The BMW Hotelier Awards 2018 Greater China Ceremony
THE BMW HOTELIER AWARDS HAS ANNOUNCED THE WINNERS FOR
THE 2018 GREATER CHINA COMPETITION
Hospitality professionals shortlisted from over 60 international hotel brands for their professional excellence
With more than 300 hoteliers and industry professionals in attendance, a total number of 20 awards were announced during a gala dinner at the St. Regis Jing’An in Shanghai. The ceremony marked the first return to Shanghai since its debut event in 2014. The evening was as dazzling as one could expect from the exquisitely styled St. Regis Jing’An, featuring a formal presentation of the awards, a fine dining experience curated by Head Chef Ryan Liu and an evening of live entertainment.The fifth annual Hotelier Awards culminated in a glittering ceremony on the 30th October 2018, to celebrate the dedicated individuals and their professional excellence across the hospitality sector in Greater China.
One winner from each category was decided by the high-calibre jury of experts through a two-round judging process, which looked at a combination of facts presented in the applications, interviews, and testimonials. This specialist jury of renowned representatives from the sector included, Jenny Soo, Director & Head of Workplace Experience APAC, Jones Lang LaSalle Property Consultants Pte, Julia Monk, Senior Vice President & Director of Hospitality Design, Hok, Leon Liang, Former Vice President, Alibaba-Fliggy, Dr Sacha Stöcklin, Managing Director, Ciecas and Dai Bin, President of China Tourism Academy, Director of National Tourism Data Center.
Taking home, the “General Manager of the Year” Award for Greater China was Richard Hatter who shared his pride in winning “Wow. This is amazing, thank you very much indeed. The questions asked were very spontaneous, so I just tried to be myself and talk about Hotel ICON. It’s an incredible hotel and in a short space of time we’ve become a force to be reckoned with. We’re all about leadership and developing students for the future, in China and in Hong Kong. Thank you to all the people who’ve been involved with ICON as pioneers of the industry. This is great recognition, thank you very much, I really appreciate it. Thank you.”
Although she was not present, University student Maria Trishina was presented with the Rising Star Award this year, which celebrates and supports the next generation of hoteliers. By partnering with the top universities in Asia offering a degree in Hotel Management, students were given the opportunity to submit their entry for the competition. As a winner for 2018, Maria now has the chance to undertake an internship of her choice in one of the top five-star hotels worldwide. As additional recognition, this year The Hotelier Awards was pleased to partner with Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), the premier institution for Swiss hospitality who presented a selection of prestigious rewards to the winners, ranging from advanced certificates, to online MBA programs with a value of up to 120,000RMB.
An exciting change for the platform was announced during the evening, unveiling the evolution of its new brand name and identity the Stelliers. As of next year, hoteliers will enter the competition for a chance to win a ‘Stellier Award’, which sparked excitement and buzz amongst those present. The newly launched brand builds upon its history of recognition and dedication to hoteliers and the hospitality industry, but also opens doors to the future. The name derives from the Latin word Stella Polaris, which is the brightest star in its constellation and is often referred to as the pointer of the sky, representing the leading stars of the hospitality industry.
Co-Founder, Benoit Thebaut shared a passionate statement about the new brand “To all of you sitting in the room tonight, you are a star and the ‘Stelliers’ is your recognition.”
The awards have grown in prominence and scope over the years, both in the number of applications received and also in the level of support from the industry, so much so that the platform is expanding once again. Continuing its mission to seek out the leading lights of the hospitality sector, the platform will expand into the South Asia region for the 2019 competition, welcoming applicants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Heading into the sixth edition, The Hotelier Awards will be present in a total of 23 countries, combining 3 competitions and 2 Grand Awards Ceremonies.
BMW took centre stage once again as the official title partner of the The Hotelier Awards for the 3rd consecutive year, alongside returning gold partners Lucaris and Nespresso. RH Contract debuted as a silver partner, Moet Hennessy Diageo China as a beverage partner, followed by valued supporting partners including, Labbrand, Cathay Pacific, Eventbank, Sutherland Gastronomy, GHC and FIJI Water & EHL.
Full list of the 2018 winners here
-Ends –