Preferred Hotel Group Expands Asia Pacific Presence with Triumvirate of Industry Leaders
Preferred Boutique Poised for Major Growth in 2008
with Lynn Ireland Appointment
CHICAGO – February 25, 2008 – Preferred Hotel Group has enhanced its presence in the Asia Pacific Region with an expanded management team of highly regarded, seasoned executives. Lynne Ireland, Managing Director, Preferred Boutique and Area Managing Director, South Pacific, will be the newest addition to the team, creating an impressive trio that also includes the newly appointed Mark Simmons, Area Managing Director – Asia. Preferred Hotel Group veteran Ananya Narayan, recently relocated to Dubai, has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Global Strategy and will also serve as Area Managing Director for India, Middle East and Africa.
“This dynamic leadership team brings together some of the most experienced players in the Asia Pacific region -- a significant growth market for Preferred that will only increase in importance in 2008 and beyond,” said John Ueberroth, Chairman and CEO, Preferred Hotel Group.
Ireland, whose illustrious career includes more than 15 years heading the Asia Pacific region for Small Luxury Hotels of the World, will join Preferred Hotel Group in a dual role as Managing Director of Preferred Boutique and Area Managing Director, South Pacific. “Lynne Ireland is a great addition to our organization, both for her regional expertise and specialization in the type of intimate, highly exclusive luxury properties that make up the Preferred Boutique brand,” Ueberroth added. “We anticipate great growth for Preferred Boutique this year, and are excited to have Lynne at the helm.”
A key executive with Preferred Hotel Group since early 2005, Narayan’s new role as Senior Vice President, Global Strategy will emphasize his tremendous talents in the area of strategic planning. In addition, he will serve as Area Managing Director for India, Middle East and Africa, facilitating growth and increasing brand visibility. In his previous role as Area Managing Director – Asia Pacific, Narayan, during his tenure, grew membership from 13 to 45 hotels, doubled the number of regional personnel, and assisted to increase member hotel revenue through Preferred Hotel Group channels by more than 15% annually. Overall room nights increased by 272% and revenue by over 327%. With the expansion of the Asia Pacific team, this growth is only expected to accelerate.
Stepping into the role of Area Managing Director – Asia is Simmons, whose
vast experience in the region includes running his own hospitality sales
and marketing outsourcing firm, Delivering Asia; Director of Sales, Asia
for Accor and managing The Landmark Bangkok, a member of Preferred’s Summit
Hotels & Resorts brand.
“I am thrilled to be joining Preferred Hotel Group, an organization focused
on strong, supported growth and a clear vision on how this can be achieved.
It is an exciting time in Asia with the team growing two-fold in the next
few months,” commented Mark Simmons.
About Preferred Hotel Group
Celebrating 40 years of excellence, Preferred Hotel Group is proud to
be a global leader in the hospitality industry, delivering high-performance
sales, marketing and technology solutions to more than 600 independent
hotels and resorts in over 65 countries. Its family of brands represents
a collection of the finest hotels in the world and include: Preferred
Hotels® & Resorts (www.preferredhotels.com),
Preferred Boutique (www.preferredboutique.com),
Summit Hotels & Resorts (www.summithotels.com),
Sterling Hotels (www.sterlinghotels.com)
and Historic Hotels of America (www.historichotels.org).
For more information please visit www.preferredhotelgroup.com.
In Fall 2007, the company entered the luxury real estate market with the launch of Preferred Residences – a membership and exchange program for luxury shared ownership resorts that provide an exceptional level of service and amenities. Properties are held to exacting standards derived from the same Preferred Global Standards of Excellence™ on which the company has built its 40-year heritage in the hospitality industry. For more information please visit www.preferredresidences.com.
| MEDIA CONTACT: EMEA |
Nicola Parker Lucre Communications Tel: +44 (0)20 8332 9690 Fax: +44 (0)20 8948 7601 preferredhotels@lucrecommunications.com |
| MEDIA CONTACT: N. AMERICA |
Nichole DiBenedetto Middleton & Gendron, Inc. Tel: +1 212 980 9231 Fax: +1 212 759 6521 ndibenedetto@mg-pr.com |
| MEDIA CONTACT: ASPAC |
Christine Cheong Preferred Hotel Group Tel: +852 3111 1898 Fax: +852 3115 7770 ccheong@preferredhotelgroup.com |
For high resolution imagery of our properties, please visit the Preferred Hotel Group Image Library at www.preferredhotelgroup.com/press.htm.
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