Mr. Garry Garcia is a figure to be reckoned with as he has over 40 years of practical business experience and education, which led to where he is now.
His growing years were not your run of the mill childhood but rather spent taking an active part in the family business. As years passed, he had the opportunity to study overseas to broaden his foundation in the industry. He attended the following institutions such as Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Motel Association, Nanyang Technological University, University of Toronto, and Cornell University where he was part of the editorial team of Cornell Hospitality Quarterly as a peer reviewer, and right now an Advisor with Harvard Business Review. A working student in Canada, he moved up the business ladder from a hotel page boy to multi-properties management. His expertise ranges from traditional hotel operations to the various aspects of the tourism industry.
Mr. Garcia has a robust background in project management, construction, and refurbishments of hotels, resorts, and restaurants in the Asia-Pacific region. He has also served in various positions in organizations that aim to develop tourism. These include roles as Executive Vice President of the Philippine Tourism Congress, Tourism Commissioner of the City of Lapu-Lapu.
Besides, he has been affiliated with different tourism bodies such as the Department of Tourism (Philippines), Marianas Visitors Authority, Danang Department of Tourism Danang People's Committee, SKAL and MICECON.
Driven by the conscious need and challenge to keep up with new information and changing times, he is currently completing courses in Data Analytics with the National University of Singapore and Construction Management with Columbia University.
Mr. Garcia is not your typical executive with a pre-set manual or fixed mindset. He innovates, re-invents, and thinks out of the box. He believes that a successful hotel or resort operation comes from being an active stakeholder in the tourism community where they are located.

Mr. Andrew Langston is a British national with over 35 years of experience in hospitality management and development. After a long career as both General and Regional Manager with InterContinental Hotels, he moved to Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, where he became Vice President, responsible for all hotel operations in the Asia Pacific region and business development. Following this he accepted the role of Executive Vice President, Asset Management and Strategic Advisory for Jones Lang LaSalle based in Bangkok. He has now joined Centara Hotels & Resorts as Global Senior Vice President Business Development.
Born in Marlow, England, Mr. Langston initially trained at Thanet Technical College in Kent before moving to London. His talents in the service industry were honed at the highest level early on in his career when he had the privilege of working for the British Royal Family base at Buckingham Palace, a role which included looking after Her Majesty Queen, Prince Charles, Diana the Princess of Wales and Prince William, among others.
His international career began when he relocated to Australia, and since then he has worked in no less than ten countries.

Jorge is the current Group General Manager of Marivent Hotels & Resorts. He contributes to the refurbishing, relaunch and repositioning of the resort. Covering all three main areas, operations, finances and sales & marketing. He’s getting ready to take on the challenges facing the current year with a renovated, invigorating spirit. Active in the CAPEX execution, designing new services and products, part of the project management team.
Jorge also had his pulse on investment advisory, franchise negotiation and the development of hotel brands as well as the supervision of project management teams. Furthermore, he has carved the lane of relations management, contracting, coordination design of master marketing plan, sales and digital marketing (SEO, SEM tools) as well as the coordination of owner relations, implementation of strategies and handling of properties.
He has spearheaded hotel operations, branding development and strategy, operation standards (SOP’s) as well as consulting and planning in sales, marketing, B2B and B2C.
Jorge’s expertise in the field of hospitality is very diverse and he has totally helped Marivent Hotels & Resorts create a springboard towards relevant growth.

Dr. Manida Xongmixay-Lau is Vice President of Business Solutions & Premium Marketing with Okada Manila. Manida is crossing over different jobs in her career path; she has over 15-year experience in human resources, business college instructor, IT project management, etc. And the recent 13 years, she has opened five different integrated resorts in Macau and the Philippines. Dealing with differences in the workplace is her strength, as her career took her from the U.S. to Asia, where she learned about cultural diversity along the way.

MS. Ma. Celeste B. Romualdo, or “Tet” as she is fondly called, is the General Manager of one of our TPB members, The Linden Suites, rejoining the company in 2019. Her career in the hospitality industry spans over 20 years, starting with Oakwood Premiere Ayala Center, and later joining The Linden Suites and Best Western Hotel La Corona.
She has trained in various aspects of hotel operations both here and abroad. Tet completed her Master in Business Administration at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, and Bachelor of Communication Major in Communication Management, Cum Laude, at the Assumption College.
Tet is also actively involved with the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association, where she sits as Director for Membership

Suzette Go is currently the Cluster Director of Revenue Optimization of the most premier and award-winning resorts in the Philippines – Shangri-La Boracay and Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu. In her post, Suzette is the key driver in propelling both resorts as top-of-mind destinations in domestic and international markets for luxury travel, with initiatives such as insightful data analysis of booking behavior patterns, identifying emerging demand markets, as well as agile implementation of data-driven pricing strategies. She continues to drive the increase of the resorts’ RevPAR through strategic implementation of retail-driven business tactics. Even with the onslaught of the economic impact due to the pandemic in the past couple of years, she was able to successfully drive profitability through efficient channel management and insightful forecasting, with effective collaboration and support from senior management. These initiatives implemented in the middle of the pandemic were recognized as best practices, replicated not just in the Philippines, but also at Shangri-La properties in neighboring Southeast Asian countries.
Prior to handling resorts, Suzette held the position of Director of Revenue Management at Makati Shangri-La, Manila when she first joined the Shangri-La Group in 2013. One of her notable achievements was maintaining the hotel’s number 1 RGI status as well as increasing its retail business profitability during her tenure, which helped maintain Makati Shangri-La’s reputable stature as one of the top business hotels in Manila.
Before joining the hotel industry, Suzette worked at the national flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, for 13 years, handling US, China, and Vietnam routes. Her last role as Pricing and Yield Management Specialist cemented her skills in tenure pricing, inventory management, among many other skill sets.
Suzette is a proud alumnus of two of the country’s best universities, having finished her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Financial Management at the De La Salle University, and her MBA at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business. On top of the demands of her job, Suzette puts her family first as she maintains a lovely home with her husband, Wilson, and is a doting mother to three boys – Shaun, Seth and Stan.

Ms. Cleofe Albiso has earned valuable leadership experience as a top performing executive in some of the Philippines’ biggest Telecommunications and Hospitality brands in the country. She has been recognized as the first Filipino General Manager of a Marriott International branded property in the country, the Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo. She has achieved numerous accolades and recognitions in management and breakthrough sales and marketing campaigns through the years. She plays an active role in the MEET You in Iloilo, MICE Campaign and currently sits as the Chairwoman of the Boracay MICE Alliance. On top of that, she continues to push her boundaries as the Managing Director of Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, the largest homegrown hospitality brand in the Philippines, managing a growing number of 12 properties 6 brands and with 4,500 room keys to date.

Romolo Valentino Benedetto Nati is an Italian architect and entrepreneur who utilizes his expertise in biomimicry to develop sustainable real estate and energy projects. He is the Executive Chairman, CEO, and founder of Italpinas Development Corporation (IDC), an Italian-Filipino public real estate development company that is developing the kubo-inspired Primavera Green Residences, the Primavera City eco-condominium, the Miramonti Green Residences, the Verona Green Apartments, and the Coral City. IDC is composed of IDC Prime, IDC Homes, Prima Property Management Corporation, and Constellation Energy Corporation.

Nati serves as the Vice Chairman of Constellation Energy Corporation (CEC), a Philippine-based renewable energy company that focuses on providing sustainable energy solutions to businesses and consumers.

As an architect, Nati is known for his innovative approach to sustainable design. He incorporates principles of biomimicry, which involves studying nature to develop solutions that are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Through his work at IDC, Nati has been able to apply his expertise in biomimicry to create buildings and developments that are energy-efficient, environmentally sustainable, and visually striking.

Overall, Romolo Valentino Benedetto Nati is a highly respected figure in the field of architecture and real estate development in the Philippines. His expertise in sustainable design and biomimicry has allowed him to make significant contributions to the industry, both in Italy and the Philippines.

