Hong Kong - 24 October 2018 - The International Society of Hospitality Consultants
(ISHC), in partnership with the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific
(HICAP), presented Kieran Bestall with the Rising Star Award Asia. Bestall was
presented the award during plenary session at HICAP on 19 October 2018 at the Kerry
Hotel Hong Kong.
Bestall is the Senior Director of Development in Asia
for Hilton Worldwide and is responsible for expanding Hilton’s portfolio of brands
across the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions. Bestall was nominated by
Benjamin Hirasawa, ISHC, Partner and Head of Hospitality for Asia of law firm Clyde
& Co Clasis Singapore Pte Ltd. Hirasawa had this to say about Bestall, “Kieran
has helped spearhead Hilton's growth in the region, closing numerous high
profile transactions in difficult emerging markets. Kieran's EQ enables him to
deftly handle difficult negotiations with owners from different cultural
backgrounds and balance the sometimes competing interests of getting deals across
the line while ensuring that Hilton is not exposed to excessive risk often
inherent in emerging markets. This particular skill has enabled him to close
several high profile and multi property transactions.”
ISHC Executive
Director Andrea Belfanti commented, “We are honored to be a part of the Rising
Star Award Asia in partnership with HICAP. The nominations we received
represent the very best and brightest in our industry. It was humbling and
inspiring to see what the nominees are achieving, especially at such a young
age. Kieran has had a particularly impressive career and has worked for
companies like Alila, Marriott, and HVS. But more than his career
accomplishments, he is known for having excellent interpersonal skills, being
cool under pressure, being universally well liked by his peers, and having an
upbeat attitude. I know we will continue to see great things from him and it is
obvious that he is a deserving recipient.”
ISHC
launched the Rising Star Award Asia Pacific in 2014 in partnership with HICAP
to recognize young, emerging leaders in the Asia Pacific hospitality community.
Nomination criteria requires an individual be 35 years or younger, currently
working and living in Asia and working in the hospitality development and/or
investment field. Past Rising Star Award Asia Pacific recipients include Peter
Harper (2017), Kiichi Mashita (2016), Nihat Ercan (2015) and Christopher Hur
(2014).
About
ISHC
The International
Society of Hospitality Consultants is truly The
Leading Source for Global Hospitality Expertise, represented by over two hundred of the industry’s most
respected professionals from across six
continents. Collectively, ISHC members provide expert services in
over fifty functional areas and
have specialized skills in virtually every segment of the hospitality
industry. ISHC is dedicated to promoting the highest quality of
professional consulting standards and practices for the hospitality industry.
Candidates undergo a rigorous screening process, ensuring that all ISHC members
have a reputation of integrity and are qualified by their experience, training
and knowledge to develop and express sound judgment on industry
issues. Additional information about the organization, along with a
directory of ISHC members, is available on the ISHC website at ishc.com.
About HICAP
HICAP (Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific) is Asia Pacific’s
largest, most established and recognized conference for the hotel investment
and development community and is held each October in Hong Kong. Since 1989,
HICAP is where the region’s preeminent players and executives gather to meet
and network, make deals, explore opportunities, and exchange ideas.
HICAP has expanded over the past decade to include a group of events
each focusing on specific geographic or product markets. HICAP UPDATE is held
in Singapore in March and focusses on hotel investment and development
opportunities in southeast Asia. The Alternative Ownership Conference Asia
Pacific (AOCAP) is also held in Singapore each March and focusses on unique
hospitality real estate such as timeshare, fractional, clubs and branded
residential products. The newly launched HICAP Australia New Zealand (HICAP
ANZ) will be held in July in Sydney and will focus on hotel development and
investment opportunities in Australia, New Zealand, and the broader Pacific
region.
About Northstar Travel Group (www.northstartravelgroup.com)
Northstar Travel Group is the global
leader of business intelligence, information, data, research, digital marketing
services and events for senior-level professionals in the travel, meetings and
hospitality industries. The Northstar portfolio includes; Travel Weekly,
Travel Weekly China, Travel Weekly Asia, TravelAge West, Business Travel News,
The Beat, Travel Procurement, Web in Travel, Phocuswright, Burba Hotel Network,
Successful Meetings, Meetings & Conventions, Meetings & Conventions
China, Incentive, Association News, Sports Travel and 75 annual events in thirteen countries including leading
events such as ALIS, HICAP, Phocuswright, TEAMS, Web in Travel, and
Mountain Travel Symposium. Northstar is also the majority shareholder in Inntopia.
Northstar Travel Group is owned by EagleTree Capital and is based in Secaucus, NJ, with
offices in New York, NY; Denver, CO; Los Angeles, CA; Winston-Salem, NC; Stowe,
VT; Edwards, CO; Glen Ellyn, IL; Costa Mesa, CA; and global offices in
Singapore, Beijing, and Shanghai.
About Burba Hotel
Network (BHN)
BHN is the worldwide leader in developing and organizing conferences for
the hotel and tourism investment community. With over three decades of
experience, more than 150 events completed to-date, and in excess of 100,000
international delegates, BHN conferences have become “must attend” events for
industry leaders who come together to network, conduct business, and to learn
about the latest trends. BHN events include: the Americas Lodging Investment
Summit (ALIS) in Los Angeles; ALIS Law in Los Angeles; ALIS Summer Update;
Alternative Ownership Conference Asia Pacific (AOCAP) in Singapore; Caribbean
Hotel & Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS) in Miami; Hotel Investment
Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) in Hong Kong; HICAP UPDATE in Singapore; Hotel
Investment Forum India (HIFI) in Mumbai; Hotel Opportunities Latin America
(HOLA) conference in Miami; Hotel Investment Conference Europe (Hot.E) in
London; and HICAP ANZ in Sydney. The BHN website at www.Burba.com is the
gateway for information about the conferences BHN produces, as well as a direct
link to important players in the hospitality investment world. BHN is a
division of Northstar Travel Group.
About Horwath HTL
Horwath HTL is the world’s largest hotel industry specialized
consulting organization, currently with 45 offices in 38 countries. Since the
set-up of Asia Pacific operations in 1987, Horwath HTL – Asia Pacific has been
involved with thousands of projects throughout the region in all phases of the
property lifecycle for clients ranging from individually owned businesses to
the world’s most prominent hotel companies, developers, lenders, investors, and
industrial corporations. Horwath HTL currently operates out of regional offices
in Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala
Lumpur, Mumbai, Sydney, and Auckland.
About Stiles Capital Events LLC
(SCE)
Stiles Capital Events LLC (SCE) has been involved in event management,
communications and marketing in the publishing, entertainment and hospitality
industries since 1989. SCE has been associated with the development and
organization of the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) since its
inception and the subsequent launches of HICAP UPDATE in 2009 and AOCAP
(Alternative Ownership Conference Asia Pacific) in 2014 together with partners
BHN (Burba Hotel Network) and Horwath HTL. SCE is based in the San Francisco
Bay Area.