The latest industry appointments

KAI CHAN has been announced as Carlson Wagonlit Travel’s new president of Asia Pacific, based in Singapore. Ms Chan currently serves as the corporate travel company’s general manager for Southeast Asia. She replaces existing Asian president Kelly Kuhn, who becomes CWT’s new president of EMEA.

MICHAEL WIESER has been named as the new chief executive officer of Lily Hotels & Resorts in the Maldives. The move marks a promotion for Wieser, who was previously chief operating officer of Lily Hotels and Dhonakulhi Investment. He has also served as Middle East managing director for the Domina Hotel Group.

STEPHANE FABREGOUL has been appointed managing director of the W Singapore Sentosa Cove and The St Regis Singapore. A French national, Fabregoul began his career with Le Méridien, working for hotels in France, Monaco and India. Prior to this new role he was GM of the W Singapore Sentosa Cove.

MATTHEW BLENCH has become the new director of EXO Adventure, the adventure travel arm of EXO Travel. A UK national, Blench first arrived in Southeast Asia as a backpacker in 1993. He has since returned to the region to work as general manager of Treasure Travel Laos.

MONIKA GASSEM has been confirmed has the new director of sales & marketing at The Unique Collection of Hotels & Resorts, effective 1 February. Ms Gassem joins the Bangkok-based company with more than 11 years of experience, including spells with Go Vacation, Dertour and Epikurean Hotels.

CLAUS PEDERSEN will return to the InterContinental Hong Kong as general manager. He previously spent six years at the hotel from 2005-2011, including spells as director of food & beverage and resident manager. He currently serves as vice president of hotel operations for MGM Macau.

KIRAYA PANITCHAYANKUL has been announced as Absolute Hotel Services’ new group training director, effective 1 February. A Thai national, Ms Rose, as she is better known, joins the Bangkok-based hotel group with 13 years’ experience, including spells working for Centara and The Peninsula.

JANSEN LOW has been named as the new director of sales & marketing for the Furama RiverFront hotel in Singapore. He joins the property with more than 20 years of experience in hotel sales, marketing and distribution. Most recently worked at the Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel Cotai Central.

JASON ROLAN has been appointed as EXO Travel’s new general manager for Laos. Rolan joins the company with more than 10 years’ experience in the Asian tourism industry, including spells with Buffalo Tours, Trails of Indochina and Khiri Travel in Thailand and Laos. He speaks fluent Lao.