A graduate of Hospitality Management degree from the University of San Jose Recoletos and a recipient of the Certificate in General Manager’s Program from the world-renowned Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, Reyes worked his way starting from the ranks when he first joined Cebu Plaza Hotel in 1988. With a positive outlook and tenacity in his field of expertise in Sales and Marketing as well as Operations, Reyes moved out of Cebu to be part of the bigger players in the hospitality industry in Manila like Hyatt, The Westin Philippine Plaza, The Bayview Park Hotel and The Pan Pacific Hotel.
In 1999 Reyes came back to Cebu to join Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino as General Manager and later joined properties in the Asia-Pacific region with stints in Grand Formosa Regent Taipei of the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and the 1,180-guest room Jakarta Hilton.
But home beckoned and Reyes was more than happy to return to the Philippines in 2003 as General Manager for The Linden Suites Manila under Swiss-Belhotel International (Hongkong).
It was during his work in The Linden Suites where Reyes received prestigious recognitions like the 2005 Swiss-Belhotel International General Manager of the Year and the Best Branding and Positioning as well as the 2006 Swiss-Belhotel International Highest REVPAR Performance. In 2008, he was appointed as Regional Director of Hotel Operations and Business Development, Philippines and Reyes started overseeing the entire hotel operations of Swiss-Belhotel International in the Philippines
Reyes took another kind of challenge when he joined Quantuvus Resources Corporation and became Owner Representative and Chief Operating Officer. Part of his accomplishments included the completion within 24 months and opening of the 42-storey Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center which gained for Reyes an extensive experience in all aspects of mixed-use property development, including construction, design, sourcing of operating equipment for serviced offices, restaurant and hotel. Reyes liaised with Oakwood management in Operations and Finance and with the commitment and dedication that he put into all his work, Joy~Nostalg Center became one of the leading business addresses in the country with 92% occupancy in 2010 and 100% occupancy in 2011.
In 2013, Reyes joined Widus Hotel and Casino in Clark Freeport Zone as General Manager of the 233-guest room leisure property. He took charge of the construction of Widus’ 2nd Tower, the renovation of the 1st Tower as well as the Casino expansion. During this stint, Widus received the highest market share inside Clark and topped Tripadvisor rankings.
Reyes decided to return to his roots in 2016 to join bai Hotel Cebu. He oversees the ongoing construction and heads the pre-opening team which includes the hiring of seasoned hoteliers in and out of Cebu.
At bai Hotel, Reyes aims to complete a traveler’s wish list of expectations with a fuss-free 5-star service in contemporary settings. A modern take on Cebuano hospitality but with respect to the local culture for which Reyes is proud of.
Reyes shares that bai Hotel Cebu is a 100% Filipino Hotel that caters to business and leisure travelers who value exceptional customer service and memorable experiences. It is positioned to take in various market segments and strategies are now in place to make Bai Hotel the place to be when in Cebu, another landmark to a must-see destination outside of Metro Manila. And things are on to a good start, with the holding of the 2017 APAC Regional Sales Conference of Worldhotels in August this year.
Reyes, who aimed for excellence, earned a Mabuhay Gold Awardee in 2019 by the Association of Human Resources Managers in the Hospitality Industry (AHRM). And just recently, he was awarded as the Hotel General Manager of the Year during the Rotary Club of Manila's 18th Tourism Awards last April 21, 2022 held at The Heritage Hotel Manila.
Indeed, bai Hotel Cebu is opening its doors with the trademark of Cebuano hospitality with Reyes and his team greeting you at the lobby.

Spanning 24 years of combined experience in hospitality, high-end residential, retail design, architecture and construction, Norman has established a diverse portfolio of successful and award-winning projects in Southeast Asia and China. He was the lead designer for The Siam Kempinski, Bangkok that garnered the Perspective Awards for Best New Hotel in 2011. Recently, he also led the design teams and provided creative directions for large hotel projects in China including the soon-to-open Hilton Futian in Shenzhen and JinLing Hotel in Nanjing.
Among the first hotel projects Norman worked on upon entering the world of hospitality design was The Fullerton Hotel, a landmark project in Singapore. Norman was the lead designer for the Pan Pacific Resort in Palau, Micronesia and The Grand Indonesia Kempinski guest rooms and spa in Jakarta. His other notable projects include The Sydney Harbour Marriott, The Westin Shanghai, The Four Seasons Jakarta – Ballroom and Spa, The Peak Residences in Jakarta and The Sheraton Taipei Hotel public spaces.
Norman joined HBA in 1998. The year was a milestone for the Singapore office of HBA which endured the Asian financial crisis and went through a new beginning as a design firm. With the restructuring of the office came the revitalization of its expertise in hospitality design including luxury hotels, resorts and high-end residential work. Backed by his solid technical background and architectural training, Norman worked with the Singapore team in expanding the office’s portfolio of world-class projects in the region. There, his creative passion was nurtured in designing a number of international projects and the many facets of hospitality design.
In 2005, Norman was tapped by the HBA Global Group to set up an office in Brisbane, Australia. The opening of the Melbourne office followed two years later where Norman progressed to a more senior role overseeing the design team and the firm’s multiple overseas projects.
In 2008 while in Australia, Norman was also tasked to set up HBA’s production office in the Philippines. From a small office of 10 staff then, it has grown to more than 200 staff made up of architects, interior designers and graphic designers. Australia was home to Norman for 8 years before moving to Manila in 2013. Fuelled by an intense passion for design, he worked with the HBA Global Group to establish HBA Manila. In his current role as Partner - HBA Manila, he infuses HBA’s DNA into the firm, bringing with him years of international industry experience to forge a new direction for the Manila team in producing the highest level of inspired design.
Norman strongly believes design should always be concept-driven, defined not just by function but also by the location of the project. As a designer, his travels around Southeast Asia, China, Asia-Pacific, USA and Europe have been a valuable source of inspiration. Jazz is also a creative motivating force. His love of jazz music could only be rivaled by his passion for great design. He explains, “Good design is like a well-composed jazz piece. Aside from technical ability, a jazz musician creates depth; the articulation of the notes is fuelled by emotion. Excellent design should make you feel good.”

Claro Cordero Jr. has more than 20 years of solid experience and exposure in market research and analysis, strategic/ corporate/ financial planning, investment and capital markets advisory, risk management, project management, general business management and development work in both the private and public sectors.
Claro is a licensed Real Estate Consultant, Appraiser and Broker and has been involved in a wide range of consultancy and valuation advisory assignments in the Philippines and the neighboring countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Claro has provided valuable advisory to some major property developers, financial institutions and leading fund managers. Claro is currently the Director and Head of Research, Consulting and Advisory Services – the unit responsible for the breakthrough property market research and thought-leading publications – of Cushman & Wakefield (C&W) in the Philippines.
Prior to joining C&W, Claro held the same position in Jones Lang LaSalle Philippines and Leechiu & Associates for more than 15 years. After his stint with JLL, Claro joined Arcadis Philippines (formerly Davis Langdon & Seah) as Associate Director and managed the Project Management Office for Corporate Real Estate Services of Citibank in the APAC and EMEA regions.
Claro is also heavily involved in various real estate organizations. He is a member of the Institute of Philippine Real Estate Appraisers, Inc. (IPREA), the National Real Estate Association, Inc. (NREA) and the Philippine Economic Society (PES). He also served for more than 10 years, as one of the members of the Board of Directors of the Guild of Real Estate Entrepreneurs and Professionals (GREENPRO). 
Claro holds a Master of Science Degree in Industrial Economics from the University of Asia and the Pacific, where he also completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics in 2000. Claro also attended and successfully completed the Management Development Program at the Asian Institute of Management in 2011. 
He is currently completing his second Masters diploma with a degree of Master of Science in Financial Engineering and concurrently served as an Associate Professor/Part-time Lecturer at the De La Salle University-Manila. Claro dedicates himself in providing top-notch property advisory work to his clients and takes pride in assisting key industry stakeholders to build a future real estate market that does not only advance commercial profit, but economic and national development, as well.

