Best Western International (BWI) has tapped Jurgen Kreipl as Director of Operations - Asia, to oversee the management of all BWI Asian properties. His appointment reflects the swift progress being made in Best Western’s aggressive regional expansion efforts.

“Jurgen’s most welcome addition to our team comes at a time when BWI’s Asian development is rapidly gaining momentum,” said Glenn de Souza, Vice President International Operations Asia. “He will play a pivotal role in implementing our recently initiated management services, which support all our hotels’ operations, while enabling our properties to fully benefit from the Best Western brand. This program is unique in that no other hotel group in Asia offers similar assistance to its property owners.”

Mr. Kreipl’s primary focus targets operational matters covering all BWI-managed hotels in Asia, whose general managers will now directly report to him. His responsibilities also include the selection of future general managers and administering Best Western’s comprehensive training programs, chief of which is BWI’s flagship course - a five-day GM training session delving into all areas of hotel operations - as well as quality assurance and tailored-made regional service programs.

Mr. Kreipl, who officially joined BWI on Monday, March 19, 2007, will work closely with Mr. de Souza on operational matters.

Born in Munich, Germany, where he received degrees in hotel management and design, Mr Kreipl speaks English, Italian and Thai.

Mr. Kreipl has held senior group operational positions with Hilton, Le Meridien, Accor and a privately owned Thai hotel chain. Prior to joining BWI, he served as the GM during the pre-opening and early stages of Sofitel’s Garden Cliff Resort & Spa Pattaya and the 500-room Sofitel Vinpearl Resort in Nha Trang Vietnam, as well as Thailand’s 525-room Phuket Orchid Resort, Surin Beach Resort and Kamala Bay Garden Resort Phuket. Mr. Kreipl’s background also includes sales and marketing during his stints in Europe, the Middle East, Vietnam and Thailand.
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