When it comes to a gathering of hotel investment heavyweights in Asia, one of the most eagerly anticipated events is the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (Hicap). For the past
13 years it has been held at the Intercontinental Hong Kong where, for one week in October each year, the hotel becomes even more of a haven for power-networking than usual. Hicap attendees make the most of the networking by gathering in the hotel’s Lobby Lounge well before the three-day conference agenda begins. They rate the event highly both for the Intercontinental’s service and the elite range of hotel investment power brokers attending.
KEY PLAYERS
Bryan Chiu -– Executive Director of Events
Bryan has been executive director of events at Intercontinental Hong Kong since April 2015; he first joined the hotel in 1988, when it was The Regent Hong Kong. With a higher diploma in Hotel Management from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Bryan worked his way up through various positions across the hotel’s restaurants and served as manager of Yü Restaurant from 1999-2003, before becoming assistant director of F&B from 2003-2005. After a spell at the Four Seasons Hong Kong, he returned to the Intercontinental as director of F&B before becoming executive assistant manager in 2011.
Holly Sum – Director of Groups, Meetings & Incentive Sales
Holly joined the hotel early last year from Island Shangri-La, where she was senior event sales manager, and previously worked in sales at Lan Kwai Fong Hotel and the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong in MICE sales and reservations. She launched her hotel career at the Hilton Sydney in 2001 after graduating with a double major in marketing and tourism management from the University of Technology, Sydney.
Nicola Canuti – Executive Chef
Hailing from Mantova, northern Italy, Nicola worked at an impressive list of Michelin-starred restaurants with some of the world’s most celebrated chefs, including Alain Ducasse, Marco Pierre White, Roger Verger and Gordon Ramsay. He joined the hotel from Raffles Singapore and was previously opening executive chef at L’Albero Restaurant in Moscow.
TIMELINE
One week in October
Around a 12-month lead-time, but menu development commences in February with the client’s first food tasting at the end of May, and the second tasting at the beginning of August.
Action Stations
The Ballroom is set in theatre-style seating for the plenary each morning. After an 11am coffee break, breakout sessions begin at the function rooms. A team of 50 (and anyone who can assist) then changes The Ballroom setting to banquet-style in time for 1pm lunch. Turnaround takes between an hour and 100 minutes. The banquet setting remains for a further plenary or presentations in the afternoon.