Anthony is the Executive Vice President at Triumph Development Corporation (TDC), a property development and management company in the Philippines.
Prior to re-joining the TDC group early this year, Anthony was Program Director at the Philippine Constructors Association -- whose team was tasked to enable the association's agenda in transforming construction, and in developing the industry’s human capital by leveraging on technology and innovation. He was also a member of the working group who crafted the Philippine Construction Industry Roadmap 2020-2030.
With a career spanning over thirty years in various senior and other roles, both local and regional, Anthony has domain and business experience across different industries and segments from agriculture, building materials, cement manufacturing, engineering services, construction, property development and management, to IT-BPM, in different environments and cultures.

Mr. Bobby is an experienced hotelier. He worked with world dignitaries, heads of state and Hollywood personalities. A graduate of the prestigious Les Roches School of Hotel Management in Switzerland, he honed his management expertise with further studies at the School of Hotel Administration of the renowned by Ivy League Institutions, Cornell University. He Joined Hyatt International Shortly after graduation and became part of the Dream Team that successfully opened the award-winning Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, the first 6-star in the world.
He was awarded the 17th Mabuhay Gold Award. The said recognition is given by The Association of Human resourced Manager (AHRM) of the hotel and restaurant industry to the candidate who has elevated the standards of the industry globally.
Horrigan was honored in the newly released book Hospitality Superstars. He is hailed as one of the top ten hoteliers in the Philippines who have succeeded in enriching the hotel industry by demonstrating passion, excellence, and professionalism.
Bobby Horrigan is also the President & CEO of Horrigan Hospitality that consultants and manages around 15+ Hotels & Resorts properties in the Philippines.

Hanky Lee is the serial entrepreneur, brand builder and visionary behind The Henry Hotels and Resorts, the pioneering boutique hotel brand in the Philippines. In a short span of time, the properties have won numerous awards and accolades. Competing against established international hospitality giants, he has brought his properties to consistently win TripAdvisor's Traveller’s Choice and Certificate of Excellence Awards. 
His vision is to open more properties in the country within the coming years and continues its mission of providing ‘Like No Other’ experiences via People, Place and Philippines. More properties are currently being developed in Boracay, Cebu and Tagaytay. 
Before venturing into hospitality, Hanky co-founded Yellow Cab Pizza Co. in 2001 and was owner until 2011 when the brand was sold to a listed company. At that time, Yellow Cab was the fastest growing pizza chain with 80 stores in the Philippines and international stores in Malaysia, Qatar and the US. 
If you’d like to be part of the journey as an existing hotel owner, land owner or investor, do get in touch with him how he can redefine and elevate your property.

With a strong passion for Sales and Revenue Management, Chris has led both contracting and sales teams of some of the prominent international B2C and B2B online agencies in Southeast Asia, helping hotels maximize their exposure in the online world.
Backed up by 20 years of hospitality experience, he leads the team in balancing the market mix and ensuring that each property’s Total REVPAR is optimized to its fullest potential.

Leading the Philippines’ visionary team of Chroma Hospitality, James brings 29 years of experience in the hotel industry as he paves the way to the aggressive expansion of Quest Hotels and Resorts, Crimson Hotels and Resorts, and his newest brand Timberland Highlands Resort. He aims to bringing these proudly homegrown brands to an international level.
Chroma Hospitality currently has a portfolio of 3 to 5-star properties with over 3000 keys under various stages. “Under James’ leadership, Chroma Hospitality continues with its bullish stand on the country’s business environment by adding more hotels and resorts in its portfolio.
Prior to being the Country Manager of Chroma Hospitality, James has worked as the Area General Manager, overseeing the properties under the Crimson and Quest brands. Being a veteran in hotel operations and management, his experience spans a wide range of hotels in various countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Switzerland.
Chroma Hospitality, Inc. is a forward-thinking young management company crafting bold, innovative hospitality brands. Headquartered at the Filinvest Corporate City in the southern region of Metro Manila, it continues to redefine hospitality in the Philippines and soon internationally. Chroma owns and operates the Crimson Hotels and Resorts properties (Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila, Crimson Resort and Spa, Mactan and Crimson Resort and Spa, Boracay) as well as the Quest Hotels properties (Quest Hotel and Conference Center, Cebu, Quest Hotel, Tagaytay City, Quest Plus Conference Center Clark, Pampanga), Timberland Highlands Resorts and the highly anticipated Grafik Baguio.
James earned his diploma in Hospitality Management at Les Roches International School of Hotel Management at Bluche, Crans-Montana, Valais, Switzerland and enhanced his management skills at the Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.

Jeremiah is the current VP - Corporate Planning & Investor Relations for Sta. Lucia Land. He has carved his lane in Business development, Investor Relations and Strategic Planning Executive with experience in strategic/corporate planning, business development, investor relations, operations management, supply chain management, marketing and market research. He adds tremendous value and gets people connected to entrepreneurial and corporate initiatives through people, leadership and development. Jeremiah specializes in Leadership Development, Business Development, Investor Relations, Business Strategy, Corporate Planning, Market Research, Retail Operations, Inventory Supply Chain Management, Operations Planning, Business Relationship Management and Strategic Marketing. Jeremiah as a seasoned leader with a comprehensive knowledge both on compliance but as well innovation and performance management. He is a true leader in his field contentiously seeking to learn how to better serve in an organizational framework. In spite of the pressure associated with his line of work, Jeremiah wis easy and seamless because of his sunny and agreeable disposition throughout work facets.

Consultant Jose Romarx "Jojo" C. Salas started his career in the real estate industry in 1998, right after finishing his Master's Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of the Philippines. Jojo recently finished his consulting contract as Director for Global Research and Commercial Real Estate of LeadingRE.
He used to be the Executive Director for Investment Properties and Capital Markets of CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) Philippines. He was also the Vice President and Head for Property Management and Disposal of Cameron Granville Asset Management Inc. (SPV-AMC) or CGAM. He also worked for Century Properties Group Inc. (CPG) as Vice President for Business Development. Jojo was the Director for Research and Development of China Fortune Land Development, and Director for Research and Consulting of Pinnacle Real Estate Consulting Services, Inc.
During his more than 20 years of real estate practice, he structured transactions and advisory projects worth over Php 10 billion. He likewise transacted leasing deals worth over Php 500 million. Jojo has supervised various real estate consulting projects. In terms of tourism properties, he has been engaged by the Ayala Land Group for their Intercon and Oakwood properties; by local and international developers to conduct hotel/resort feasibility studies in Boracay, Cebu-Mactan, Iloilo City, Legazpi City, Pagadian; and by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) for the Mt. Samat Shrine TEZ.
Jojo is a Licensed Real Estate Broker, Appraiser, and Consultant, as well as an accredited PRC Lecturer. He is currently the National Executive Vice President of Philippine Association of Realy Consultants and Specialists, Inc. (PARCS) and a Past National Secretary General of Philippine Association of Real Estate Boards, Inc. (PAREB). He is an accredited PRC Lecturer/Speaker. Jojo was a pioneer faculty of the recently lauched B.S. Real Estate Management course of the Trinity University of Asia.
He is a regular resource person on real estate market and invesment. Jojo has participated in various local and international events, both as attendee and speaker. Moreover, his market reports have been quoted by various newspapers, and he has been interviewed in radio and television shows such as Bloomberg Philippines.

With over 20 years experience, Sunish is a Certified Revenue Management Executive (CRME) and is expert in Digital Strategy, E-commerce implementation as well as in establishing a revenue management culture in the hospitality industry. His focus has been on Commercial Revenue Strategy development as well as building the digital infrastructure of the properties. Having worked in various countries including Vietnam, Thailand, Dubai, Maldives, Philippines with a diversified team and cultures and responsible for Revenue strategies at more than 20 properties.
Working for luxury hospitality operators like Amari, Anantara and independent Operators like Chelsea, Chroma in both property and corporate levels gave Sunish in depth insights into the Hospitality Management.
Practicing the art of merging Digital marketing, sales, e-commerce, distribution and revenue management to devise market share growth strategies Sunish has a proven track record of profitability impact on all revenue streams. He is also a vivid promoter of Book Direct Initiatives around APAC.
Sunish is a renowned speaker in various events like Direct Booking Summit, Digital Travel Asia, Eye For Travel, Triptease and contributes to various blogs on Online Distribution and Direct Booking Initiatives. He is also a Hotel Hero helping hoteliers with various distribution related solutions.

