Search

Appointment

Kimimasa Yuasa has been appointed as Director of Sales, Japan at Pan Pacific Hotels Group

Based at the Global Sales Office in Tokyo, Kimimasa will be responsible for managing key clients in Japan and expanding the market through the generation of sales leads and bookings for the Group’s over 30 “Pan Pacific” and PARKROYAL hotels, resorts and serviced suites in Asia, Oceania and North America. Most recently, Kimimasa was Director, Starwood Sales Japan with Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Throughout his 12-year tenure with the company, Kimimasa built up a proven performance track record in managing domestic and outbound sales from Japan, developing wholesale package tours for Starwood hotels, as well as fostering MICE business opportunities in second-tier Japanese cities. Prior to that, Kimimasa garnered over 20 years of corporate and MICE sales experience in various management positions with New Otani Hotel in Tokyo and Los Angeles, as well as Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York.

Pan Pacific
Tokyo, Japan
Appointment

Heinrich Grafe has been appointed as General Manager at Conrad Tokyo

Hilton Worldwide has appointed Heinrich Grafe as General Manager of Conrad Tokyo with effect from November 18, 2013. Heinrich joins Conrad Tokyo from the award winning Conrad Centennial Singapore where he served as General Manager since 1998. Under his leadership, Heinrich steered the hotel on a path of continued growth and development, with Conrad Centennial Singapore now recognised as a leading property in one of the most prominent Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE) destination in the region. Heinrich first joined Hilton Worldwide in 1974 at Hilton London Kensington before moving on to hone his skills in senior executive positions at other Hilton Worldwide properties in Germany, Singapore. Heinrich was Executive Assistant Manager in Hilton Guam and Seoul, South Korea, before moving on to become General Manager at Swissotel Beijing, China from 1990 to 1998. , He then returned to Hilton Worldwide in 1998 to take the helm at Conrad Centennial Singapore.

Hilton
Tokyo, Japan
Ad #1 Hotel PMS
See why hotels are switching to Mews

Revenue up. Manual work down. Hotels using Mews see 35% higher RevPAR and 45% more upsells. Book a free demo. 
Mews
Appointment

Stephane Foucher has been named Executive Chef at Grand Hyatt Tokyo

Originally from France, Chef Stephane started his career in 1985 as an apprentice at La Renaissance, a renowned restaurant in his hometown, Vire, in the Calvados region of France. After receiving his chef‟s diploma and completing his military service, he then moved to Switzerland where he worked at Restaurant du Creux-de-Genthod, a seafood restaurant near Lake Geneva.After working in the United Kingdom at Intercontinental Hotel “The May Fair” and Sheraton Park Tower, he moved to Australia, where he worked for Sheraton Wentworth and ANA Hotel in Sydney. Chef Stephane then joined Hyatt Hotels and Resorts in 1995 as a sous chef of the fine dining restaurant The Oak Room at Park Hyatt Canberra. He was promoted to chef de cuisine after six months. During his tenure, the restaurant was awarded as “The Best Restaurant of the Year” in Australia and “The Best Fine Dining Restaurant in A.C.T (Australian Capital Territory)”. Two years later, he transferred to Grand Hyatt Seoul as chef de cuisine to oversee its signature restaurant Paris Grill.

Hyatt
Tokyo, Japan
Ad AI Hospitality
Ernest - Lighthouse's AI for hoteliers

"Just tell me why my weekend pickup dropped." With Ernest, now you can ask your commercial data anything, and act on the answer. 
Lighthouse
Appointment

Anthony Costa has been appointed as General Manager at Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo

Anthony Costa will succeed Christian Hassing as General Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo with effect from 3 September. Mr Costa began his career with Mandarin Oriental as Resident Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong in January 2007. He has been General Manager of The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong since June 2007 where he has successfully focused on driving excellence in all aspects of this award-winning hotel.

