The latest industry appointments

DAVID UDELL has been named as Hyatt’s new group president for Asia Pacific. The move marks a promotion for Hyatt veteran Udell, who has served the company for 32 years, most recently as senior vice president of operations at Hyatt’s Global Operations Center. He will be based in Hong Kong.

DENNIS BASHAM has been named as Scoot’s new general manager for Australia. He joins the airline having spent the last 14.5 years with Virgin Australia, including spells as travel industry account manager, national wholesale manager and national product manager for Virgin Australia Holidays.

DAVID COPPENS has been appointed to the newly-created role of executive vice president of global operations at BCD Travel. The move marks a promotion for Coppens, who previously served as senior vice president of performance solutions for the EMEA region. He joined BCD Travel from American Airlines in 2002.

ALAN WATTS has been named as IHG’s new chief operating officer for Asia, Middle East & Africa. The move marks a broadening of Watts’ responsibilities; previously he was COO for Australasia and Japan. The expanded role will see him control the region’s 246 hotels across 37 countries and territories.

CLARENCE TAN has been promoted to the position of senior vice president of development for Asia, Middle East & Africa, with IHG. He previously served as chief operating officer for Southeast Asia & Resorts, and will now relocate from Bangkok to Singapore. IHG has 137 hotels in the pipeline in AMEA.

BRUNO MATHEU has been announced as Etihad Airways’ first chief operating officer for equity partners. This will see the French national tasked with optimising the partnerships between Etihad and the various airlines in which it holds equity stakes. Matheu joins Etihad after two decades at Air France-KLM.

SHANTHA DE SILVA has become IHG’s new head of Southwest Asia, overseeing India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. An IHG veteran, de Silva started his career with the company 30 years ago at the former InterContinental Colombo. Most recently he was director of operations for Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.

BENNET CHANG has been named general manager of Qliq Damansara, Vive Hospitality’s soon-to-open hotel in Petalingjaya. Chang has held management positions with a series of international hotels brands in Malaysia, including Hyatt and Shangri-La. Most recently he was a GM with Swiss-Belhotel.

MAMOUN HMEDAN has become Wego’s new general manager for the Middle East & North Africa, based in Dubai. Hmedan first joined Wego, the Asian travel search site, in 2013, as manager of media sales for the region. He has been serving as acting-general manager since April 2014.

VINCENT DURIER has been appointed as the new director of food & beverage at Hong Kong’s Hotel Icon. With 12 years of F&B experience, Durier will now oversee the hotel’s four F&B outlets, plus banqueting services. He was previously head of F&B at Starwood’s St Regis Bora Bora Resort.