Cathy is known for her aesthetic that flows from contemporary and clean lines to modern tropical, with some projects leaning on a combination of mid-century with industrial-glass materiality style. Influenced largely to take up Architecture by her late father’s work as an engineer in public housing, she has built over the years a body of work with a distinct creative and environmental conservation imprint.
She was a student leader in the late turbulent ‘80s at UP Diliman where she graduated in 1990. In 2000 she delivered one of the Valedictory addresses at the Asian Institute of Management where she graduated with Honors.
Cathy Saldaña is currently one of the most prominent female Architects in the country. She is known for Hospitality Design, Retail Mixed Use, Residential High Rises, Logistics, Industrial, Island Development and is one of the pioneers in sustainable resort design and also since 2006, an expert on international architectural outsourcing.
She has been doing challenging and technical work across the Philippine islands, along coastlines, in major cities and provinces. She did 2 airports for Ayala Land, alongside several Ayala Land hotels such as Seda Lio in El Nido, Palawan, local design renovations of Shangri-La Resorts, Filinvest, Punta Fuego Group, Discovery, Marriott Hotels, HII and several private island luxury hospitality places. She recently was awarded for Best Architecture Design for an Office Tower in the Asia-Philippine Property Awards for her Diamond Tower project for Damosa Land in Davao City. She has also received citations for other high rise projects.
There are advocacies close to her heart: inclusive sustainable architecture and the preservation of natural environments amidst new building technologies.
She is part of several women’s leadership groups such as Women in Real Estate, and is recognized for her contributions to the building industry as a female Architect. She was one of the first batch of writers for BluPrint in 1997-2004, was former Editor in chief of the Arcasia newsletter and currently contributes articles to the Philippine Daily Inquirer for sustainable design and urban planning.
Hers is a familiar and strong voice in conventions and conferences both locally and internationally, as she has been and continues to speak at Hospitality Investment Conferences, Is one of the four Directors of Anthology every year in Intramuros, is active with the Urban Land Institute, the FIABCI, the Asia CEO Forum and the United Architects of the Philippines. She is a regular speaker and featured Architect at Worldbex, and is the Program Director for the upcoming World Congress of EAROPH or East Asian Regional Organization for Planning and Human Settlements, and many others.
She has recently delivered lectures and research papers in Florence, Italy and Palermo, Italy and Newcastle, Australia. A topic close to her heart is Coastal Design: Architecture and Construction by the Water, where she has probed in-depth into projects and communities beside the seas.
Her firm is a volunteer Architect for Bantay Kalikasan and the Foundation of the late Ms. Gina Lopez working on projects in remote locations. She is the owner and Managing Director | CEO of PDP Architects, based in Makati City and another design outsource company called Collaboration Authority. She and her firm have been recognized locally and internationally.
She is an International Associate of the American Institute of Architects; was formerly President of the UP College of Architecture Alumni Foundation and in 2019 was elevated as Fellow at the United Architects of the Philippines

José Cláudio Silva has over 19 years of design and delivery experience. He has lived and worked in Singapore for more than 12 years, where he has led the design of projects in Singapore as well as the Middle East and other parts of SE Asia, including Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Philippines.
His design and masterplanning expertise spans a wide spectrum of sectors including mixed use, hospitality, civic, office, retail, residential, MICE, and integrated resorts . His experience encompasses all phases of a project cycle from concept design through to construction documentation and construction support.
José has worked in Hong Kong since 2006 where he played an instrumental part in the St. Regis Hotel and Service Apartments Tower Development at Cotai Parcel 5&6, Macau. He later moved to Singapore where he was the Team Leader for Skypark in Marina Bay Sands. Subsequently he was involved in the construction stage of “Sentosa Boardwalk” in Singapore.A selection of his award winning projects consists SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Global Tech Exchange in Phnom Penh, Noble House and World Capital Tower in Jakarta among others. He is currently involved in multiple projects across Southeast Asia, including the recent Hon Thom Island, a waterfront integrated resort and entertainment destination in Phu Quoc, Vietnam.
He has tutored at the Architectural Studio of the National University of Singapore (NUS) for 2 years and has continued to collaborate closely with the university by delivering talks and participating in critics sessions. José was also the guest lecturer and speaker for many industry events, namely the “Construction Excellence Conference” by Marcus Evans, “Zak World of Façade”, and “Retail Trends” for the Council of Asian Shopping Centres Conference, to name a few.

Angel Sueiro works as COO for PH Resorts (PSE:PHR). At this time the company is developing Integrated Resorts and hotels in the Philippines under The Emerald and Donatela brands. Angel is responsible for creation and execution of strategies, corporate culture and oversee day to day project management tasks.
He has extensive knowledge in product development and marketing to add to his deep understanding of the local regulatory environment; the relation and balance between different political, economical and social forces.
Previous to his actual engagement, Angel was COO for Thunderbird Resorts Asia, VP for Design and Construction Thunderbird Resorts International, and VP for Corporate Affairs (Thunderbird Resorts International (AMS: TBIRD)). He has developed gaming and hospitality projects in more than 20 countries. Angel holds an MBA from EUDE Business School, Madrid, a Project Management Master from Villanova University and a Master Certificate in Hospitality from Cornell

Janice Tiambeng, fondly called as NICE, is an experienced professional in the Hospitality Industry. She has worked with varied Global Brands like Shangri-la Group, Marriot (Renaissance brand), and Intercontinental Group of Hotels (Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn). Her experience and strengths are in change management, revenue and profitability growth, innovations, digital marketing, people management, and building relationships. She is finishing Master of Arts in Psychology at St Paul University QC in October 2022. She also finished Management Essentials, Business Administration, Management and Operations at Harvard Business School. She is part of batch 46 and completed the Certified Management Consultant Program at the Institute of Certified Management Consultancy Philippines and is currently employed as the General Manager of Discovery Suites Manila.

Blessy Townes is a Hospitality Marketing thought leader and influencer with speaking gigs across Asia-Pacific and the USA.
With more than two decades of experience under her belt, Blessy is a Digital Marketing pioneer with successful portfolio in PPC, Email Marketing, Social Media Marketing, E-Commerce and Online Reputation Management. She was also one of the first few to practice Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in the Philippines.
Passionate about lifelong learning and sharing of knowledge, she is a founding member of Triptease's Hotel Heroes Council, a panel of trusted experts educating and empowering fellow hoteliers, and was Professor for a Day at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management. She earned her Master’s Degree in Advertising from the University of Sto. Tomas Graduate School.
Blessy is currently the Vice President & Head of Digital Marketing and Branding at Discovery Hospitality, a trailblazer in Filipino hospitality.

Francis is an xxperienced Head of Analytics with a demonstrated history of working in the real estate industry. Skilled in Databases, Management, Sales Presentations, Training, and Finance. Strong research professional with an Executive Diploma focused in Real Estate Management from Benilde-School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPaCE).
Francis strives with passion in the field of Finance, which is evident not only in the workplace but also in further studies. In June 2018, he has finished his MS Finance degree in UP Diliman and was ranked top 2 of their batch. He consciously and consistently makes an effort to understand the his field and accomplish all deliverables at an optimum best.
He also belongs to the first batch of Manila FactSetters who passed the inhouse CFA exams and has just passed the CFA level 3 exam. To give back, the he is also known as an active member of the CFA committee, and encourages his former students which are now also FactSetters and even his colleagues to also apply. He has also been known to promote and encourage other FactSetters to also pursue higher forms of learning. This is evident even with the team he handles - one is just waiting for his MBA degree, another is currently a CFA level 2 passer, and personally, I am currently pursuing my MS Finance degree under his encouragement. He actively promotes FactSet through his personal networks and communities such as schools and companies.
In 2013, he spearheaded the launch of Document Exchange (DocEx) which is the current central repository of all knowledge for FactSet Fundamentals. This has been the start of the other reforms in the operations of FactSet Fundamentals and the precedent to its relaunch in 2014.