Mandarin Oriental
Tokyo, Japan
Appointment

Naoki Oto has been appointed as General Manager at Hilton Odawara Resort & Spa

A Japanese national born in 1958, Mr. Oto started his hospitality career in 1978 at the San Francisco Airport Hilton. In 1985, after graduating from the University of California in Los Angeles, he moved back to Japan and joined the then Hilton Tokyo in Food and Beverage. When the hotel changed management and was renamed Capital Tokyu Hotel, Mr. Oto continued his career there and held various positions. In 1988, he moved to Tokyu Hotel’s Corporate Office in New York, where he was tasked with developing the North American market and heading up the sales office. In 1996, Mr. Oto came back to Japan and joined the Tokyu Hotels Corporate office in Tokyo, later being appointed as Executive Assistant Manager of the Capital Tokyu Hotel in 2002. In 2003, Mr. Oto rejoined Hilton, this time in Osaka as Director of Operations, where he was responsible for operating 520 guest rooms and 9 restaurants and bars. His contribution to increasing operational efficiency and to enhancing revenue management, were key achievements that lead to his appointment in conjunction with the opening of the Conrad Tokyo in 2004, first as Director of Business Development and thereafter he was promoted to Executive Assistant Manager in 2007. He was then appointed as the Hotel Manager of the Hilton Tokyo, where he was based until his recent appointment.

Hilton
Tokyo, Japan
External Article Sales & Marketing

Tough Times for Tokyo Hotels | the-diplomat.com

I mentioned last week that the Prince Hotels group had opened rooms at its Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka to refugees from the tsunami. That got me thinking about the impact that the ongoing crisis and travel advisories is having on the hospitality sector. The news isn’t good. Start with the Prince Hotels group, which even before the crisis was suffering from overcapacity, a legacy of bubble-era expansion. According to the Nikkei newspaper, the group is now reporting that 90 percent of reservations made by foreign visitors at its 44 hotels have been cancelled.

the-diplomat.com
Tokyo, Japan
Appointment

Christopher R. Clark has been appointed as General Manager at The Ritz-Carlton

Armed with two decades of hospitality experience, Christopher R. Clark begins his new post as the Hotel Manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo. A native of Brookfield, Connecticut, Mr. Clark spent the last two years in China, where he held the position of Executive Assistant Manager, Rooms for The Ritz-Carlton, Sanya, and was instrumental in the resort’s 2008 opening. Mr. Clark’s Ritz-Carlton career began in 1997, when he was appointed the Director of Front Office at The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead in Atlanta Georgia. Subsequently, he rose through the ranks in various rooms positions at properties including The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur, The Ritz-Carlton, Bali and The Ritz-Carlton, Sanya. In addition to his work experience, Mr. Clark has assisted in the opening task forces for several sister hotels including The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, The Ritz-Carlton, Sharm El Sheikh, The Ritz-Carlton, Istanbul, The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing, The Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou, and The Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen. Later this month, he will be a lead trainer for the company’s first Reserve product – Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Krabi, Thailand. His work experience also includes senior managerial position with hotels in Israel and the United States.

The Ritz-Carlton
Tokyo, Japan
Appointment

Francois J. Cnockaert has been appointed as General Manager at Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo

A native of France, Mr. Cnockaert has spent the last three years in China, where he opened The Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou. Mr. Cnockaert's Ritz-Carlton career began in 1993, when he was appointed the director of food and beverage at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, in Southern California. Subsequently, his efforts earned him the position of hotel manager at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, after which he moved to Japan to assist in the opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka. In 1999, he was named the opening general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia. Mr. Cnockaert, fluent in English and French, earned a Bachelor of Accounting degree from Rouen, France and a Degree in Hotel Management from the Lausanne Hotel School in Switzerland. He also completed a course on "Executive Leadership Certification" from Cornell University, and in 2008, was named the "Outstanding Volunteer of the Year" by the Guangzhou government, an honor never before bestowed on a foreigner.

Ritz-Carlton
Tokyo, Japan