Royal Caribbean Cruises
Royal Caribbean Cruises has expanded the role of Josh Wen, head of sales of Asia Pacific, to cover the Singapore trade sales. Wen, who has been with Royal Caribbean for three and a half years, now handles a total of 15 markets in the region for trade sales, namely Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Wen is taking over the Singapore role from Mona Foo, head of business development, who will now focus on corporate sales and operations in Asia.
Air India SATS Airport Services
Air India SATS Airport Services (AISATS) has announced the appointment of
Ramanathan Rajamani (Ramana) as its new chief executive officer, effective November 10, 2018. He succeeds Mike Chew who was AISATS’ chief executive officer since October 2015. Rajamani comes with over 15 years of experience in both Military and Civil Aviation sectors. He started his career with the Defence Science and Technology Agency ensuring reliability of fighter jets for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). He subsequently moved to lead several marquee projects for both commercial and military ground operations. He joined SATS in 2011 as head of the engineering team. Under his able leadership, the team later won the first patent for the organisation. He also won Singapore’s prestigious National Productivity Award in 2016 for his enormous contribution to SATS.
UNWTO
Ghana’s minister for tourism arts and culture, Catherine Abelema Afeku has been appointed as chairperson of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Leadership Taskforce Group. The announcement was made at the first meeting of the Leadership Taskforce which took place in January at the UNWTO headquarters in Madrid, Spain. Her new appointment outlines her utter involvement in tourism not just in Ghana but in the world at large.
Amadeus
Amadeus has appointed Mieke De Schepper as Executive Vice President for Online Travel and Managing Director for Asia Pacific. De Schepper comes from Egencia, the Travel Management Company of Expedia Group, where she held the role of Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. Previously, De Schepper was the Vice President of Expedia Group’s Lodging Partner Solutions in Asia Pacific, responsible for building and managing the hotel relationships in the region.
Airbus
Airbus has appointed Jean-Marc Nasr as president Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore, Nasr will be responsible for Airbus’ overall strategy, industrial footprint and operations in the region, as well as for advancing the company’s “One Roof” policy to integrate its various business entities in key markets. In addition, he is concurrently head of regional sales Asia Pacific, including China and India, for Airbus Defence and Space. In this role, he is responsible for sales of the company’s complete range of defence and space products in this area.
Nasr was until the end of December, head of regional sales for the Middle East, Africa, France and the UK for Airbus Defence and Space. He joined the division (then EADS Defence and Security) in 2005 and has previously held key management positions leading the secure networks, integrated systems and cyber security businesses.
Airbnb
Airbnb has appointed Mike Orgill as general manager of South East Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, effective immediately. The appointment is a promotion for Orgill, as he previously held the role of director of public policy for Asia Pacific at Airbnb. Earlier, he led Google’s public policy efforts for emerging markets in Asia, and worked at the US-ASEAN Business Council in Washington D.C. He will report to Siew Kum Hong, regional director, APAC. Orgill will continue to support Airbnb’s public policy efforts until a new APAC director of public policy is appointed.
The Fern Residency, Bhuj
Rupam Ghosh has joined The Fern Hotels & Resorts as general manager, The Fern Residency, Bhuj. He has 15 years of work experience having worked with Mahindra Holidays & Resort, Park Plaza Ahmedabad, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma, Maldives, The Manohar, Hyderabad. Hotel Clarks Shiraz, Agra, Heritage Village, Gurgaon and Club Mahindra. He has completed his diploma in hotel management from IIAS School of Hotel Management.
OYO Hotels, China
OYO Hotels has appointed Sam Shih as its chief operating officer (COO) for the China market. He will be responsible for the overall regional operations, driving consumer experience and building operating efficiencies at scale across OYO China. Before this, Shih served as president of Global Consumables and chief executive officer at Asia Pulp & Paper Co. He also led the operations at Red Bull and Accor Group, France.
Singhania Sarovar Portico, Raipur
Sarovar Hotels and Resorts has appointed Sumeet Shandilya as general manager of Singhania Sarovar Portico, Raipur. Shandilya brings with him a professional experience of more than 14 years with core expertise in food and beverage operations and marketing. Before joining Singhania Sarovar Portico, Raipur, he has worked with Xanadu Collection All Suite Hotel Kampala, Uganda as general manager. Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi, Hotels English Point Mombasa Kenya and Pinewood Beach Resort.