As 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 recognised thought leader and speaks at industry events about factors beyond aesthetics that shape the future of hospitality design.

Elie Younes leads Radisson Hotel Group’s organic growth and M&A expansions across EMEA and APAC with an international team based across the world.Younes has re-engineered Radisson Hotel Group’s development strategy to focus on an asset-right growth and relevant mature and new business concepts in a fast-changing environment. He has a clear vision on delivering a compelling value proposition to investment stakeholders and is on a mission to have this executed.
Younes’s cultural background and lifestyle accelerates his stamina and ability to be nimble, anticipate and act fast. A Lebanese national and English citizen, Younes began his career in managerial roles in his home country, before joining HVS in London in 2001. He progressed quickly to the position of Director and a Designate MD with HVS within 5 years. He also authored a number of publications on hotel performance assessments and investments. In 2007, he joined Starwood in London as Senior Director of Acquisitions and Development. His next move took him to Hilton Hotels Worldwide as Vice President Development, based in Dubai, before joining Radisson Hotel Group (formerly The Rezidor Hotel Group) in 2010, as Vice President of Business Development for the Middle East and Africa.
Younes is fluent in English, French and Arabic. He is educated in Beirut, Paris, New York and London, at universities like Notre Dame, IMHI/Essec, Insead, Cornell University, Johnson Graduate Business School and City University.

Velancia Teo joined STR Sales team in 2017. She works closely with new and existing hospitality clients in Southeast Asia for STR, a division of CoStar Group, Inc. With 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry, she started her journey by taking on various projects for the F&B and MICE sectors in APAC. Graduated from Murdoch University in Management and Tourism & Hospitality, she has certification in Hotel Industry Analytics and frequently conducts workshops and presents hospitality trends for events and conferences in the region.

Terri Llamas is a seasoned Human Resources Executive with more than thirty (30) years of proven experience in Human Resources Management gained across regional and global leadership roles in Talent Acquisition, Manpower Planning, Organizational Development, Talent Learning and Development, Compensation and Benefits Administration, Labor and Industrial Relations. 
Having worked with multicultural teams and leading the strategic HR operations of a number of notable local and international companies in the customer service-related industry such as Newport World Resorts, Okada Manila, Star Cruises, Pure Jatomi Fitness, Robinsons Retail Group, Fitness First, Asian Hospital and Medical Center, and Manila Mandarin Hotel made it much clearer for her that all companies are in the people business. As she currently leads a workforce of more than 5,000 employees as the Chief Human Resources Officer of Newport World Resorts, she always keeps in mind to put them at the heart of the organization and engage them through their minds and hearts to create an outstanding employee experiences.
Terri has recently won the Best HR Leader in Asia awarded during the HR Fest Awards 2023 help in Singapore organized by HRM Asia. Another accolade she has earned is the Top Most HR Leader in Asia to be given out on August 14 in Singapore.

Miguel Capistrano III brings over 26 years of hospitality and travel technology industry experience in his new role as Founder and CEO of Daystay. A first to market online booking platform in the Philippines which aims to showcase the day amenities of hotels and resorts nationwide through curated and packaged experiences.
Prior to this position, Miguel was Country Manager of RedDoorz Philippines and successfully led the team to survive through the pandemic. He also led Traveloka Philippines as Country Market Manager, in-charge of both marketing and operations. He held leadership roles across the travel industry spectrum such as the General Manager of The Henry Hotel Manila and Market Manager of Expedia. Miguel was part of the pioneer team that brought Agoda to the Philippines – witnessing at first hand the unique disruption running across the industry. He was a sales professional for many of the world’s leading hotel groups: IHG, Wyndham Worldwide, Resorts World, and Oakwood.
If he is not in the office, you’d find Miguel holding the microphone. He was a baritone-tenor soloist of the renowned The UP Singing Ambassadors, touring the world from 1991 to 2001. He is a passionate worship-leader in his Christian church and occasionally sings in weddings and social events.

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 profit analysis per department against their market or compset. This allows them to monitor costs while increasing margins on a monthly basis. 
Hotstats is a global, hotel profit and loss benchmarking company, collecting detailed data with over 500 KPIs of depth from over 10,000 hotels every 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.

Directly after I graduated from Bamboo U November 2018, I saw the need for Bamboo Education in the Philippines and the need to revive the Bamboo Craftsmanship and also augment it with new building methodologies being practiced Globally. I wanted to build with Bamboo but there was no one that could build it for me, so a need for training similar to what I experienced in Bamboo U was the quickest solution I could think of.
It first started to echo Bamboo U, but along the way it has become contextualized to the Philippine setting with much emphasis on the need to stabilize the supply of Bamboo through proper syntropic farming and resilient Bamboo Forestry. The climate and context of the Philippines, compels you to adapt to a Filipino way of doing things. As of now Bamboo Bootcamp has become a truly Filipino way of Bamboo Education, where it is not fixed on a specific location but rather a travelling movement that goes to areas where there is Bamboo and the potential to develop it.
It is a revival of our Bamboo Craftsmanship with the challenge of giving something to aspire for especially for our carpenters and lay people that still view the “kawayan” as poor man’s timber. By showing quick Bamboo builds in a challenging and wholistic approach by tackling the full supply chain we hope to slowly change perspectives and create appreciation for Bamboo as a spiritual Material.

RL Fernando Garcia is a dynamic and accomplished hospitality professional, revered for his exceptional skills and extensive experience in orchestrating and optimizing a wide spectrum of hotel operations and human resources endeavors. As an esteemed Senior Member of the Royal Institute of Hospitality Management, a distinction bestowed upon him by the prestigious Royal Institute of Singapore, he stands as a symbol of unwavering dedication and mastery in his field.
Commencing his journey as a Butler, RL Fernando Garcia's ascent within the realm of hospitality has been nothing short of remarkable. His ascent from Butler to Assistant Operations Manager at the renowned Pan Pacific Manila, dubbed The First and Finest Butler Hotel in the Philippines, is a testament to his unwavering commitment to excellence. During his tenure, he expertly managed both rooms operations and the esteemed butler department, earning him the coveted title of Manager of the Quarter and contributing to the hotel's multiple accolades as The Philippines Leading Business Hotel.Venturing further, RL Fernando Garcia lent his expertise to one of the nation's preeminent consultancy firms as the Director for Hospitality and Food Service Operations. In this pivotal role, he spearheaded top-tier consultancy services for an array of establishments, including hotels, restaurants, resorts, and casinos across Manila. His instrumental involvement in the rigorous LQA and Forbes Quality Standards Audits underscored his acute attention to detail and unyielding commitment to elevating industry benchmarks.
Adding to his illustrious career, RL Fernando Garcia played a pivotal role in the pre-opening phase of Club Med Finolhu Villas in the Maldives, where his profound acumen in HR policies and Butler Department setup contributed to the resort's successful launch.
Within the Philippines' culinary landscape, RL Fernando Garcia assumed a prominent position within a leading food conglomerate as the Complex Training and Development Director. In this capacity, he orchestrated transformative learning and organizational development initiatives across a constellation of upscale and Michelin-starred establishments. His influence extended to iconic venues such as Todd English Food Hall, Pound by Todd English, Sunnies Café, Foo’d by Davide Oldani, and Hook by Todd English, showcasing his indelible mark on culinary excellence.
Presently, as the Assistant Vice President for HR and Organizational Development at SM Hotels and Conventions Corp., RL Fernando Garcia presides over a diverse portfolio encompassing hotels, resorts, clubs, and convention centers. His unwavering focus on cultivating an HR Center of Excellence resonates both within established properties and those in the pre-opening phase, demonstrating his enduring commitment to nurturing talent and driving organizational success.
In essence, RL Fernando Garcia epitomizes the pinnacle of expertise in hospitality management, weaving a tapestry of accomplishments that underscore his profound impact and unwavering dedication to pushing boundaries within the industry.

