Hotelier Awards honour best in hospitality
To recognise outstanding individuals’ professional excellence across the hospitality sector in Asia, the 17 winners of the fifth annual Hotelier Awards were recently announced at the Sofitel Singapore City Centre.
Taking home the “General Manager of the Year” honour was Matthew Cooper of the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square.
“It is not my award but belongs to the associates at Dongdaemun Square. These guys I work with are simply stars – they are my family. Tonight I am super-proud to work with Marriott International. Everyone thinks it’s this big monster company, but deep down we are all about our associates and our families and looking after each other,” said Cooper.
Thailand had four candidates for the awards. Nopparat Aumpa, area VP/general manager of the Banyan Tree Bangkok, was among the finalists in the general manager category, and Azizskandar Awang, executive chef of Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort, was the representative for chef hotelier.
Theerasak Kumwong, chief of concierge at Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, and Benjaporn Wongsomboon, assistant director of food & beverage at the St Regis Bangkok, competed against other finalists in the same careers.
Congratulations go to Awang of Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort on winning the “Chef Hotelier” award.
The year saw a 117-per-cent increase in applications, from over 100 properties in 12 countries. Winners were decided by the expert judging panel through a two-round process and based on a combination of facts presented in the applications, interviews, and testimonials.
The 17 winners were presented with their trophies by one of the five judges alongside a representative from the partnering companies.
The judging panel included Alison Gilmore of International Luxury Travel Market, Michel Lamuniere of Edipresse Asia, Christophe Laurent, of Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne, Jenny Soo of Jones Lang LaSalle Property Consultants, and Christine Gamarra of LRA by Deloitte.
Next year the awards will move into India, Sri Lanka and Maldives. Keep updated at www.HotelierAwards.com.
WINNERS
General Manager: Matthew Cooper, JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square
Chef Hotelier: Azizskandar Awang, Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort
Concierge Hotelier: Robert Viana, Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila
Engineering Hotelier: Jeffrey Adlawan, Marco Polo Davao
Finance Hotelier: Peter Toi Huat Heng, Conrad Centennial Singapore
Food & Beverage Hotelier: Ngakan Made Artana Yasa, Dava Restaurant, Ayana Resort & Spa, Bali
- Front Office Hotelier: Ni Nyoman Rekayanti, Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Hotel Manager/Resident Manager: Kristanti Tannady, Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort
House Keeping Hotelier: Susan Lam, The St Regis Singapore
Human Resources Hotelier: Larsey Guieb, Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila
Information Technology Hotelier: Danny Lim, The Fullerton Hotel and Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore
Marketing and Communications Hotelier: Yasmine Hidalgo, Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila
Owner Representative: Francis Ledesma, Marco Polo Davao
Sales Hotelier: Lillian Tan, Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort
Sommelier Hotelier: Satoru Mori, Conrad Tokyo
Unsung Hero: I Wayan Dyana “Smiley” Antara, Le Meridien Bali Jimbaran
Wellness & Spa Hotelier: Elva Zhao, Swissotel Merchant Court Singapore
