Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has appointed Joon Aun Ooi to the role of president, Asia Pacific, from June 1st.

This appointment follows the restructuring of the hospitality giant’s south-east Asia, Pacific Rim and Greater China areas to form a new operating region which will be collectively known as Asia Pacific.

Under this new regional structure, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts APAC will become one of the region’s strongest operating hospitality portfolios with more than 1,700 hotels in approximately 16 countries and territories across 13 brands.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts APAC will continue to operate with regional offices in Singapore and Shanghai, supported by satellite offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, Xi’an, Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Bangkok, Seoul, Jakarta, Manila and Kuala Lumpur.

“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.

“Our focus in the region and continued commitment to making hotel travel possible for all remains unchanged,” said Joon Aun Ooi.

In his new role, Joon Aun will continue to chart the growth of the Wyndham Hotels & Resorts portfolio of brands across the APAC region and drive its strategic objectives, especially as the tourism industry recovers from COVID-19. 

Leo Liu, president of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Greater China, will be stepping down from the company.

With nearly two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, Joon Aun brings with him a depth of regional expertise and operational experience across China, south-east Asia and the Pacific Rim.

He joined Wyndham in 2013 as vice president, openings and operations, Greater China.

During this time, he successfully introduced four new brands to the market and played a pivotal role in doubling the combined franchise and management portfolio to over 1,400 hotels.