously, Patricia was the General Manager of IT for EVT in Australia and New Zealand for 12 years. This involved managing IT for 70+ hotels which made up the Rydges, QT and Atura brands.

Yong Chee Kuan is a seasoned networking professional with 14 years of industry experience. With a strong background in working with various vendors and products, and his expertise lies in designing hospitality network solutions. With his extensive knowledge and dedication to delivering optimal results, Yong Chee is an asset in optimizing network infrastructures for organizations.