An internal restructuring at Wyndham Hotels and Resorts will see the Greater China region combined with South East Asia and Pacific Rim to form a new Asia Pacific operating region, the company has announced.
Taking effect from the beginning of June, the move will create a region comprising 1,700 hotels across 13 brands in 16 countries. The restructure has resulted in a promotion for regional leader Joon Aui Ooi, who will take charge in his new role of President, Asia Pacific. Joon Aun will amalgamate his current duties with that of Leo Liu, who has decided to step down from his position as President, Greater China.
There will be no change to the company’s network of offices in the region, with major outlets in Singapore and Shanghai, with satellite offices remaining in Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Beijing, Hong Kong, Xi’an, Bangkok, Seoul, Jakarta, Manila and Kuala Lumpur. Wyndham says the purpose of the move is to realign its global business operations in order to maximise its competitive advantage.
In his seven years with Wyndham Hotels and Resorts so far, Joon Aun has introduced four new brands to the region along with playing a major role in doubling the company’s franchise and management portfolio to more than 1,400 hotels. The South East Asia and Pacific Rim region saw a 22% growth in 2019, becoming one of the company’s fastest growing markets.
Joon Aun paid tribute to the outgoing Leo Liu, saying he was privileged to have had the opportunity to work alongside as a strong foundation for the company in China was created.
“I look forward to working closely with the talented teams across Greater China and South East Asia and the Pacific Rim, as we continue our focus and in preparing them for recovery and long term success,” he said.
“These are extremely challenging times for the hotel industry and it is more crucial now than ever for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to be agile in adapting to the evolving situation to be able to drive greater value for our owners and partners.
“Across APAC, the consolidation will enable the Company to leverage on a broader pool of resources – allowing it to strengthen its strategic positioning to support existing operations, drive further expansion and create additional opportunities for cross-border collaborations,” Joon Aun added.