Minor’s William Heinecke honoured in hotel awards
The founder, chairman and chief executive of Minor International, William Heinecke, has been named Corporate Hotelier of the World for 2017 by Hotels magazine.
Nominated as one of four finalists in the corporate hotelier category, Heinecke accepted the award at a gala event in New York, where Hotels celebrated both their corporate and independent hotelier of the world award winners.
From humble beginnings in Thailand, Heinecke has spearheaded the growth of Minor Hotels, a hotel owner, operator and investor, which now boasts an impressive portfolio of innovative brands spanning over 150 hotels and resorts. Located in 24 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, South America, Africa and the Indian Ocean, the group already has a pipeline in place to venture into new destinations such as Mauritius, Tunisia and South Korea.
The self-taught and self-made billionaire was applauded for his life-long accomplishments, his pioneering, competitive and entrepreneurial spirit, as well as his passion for making a difference in Thailand and beyond.
Hotels and www.hotelsmag.com have been amongst the leading sources of news and analysis for the global hotel industry for more than 45 years, currently reaching over 90,000 hotel professionals in more than 160 countries. The magazine has been naming its Hoteliers of the World since 1981.
ON THE BALL
Tatt Tam tasked with boosting Liverpool FC in Asia
Hong Kong-based Tatt Tam has been put in charge of Asia partnership sales for Liverpool Football Club and will focus on expanding the club’s commercial interests in Southeast Asia.
Tam will help lead the club’s business development in the region after the sell-out success of a July tour in Thailand.
He joins the club with a wealth of experience in commercial development in football. His credentials include working with local, regional and global companies and brands including FC Barcelona.
Liverpool FC has been leading the way in developing successful commercial partnerships across Asia, with award-winning campaigns for brands such as Standard Chartered, New Balance and Malaysia Airlines.
EXPANSION
Onyx to open mid-scale hotel in Phuket
Onyx Hospitality Group has continued its portfolio expansion in Thailand with the announcement of a new hotel, Ozo Phuket.
Under development and scheduled to open in mid-2019, the hotel will offer 255 guest rooms and features that deliver the mid-scale Ozo brand’s hallmarks of sleep, connectivity and exploration.
It is located a short walk from the Kata beachfront on the western coast of Phuket. The company says Ozo “is a smart, simple and savvy midscale hotel brand offering an enhanced sleep experience and seamless connectivity |for travellers who are keen to embark on a deeper exploration of the destination”.
The first Ozo was opened in Hong Kong in 2013, and customer feedback has been positive since then. Ozo hotels are in Hong Kong, Koh Samui, Colombo and Kandy, with new hotels being developed in Hoi An, Pattaya, Phuket, Johor, Penang and Xiamen.
This year has seen significant expansion by the Onxy Hospitality Group, with its flagship Amari brand being launched in new locations including Sri Lanka, Malaysia and China. Based in Bangkok, Onyx has a growing regional portfolio of 44 operating properties across three core brands in eight countries.
The group also has 20 new properties in the pipeline in markets including Vietnam, Indonesia and Australia, and has set a target of having 99 hotels open by 2024 as part of its journey towards being the best medium-sized hospitality player in the region.
TRAIL-BLAZER
CIMB cleared to open Philippine branch
CIMB Group yesterday announced that its subsidiary, CIMB Bank, has received approval from the Monetary Board of the Philippines’ central bank to operate a branch in the Philippines. The first retail branch is expected to be fully operational by the fourth quarter of 2018.
Following banking sector liberalisation in 2014, CIMB Bank is the first Malaysian banking group to be granted the BSP’s approval to operate under an act that allows the entry of foreign banks into the Philippines through the establishment of wholly-owned operations with full banking authority.
Zafrul Aziz, CIMB group chief executive, said: “We are delighted to have received the green light from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. The awaited missing link to complete CIMB’s Asean-10 footprint has now materialised.
“This will further propel CIMB into becoming the leading Asean universal bank, which will further strengthen our value proposition to customers.”
CIMB Group is Malaysia’s second largest financial services group. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, the group is now present in nine out of 10 Asean nations: Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Brunei, Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos. Beyond Asean, CIMB has a market presence in China, Hong Kong, India, Sri Lanka, South Korea, the US and UK.