Christi is the head of Human Resources at Hann Resorts, the 1st and only Integrated Resort North of Manila and the Culinary Capital of Clark. 
She joined Hann Resorts in 2016 and has been part of the development of this homegrown hospitality and gaming brand from a 233-room hotel with less than 60 gaming tables to what it is today. Hann Resorts boasts of a Las Vegas style casino and is home to Clark Marriott Hotel, Swissotel Clark, and Widus Hotel, with over 10 restaurants. 
Hann Resorts is also the developer of the 465-hectare Hann Reserve estate in New Clark City, which will redefine luxury integrated resorts. Hann Reserve will have 3 PGA affiliated 18-hole golf courses, Banyan Tree, Angsana, The Luxury Collection by Marriott, Westin, Sofitel, and Emblems hotels and residences. It will be a township like no other. 
Prior to joining Hann Resorts, Christi worked with Holiday Inn Clark as head of Human Resources. Her diverse work profile also includes management experience in aviation, having worked with Asiana Airlines, AirAsia, and Clark International Airport. Her exposure in Operations has played a significant role in her transition to human resources as it gave her the opportunity to blend her learnings from different lines of work. 
Christi is a graduate of the University of the Philippines, where she obtained a degree in BA Broadcast Communication with magna cum laude honors. She also enjoyed a short stint as a news anchor at ABS-CBN Pampanga. 
On a personal note, Christi is the youngest of 10 children and is married to her high school sweetheart and they have 3 children. She also attributes her success to her diverse and dynamic personal background. 

Mr. Eugene T. Yap is an experienced hotelier for almost 2 decades and has been with the Hotel & Restaurant Association for more than 20 years. A graduate of General Managers Program of Cornell University and also holding a Bachelor Degree in Commerce, Business Administration fromUST and a Bachelors Degree from School of Law from Manuel L. Quezon University.
Mr. Yap’s untiring efforts has strengthen the country’s ties with other Asean Hospitality Associations as well as maintaining a unified voice of the Industry with other sectors. Mr. Yap was the former President of ASEAN Hotel & Restaurant Association (AHRA) for a for a 2-yr term and currently serving as the Honorary Treasurer. Mr. Yap is also the Deputy President of ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA).
Mr. Yap is a lifetime member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, member of the Corner Hotel Society, General Manager of Bayview Park Hotel and the current Chairman & President of the Hotel & Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRAP).

He is a senior economist, licensed environmental planner, and infrastructure specialist, with 18 years of strong record in delivering high-impact reforms through large infrastructure project development and budgeting, design and advocacy of public-private partnerships (PPP) projects and policies, political economy reform, public finance, fiscal policy and national budget analysis, multi-sectoral coalition-building, inter-agency coordination and collaboration, digital transformation of government agencies, ecommerce capacity building for MSMEs and CSOs, and ecommerce economics consulting.
He is currently the Team Leader for the Infrastructure Component for the USAID Delivering Effective Government for Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth (DELIVER) Project. His team of experts transformed the PCAB contractors licensing process into a full digital end-to-end online experience, provided a successful online training for the DPWH for financial evaluation and value-for-money (VfM) analysis for PPP projects, applied for the full Feasibility Study of the Metro Cebu Expressway Project ; assisted the DTI and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to successfully identify, plan, and budget an $11 million expansion port in a strategic transport node (in the Sorsogon province) crucial for nationwide ecommerce and logistics.
“Prof. Roni”, as many would call him, was the lead advisor and writer for the eCommerce Philippines 2022 Roadmap, designing the framework of the 3S=S (Speed + Security + Structure = Sales) that guide all national programs towards strengthening and expanding the ecommerce sector of the Philippines, entitling it Market Access, Digitalization, and Logistics Integration (MADALI).
Under several projects co-implemented by REID Foundation, he led a team of experts in assisting the Department of Public Works and Highways in the creation of Convergence Programs with the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of National Defense (DND), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the planning and implementation of priority projects nationwide to catalyze and protect local and national economic development; and he led a team of technical experts , to assist and facilitate collaboration among local government units (LGUs), local and national business communities, legislators in 6 major growth hubs of the country, in collaboration with national government agencies (Pampanga, Palawan, Iloilo, Cebu, Bohol, Davao City) that successfully identified and budgeted around $120 million worth of roads under the national budget.

Seng Soon is the Head of Business Development for South-East Asia and the Pacific at Club Med, one of the world’s leading all-inclusive holidays companies. Based in Singapore, Seng Soon is responsible for supporting the strategic growth of Club Med resorts in South-East Asia & the Pacific, with a strong focus for new destinations in Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand. 
Prior to joining Club Med, Seng Soon held investment, asset management and development roles for the Asia Pacific region with both regional and international hospitality companies.
Since 1950, Club Med has been driven by a pioneering spirit. The inventor of the allinclusive holiday and kids club concept and with nearly 70 resorts in 32 countries, the brand is constantly evolving, to offer its customers a carefree, stress-free holiday experience in exceptional destinations.

As Co-founder, CEO and Principal architect of KDAS Group since yr 2020, David earned his architectural degree from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila in 2006. The following year, he formed a partnership called KD Design + Architecture with Kazandra, who had just graduated from Mapua Institute of Technology in 2007. But over the next decade, they accepted offers to work for different firms in Singapore while continuing to do projects in the Philippines.
He also headed the project design team of the Banyan Tree Group of Companies—assigned to several resort projects in China, Cuba, Thailand, and Bahrain. His functions included architectural design and master planning; architectural schematic concept planning; interior design and construction documentation; construction feasibility under intuitive planning; curated and synthesized architectural interior; as well as economical and distinctive architecture in the residential, commercial, and hospitality sectors.
According to the KDAS partners, “we envision the users and clients to capture the most unique memory that we created in each defined character in our designs and impart it to the brand, whether established or start-up. The overall experience is what hospitality design makes it worthy to encounter.”
Due to the pandemic’s impact, the integration of technology in architecture has gained momentum. Architects are designing spaces that promote physical and mental health. These include incorporating elements like natural lighting, access to green spaces, biophilic design principles, and integrated fitness/relaxation areas. To optimize KDAS’ design process, smart buildings that utilize automation, artificial intelligence, and other advanced systems are being used to concentrate on important design processes.

Bernard is a highly accomplished technology entrepreneur who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation in the hospitality industry. As the founder and driving force behind Global Hospitality Solutions (GHS), he embarked on a remarkable journey in 2002, taking the company from a promising startup to the pinnacle of Asia's hospitality Loyalty Management & CRM platform today. With a clear vision and unwavering determination, Bernard aims to revolutionise the hospitality industry by transforming non-profitable digital assets into lucrative opportunities. He has spearheaded the development of an innovative marketing solution that empowers businesses in the sector to drive profit through the growth of direct bookings and loyalty. His strategic approach has enabled leading Asian brands, including Hyatt, Conrad, Centara Hotels & Resorts in Thailand, Far East Hospitality in Singapore, Microtel by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, Dorsett Hospitality International, Cathay Hospitality Management in Taiwan, and PHM Hotels in Indonesia, to leverage data and other digital assets for improved services and enhanced profitability.
Bernard's entrepreneurial endeavours continue to push boundaries with the introduction of groundbreaking products in the hospitality industry. One such innovation is the Omnichannel Hotel Chatbot, Alex, a cutting-edge solution that revolutionises guest communication and commerce
In addition to the Omnichannel Hotel Chatbot, Bernard has also developed a Hotel eStore WhyQueue specifically designed for the hospitality industry. 
Outside of his professional pursuits, Bernard embraces an active lifestyle. You can often find him at the pool, gym, or coffee shop, meticulously planning his hotel and airline reservations for his next adventure. He holds a particular fondness for Spaghetti Vongole and Gin & Tonic, and if you share these preferences, you may be fortunate enough to receive a free trial of his platform. 

