Laguna appoints new Deputy MD

CHERNG TALAY: Laguna Resorts & Hotels (LRH) has appointed American Bill Barnett to the newly created post of Deputy Managing Director of the company. Mr Barnett, 43, will be responsible for overseeing the portfolio of non-hotel businesses at Laguna. These include Laguna Services Co, Laguna Property Sales, the Allamanda Vacation Club, Canal Village Laguna Shopping and Laguna Travel & Tours. The change in executive management comes after Managing Director James Batt’s workload increased when he was appointed Vice President (Operations) for Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, in charge of overseeing the area general managers and general managers of all Banyan Tree and Angsana Hotels. Before joining Laguna Resorts & Hotels, Mr Barnett was Chief Operating Officer-Asia/Pacific with Millennium & Copthorne Hotels in Singapore, in charge of 43 hotels. Before that, he spent nine years in Hong Kong with Century International Hotels in various executive roles including Vice-President Operations, Asset Management and Development. His background includes extensive asset management experience with properties operated by the Four Seasons, Regent, Hyatt International, Hilton and Westin hotel chains. After attending the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, he gained 22 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, 17 of those in Asia. Mr Barnett worked in luxury resorts in Hawaii and later became the first American hotelier to work in post-war Vietnam. His tenure in Asia has also taken him to Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and India. Mr Barnett has lived in Phuket since 2001 with his Thai wife.