HTNG Connect: Asia-Pacific

• Ted Horner, Managing Director, E. Horner & Associates (Moderator)
• Manish Nambiar, VP Operations, SE Asia, Kempinski Hotels
• Riko van Santen, CIO, Kempinski Hotels

• Terence Ronson, Founder, Pertlink Limited (Moderator)
• Michael Garcia, CIO, Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotels
• Winnie Ho, VP of Digital & Technology Solutions, MGM Macau & MGM Cotai
• Ashish Kale, VP IT Operations - Asia-Pacific, Marriott International

Join us for an engaging panel discussion featuring senior executives from three leading hotel chains. These industry titans will share insights, challenges, and triumphs as they navigate the ever-evolving landscape of hotel technology. From leveraging data analytics to enhance guest experiences to implementing cutting-edge solutions for operational efficiency, this session will offer valuable perspectives on harnessing technology to drive innovation and stay ahead in the competitive hospitality market. Discover how these visionary leaders are shaping the future of hospitality through strategic technological advancements and collaborative industry partnerships.

• Jing Zhu, Chairperson & CEO, China Hospitality Technology Alliance

Explore how hotels outside China can adapt their technology offerings to cater to the unique preferences of Chinese travelers. This session will cover key trends such as mobile payment integration, localized digital experiences, and leveraging social media platforms like WeChat and Xiaohongshu. Gain insights into tailoring tech strategies to enhance guest satisfaction and capture this growing market segment.

• Jack Taljaard, Buisness Development Manager, Membership & Industry Engagement, Wireless Broadband Alliance

Join us for an insightful session with a representative from the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) as we delve into the forefront of wireless technology advancements and their commercial impact on the hospitality industry. This session will provide a high-level overview of the Wi-Fi Roadmap and will be followed in the afternoon with a breakout session where those interested can dig into more detail and ask questions.

• David Sjolander, VP, HTNG Operations, AHLA

• David Sjolander, VP, HTNG Operations, AHLA (Moderator)
• Jacques von Benecke, Group CTO, Druk Holdings & Investments
• Annet Steenbergen, Advisor/Owner, EU Digital Wallet Consortium/Circletree Ltd
• Michael Zureik, Head of Digital Travel Strategy & Innovation, SITA

This presentation will dive into the groundbreaking Digital Identity ecosystem that is being developed by the EU and other organizations, suuch as IATA and SITA. We will explore its potential transformative impact on the digitalization of the hotel industry. The discussion will be about the implications for data privacy, efficiency, and customer experience.

• Sandy Angel, Senior Director of Technology & Information, AHLA

Following the presentation on the EU Digital Identity strategy, this workshop will discuss ways that this initiative can reduce friction on the guest arrival with a focus on payments and identity verification. Small groups will identify information that must be included and ideally shared from the guest wallet to to optimize the guest experience.

• Dayna Kully, Co-founder, 5thGenWireless (Moderator)
• Hannah Greenberg, CEO, Eleven Software
• Ashish Kale, VP IT Operations - Asia-Pacific, Marriott International

Following this morning's overview on the WBA Wi-Fi roadmap, this session will drill down on aspects that are most relevant to hospitality and allow the audience to engage in the conversation. Bring your questions and plans for Wi-Fi upgrades to get answers and advice from our experts.

• Sandy Angel, Senior Director of Technology & Information, AHLA
• Winnie Ho, VP of Digital & Technology Solutions, MGM Macau & MGM Cotai
• Ted Horner, Managing Director, E. Horner & Associates
• David Sjolander, VP, HTNG Operations, AHLA

The hospitality industry faces a common challenge: fragmented and inconsistent property data across systems, platforms, and regions. Hospitality ID is a groundbreaking nonprofit initiative designed to address this issue by creating a global registry that assigns unique identifiers to every hotel and hospitality property worldwide. In this session, we’ll explore how Hospitality ID simplifies distribution, enhances data accuracy, and streamlines technical integration. Join us to learn how this initiative is setting the stage for greater efficiency and collaboration across the industry. Discover how you can leverage Hospitality ID to drive innovation and operational excellence in your organization.

• Sandy Angel, Senior Director of Technology & Information, AHLA
• David Sjolander, VP, HTNG Operations, AHLA

Stay up to date on the latest developments at HTNG! This session will provide an overview of the association’s ongoing initiatives, including active workgroups tackling key industry challenges, growing communities of interest fostering collaboration, and the progress of the Global Technology 100. Learn how these efforts are shaping the future of hospitality technology and how you can get involved.

• Liz Ortiguera, Managing Director of Asia-Pacific and Sr Advisor to the CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council

Dive into the transformative impact of emerging technologies on the travel and tourism sector through the lens of the World Travel & Tourism Council's (WTTC) latest Tech Game Changeers Report. This presentation explores groundbreaking innovations like artificial intelligence, blockchain, digital identities, and sustainable aviation, highlighting their potential to revolutionize booking, operations, and personalized travel experiences. Gain insights into the role of technology in driving sustainable tourism practices and the policy implications critical to industry stakeholders. Discover how these trends are poised to reshape the future of travel while fostering innovation and sustainability.

• Martin Bookallil, Founder & Principal, Bookallil Advisory
• Andrew Chan, Founder & CEO, ACI HR Solutions

The hospitality industry's slower tech adoption presents a unique opportunity to rethink its approach to innovation and talent. While financial pressures and cautious decision-making have played a role, the real challenge lies in empowering internal IT teams to navigate areas like cybersecurity and digital transformation.

This session explores how a culture of continuous learning and collaboration can balance the fresh perspectives of external hires with the passion and institutional knowledge of internal leaders. Discover actionable strategies to close the technology gap, boost operational efficiency, and deliver next-level guest experiences in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

• Terence Ronson, Founder and Managing Director, Pertlink Limited (Moderator)
• Tristan Gadsby, CEO, Alliants
• Eric Wong, VP Hospitality, Asia-Pacific, Infor
• Vijesh Yoganathan, Regional Director, APAC, Canary Technologies

Join our expert panel as they delve into the transformative impact of AI on the hospitality industry. This session will highlight products and services in production using generative AI to enhance guest experiences, streamlining operations, and driving efficiency. Gain valuable insights on the practical uses of AI, and learn how to integrate these cutting-edge technologies into your own operations to stay ahead of the competitive hospitality landscape.