Kash Aristotle Salvador joined Accor as Director of Development for the Philippines. In this role, Kash oversees the pipeline and development functions of Accor in the country. He looks out for new opportunities for the expansion of hotels and branded residences. He is also responsible for generating development materials such as grants and case statements. Furthermore, he manages the implementation of development strategies, managing staff and other key faucets that contribute to the fruition of Accor’s development projects.

Being born and raised in Tondo, Manila, William was exposed to the social and personal scale of spaces. It had become natural for him to appreciate how spaces allow people to converge and converse with each other. It developed in him an interest in investigating how life in the city works, which later on becomes evident in his work. William also grew up loving comics. Reading Spider Man influenced him tremendously as he sketched and recreated the buildings, city sites, and the people in what he would read. His love for reading branched out to fantasy and fictional books, which opened up his mind and allowed him to imagine and perceive a world he could only dream to create in real life.
William Ti, Jr. is the Principal Architect of WTA Architecture and Design Studio, which he founded in 2007. William started with designing houses. Even in the most personal type of edifice – a home, he still worked on incorporating a more personal scale of architecture. By designing spaces where the natural and innate characteristics of people can take place, he believed that family members can interact and build better relationships, especially in times of technology and gadget dependency.
A mind-set of growing and building something bigger and sustainable gave him a new business framework. His first eureka moment was when he figured that evolving to designing commercial and retail spaces, particularly banks, would give him a stable flow of projects on the assumption that banks consistently opened new branches. A second strategy came about from the idea of doing bigger (and consequently better) every year. The measure for this strategy would be in revenue, ideally doubling the revenue every year. The third strategy was formed from the realization that he did not want the firm to develop into a manufacturing office, duplicating and tweaking old concepts to gain more projects fast. Instead, William wanted to inculcate in his team a culture of creativity, involvement, and ownership, encouraging them to develop new ideas and explore new concepts on their own.
One challenge William had to face was having to go through a change in management. A realization that he and a partner no longer shared the same vision was antecedent to a separation within the company. This meant starting over and learning how to take on full responsibility over the changes and growth of WTA. Determined to make this decision count taught him about growth. For William, “growth for the sake of growth must be tempered with meaningful work.”
William’s main role in WTA is to generate ideas, concepts, designs, theories, and values. In the studio, he focuses on building a company of thinkers. He instils a culture of trying new things, experimenting, and sharing new ideas. He encourages people to see for themselves what social architecture is and how it can alter the movement and flow within their designs.
In WTA, empowered employees are key to each one’s success and the success of the studio. With about 100 employees under his leadership, he is given the opportunity to make a big impact. The culture of experimenting and developing a process to create something different or better allows the studio to be creative and become a generator on its own. For William, a passion for being explorative and experimental allows him to move forward and do differently. He sees this passion and work ethic as the studio’s mantra.
WTA Architecture and Design Studio aims to use design excellence as the main gauge of architecture and to create a design process where idea generation forms the core of the studio. By believing that design is a process, and improving that process to produce the best architecture, the studio believes it should produce the best kind of architecture it can build.
William will be opening a WTA office in Shenzhen by the first quarter of 2020, to establish and grow a Philippine based design firm into a regional, if not global firm. He aims to look for impactful projects, hoping to further spread his vision across other countries. The most rewarding aspect of William’s job is being able to affect physical and tangible changes in the way cities are being built. “Being able to say ‘I want this’ and being able to actually do that is very rewarding.” Being able to figure new things out, finding ideas, seeing the social impact of what he does is something that drives him.
His advice for readers: “Architecture must burn. One must always have passion and ambition because passion means you will keep on going because you love something and ambition means you will always want to be better and so you keep learning. You need passion and ambition to do what you want.”

Kevin J. Winters joined Newport World Resorts as the Chief Data & Analytics Officer of the Company in 2022. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Business & Financial Services from the University of Nevada – Las Vegas. He started his Integrated Resorts career with Harrah’s Entertainment in Las Vegas, NV in 2001. He held various leadership roles in Analytics, Financial Planning & Analysis, Finance, and Operations as the company merged with Caesars Entertainment. During his tenure with Caesars Entertainment, he sat on multiple tourism boards and community boards in Northern Nevada, USA. In 2017, he joined Melco Resorts Entertainment as Senior Vice President of Strategy & Analytics. This immersion into the Macau & Hong Kong market provided significant learnings into China and Southeast Asia and an array of experiences focused on hotel revenue management, labor and operational efficiency, finance, and budgeting, as well as numerous revenue and cost initiatives across multiple Integrated Resorts. His rich experience in data & analytics, combined with Integrated Resorts & casino operations plays a significant role in Newport World Resorts efforts to maximize our potential for Travellers International Hotel Group, Inc.

Ma. Cecilia M. Domingo is the Vice President & Head of Meralco Enterprise and National Government since July 2019, the segment that caters to the needs of Meralco’s top 2000 Enterprises, conglomerates and multinationals. Started in Meralco as a Cadet Engineer in 1990 and has been assigned in different offices and positions within the Company.

A Registered Electrical Engineer who graduated from Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology in Cabanatuan City and holds an Executive Masters in Business Administration from the Asian Institute Management.

Mr. Ravelo is presently Meralco’s Chief Sustainability Officer and concurrently the President and CEO of Movem Electric, Inc. He joined Meralco in 2011 and since then has also served as President and CEO as well as a member of the Board of Directors of three companies, namely: 
• Radius Telecoms, Inc. • Spectrum, Inc. • eSakay, Inc. 
He is also a Director on the Boards of MGen Renewable Energy, Inc. (MGreen) and of Powersource First Bulacan, Inc.
Prior to joining Meralco, he was part of McKinsey and Company’s Washington DC office where he led strategy development efforts and operations performance transformations for top companies in North America, Latin America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and across a wide range of industries (including Telecommunications, Consumer Packaged Goods, and Pharmaceuticals).
Mr. Ravelo holds a Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, in Management Engineering from the Ateneo de Manila University. He earned his Masters in Business Administration at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where he was a Joseph Wharton Fellow and an Omnicom Communication Fellow. Mr. Ravelo is also a former Trustee of the Wharton-Penn Alumni Association, Inc.

Denise de Castro is the Principal Architect of DDC Architectural Studio. She has a Master of Architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College. She has worked in design offices in the US and in the Philippines, notably IDEO (San Francisco), CBT Architects (Boston), and Lor Calma Design Associates (Manila). At DDC, she leads a passionate and talented team.
Denise de Castro has always been inclined towards the arts, science, and history, and she managed to marry all her three passions by pursuing architecture. “Growing up, I vacillated between being a doctor or an artist,” she recalls. “However, when I started college, my passion for art, science, and history drove me to pursue an architectural education. I found that architecture and design appealed to all my interests and suited talents perfectly.
De Castro designed her own architecture degree by combining interdepartmental liberal arts courses at Wellesley College and technical ones at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She then continued with her Master’s degree in Architecture at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, where she found female role models in Toshiko Mori and Sarah Whiting. “I complimented my degree with apprenticeships at firms in the Philippines and in the US. Of those experiences, my time at IDEO was the most impactful on me as I learned the value of interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation through user-centric strategies,” the architect adds. “I was inspired to pursue the same direction as I saw how much impact design could have beyond a single building or space. I was planning to return to IDEO before I unexpectedly moved back to Manila.”
Now, Denise de Castro has been running her firm DEQA Design Collaborative for a decade, and she acknowledges that being a practitioner and a principal of a studio has molded her into the designer and person she is today. “I love how I experience the world. I appreciate the monumental, the miniature, and everything in between. I am always aware of my senses and am keen to appreciate the sense of place in any environment. I am also constantly challenging my thinking, expanding my knowledge, and engaging my curiosity. Most importantly, I have developed my sense of empathy and recognized the potential of design to impact lives, communities, culture, business, and the environment, now and in the future.”

Wireless Network Professionals and has a total of 30 years of technology experience in voice & video, software development, web application development, network management and wireless LAN. He has 17 years of experience in design, deployment and troubleshooting of wireless networks in various verticals (hospitality, service provider, education and transportation).
He was a member of the workgroup on WiFi Best Practices by Singapore IDA and China Hotel Technology Alliance (CHTA). His role is engaging hotels, brands and hospitality LSPs to redefine networking for hospitality and helping hotels architect the next gen network to improve security, enable innovations to improve guest experience and efficiency of hotel operations.

Wilma Moran - Estaura is a Certified Human Resource Executive, Certified Hospitality Trainer, Certified Hospitality Educator, and Certified Guest Service Professional from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute.
She is the Group Director of Human Resources at AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts Corporation. She oversees and leads the entire Human Resource Management of twelve (12) Seda Hotels, four (4) El Nido Resorts, four (4) Lio Resort Tourism Development and Sicogon resorts. She also oversights functions for branded hotels of Ayala Hotels, namely Holiday Inn and Suites, Fairmont, and Raffles. In 2014 – 2016, Ms. Wilma was the Vice President of Human Resources in City of Dreams. She was incharge of the integrated entertainment complex – with three (3) international hotel brands (Crown, Nobu, and Hyatt hotels), including 22 restaurants, entertainment department including DreamPlay by DreamWorks and the entire casino operations. She has a lot of experience in the field of human resources including Director of Human Resources at Edsa Shangri-La, Manila Hotel from 2004-2011, Director of Human Resources and Training at Oakwood Premier Ayala Center from 2001-2004, Director of Human Resources at Hyatt Regency Manila Hotel from 1999-2001, and Assistant Director of Human Resources at The Peninsula Manila Hotel from 1994-1999. She was also a faculty member of Centro Escolar University from 1989-2007.
Ms. Wilma Estaura is a graduate of A.B. Sociology from University of the Philippines. Master of Public Administration Major in Public Policy & Program Administration from University of the Philippines. Doctor of Public Administration (sans thesis) from University of the Philippines. Train the Trainers Program in University of Manchester, England. And Diploma in Hotel & Restaurant Management from Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines – HTTP and the Singapore Hotel School.
In 2021, Ms. Wilma Moran - Estaura was recognized by ACI HR Solutions as the Mentor of the Year 2021 where top HR executives from all around Asia-Pacific area were up for consideration. She spearheads AHRC’s leadership program, which cultivates high-potential talents via long-term developmental plans enriched by regular mentorship. In the same year, her programs led Seda Hotels in winning “Employers of Choice” which recognizes the best organization to work in Asia based on leadership, engagement, communication, and employee benefits; and “Best Health and Well-Being Program” in which Ms. Wilma implemented a Holistic Wellness Program that put emphasis on mitigating the adverse consequences of the crisis on its people, keeping them motivated, productive, engaged and consistently effective at performing their duties despite the circumstances.Recently this year, Ms. Wilma Moran-Estaura also led Seda Hotels in winning the prestigious "2023 Innovative HR Teams Award" by Human Resources Director - Asia, which highlights the HR team's outstanding dedication and the innovative strategies implemented within the organization. 

With a remarkable journey spanning over 30 years in the hospitality industry, Stanley Lau exemplifies a career fueled by dedication and passion. Beginning as a Laundry Clerk at Ambassador Hotel, Hong Kong, Stanley's trajectory to success was shaped by a chance encounter with the hotel's general manager, who recognized his potential beyond his role. Opting for a career in Housekeeping, Stanley embarked on a transformative path.
Ascending the ranks, Stanley's commitment to excellence led to promotions, including Floor Captain and Floor Supervisor at Royal Garden Hotel. Embracing challenges with unwavering determination, he weathered economic downturns and crises like the SARS outbreak, showcasing his resilience and leadership.
Stanley's tenure at Marco Polo Hong Kong marked a turning point, propelling him to the role of Executive Housekeeper and later, EAM/Hotel Manager at Marco Polo Gateway. His tenure was characterized by constant evolution and problem-solving, navigating the dynamic landscape of the hospitality sector.
A shift to the Philippines saw Stanley as the General Manager of Marco Polo Davao, where his visionary approach revitalized the hotel through extensive renovations. Guided by his passion for transformation and progress, Stanley played a pivotal role in reshaping the hotel's identity and bolstering its reputation.
Mentorship became intrinsic to Stanley's philosophy. Inspired by luminaries like Mr. John Girard and Michael Kalyk, Stanley embraced the mentor-mentee relationship as a powerful avenue for growth. Through this ethos, he found profound meaning in sharing his insights and experiences, perpetuating a culture of learning and development.
Stanley's narrative is one of continuous learning and unrelenting inspiration. As he once envisioned, the journey is a blend of excitement, exhilaration, and exhaustion, but the rewards are immeasurable.Stanley Lau, a true exemplar of hospitality, encourages us all to find joy and purpose in every moment, to work diligently, and to remain perpetually inspired.

Cyrill Czerwonka has a noteworthy career, comprising of 18-years in the global hotel investment and development sectors. As Managing Director of Development, APAC with BWH Hotels, he currently oversees the company’s expansion strategy in over 10 countries.

BWH Hotels is a leading, global hospitality network with over 70 years of experience, comprising of three hotel companies: WorldHotels®, Best Western® Hotels & Resorts and SureStay Hotels®. The global network has 4,500 hotels in over 100 countries worldwide across 19 brands.

Under Cyrill’s leadership, the group experienced a period of historical growth across the region with 31 new hotels and residences signed in 2022 across 10 countries, encompassing franchise and management agreements.

His career spans across diverse international locations from Bangkok to Dubai, New Delhi and Paris and includes spells with international hotel chains such as AccorHotels, The Ascott Limited and Dusit International, in addition to property owners across Asia and EMEA.

A French national with Thai family heritage, Cyrill obtained his Master’s Degree in Business & Finance from one of France’s top business schools and also holds a certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments & Asset Management from Cornell University. 

Brian is the current Public Relations Head of Hotel 101 Group. He manages and oversees the marketing efforts, builds and maintains relationships with key media, influencers, bloggers, and VIPs, writes press releases and communications materials for the company. He also implements promotions and marketing events that will help boost sales. Furthermore, he promotes awareness through different media channels. Brian Ong is an experienced Public Relations professional with 13 years of experience working in the tourism and hospitality industry. He is skilled in PR, Communications, Crisis Communications, Digital Marketing, social media, and Branding. Strong media and communications professional. Background in Public Administration, Governance, and Media from University of the Philippines - Diliman.

In 1981, after working for several years in the hotel industry Felix enrolled and graduated from the Centre International de Glion, Switzerland (Hotel and Tourism Management). Over the last 40 years since graduating, he had the opportunity to participate and observe all stages in the life of businesses related to our industry. Early on I discovered my fascination and talent to create new concepts and develop them into viable ventures.
Since founding Guggenheim Consulting in 1993 Felix has been responsible as the Project Director for a vast number of different projects in the planning and implementation stages throughout the Asian region. In most of these properties his input started in the early planning, but I also have worked on a number of renovations or reorganizations. Many of these projects have been in the field of food and beverage, be it food processing, commercial kitchens (airline catering and hotels) or restaurants. Shangri-La brought him to the Philippines and he was privileged to participate in the opening of 5 properties for that group.
The ability to have a good grasp of the task at hand, a deep understanding of the planning process and a pragmatic approach to problem solving are indispensable tools to achieve success. Clearly defined and realistic goals form the basis to motivate a team and to deliver the desired results within the schedules and budgetary targets.
He likes to lead and inspire a team of professionals and challenge them to rediscover an eye for details and above all an unsurpassed commitment to customer service.
Having been exposed to the computerization of the work place since the early 80’s he believes in using the latest technology to assist in improving communication and accessing vital data efficiently. The last few years he developed a strong interest in environmentally friendly solutions and how they can be applied to hotels and resorts