From The Sentosa Resort & Spa
To Meritus Mandarin Singapore
Alice Lee has been appointed the new director of HR at Meritus Mandarin Singapore, overseeing the full spectrum of HR functions that range from recruitment, compensation and benefits to performance management. Lee believes with the organisation’s strong family and people-orientated working environment, there will be opportunities to push her experience in HR to a higher level. Prior to her role as the director of HR for The Sentosa Resort & Spa, Lee was tasked to handle the pre-opening functions of two hotels in Singapore. While Lee feels “the general perception of the service industry is that of long and unpredictable hours”, she says HR will now have to think out of the box to try and lure talent.
Who Linda Scully
From Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
To Carlson Hotels Worldwide
As the new Asia Pacific HR director of Carlson Hotels Worldwide, Linda Scully will oversee training and development, and promote the hotel’s “Yes, I can!” philosophy, which encourages employees to make decisions and empowers them to ensure 100% guest satisfaction. The potential for HR to “make a positive difference to the organisation as it continues to evolve and rapidly expand” is the thing which spurred her to join the group. Previously, she was responsible for the overall HR strategy at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, successfully introducing various talent retention programmes. Scully believes one area HR should always look to improve on is staff motivation, as a motivated staff in the hotel service industry will deliver exceptional guest service. Besides the “Yes, I can!” philosophy, she is also looking after the “Be Admired” programme, which introduces the hotel’s mission, credo, guiding principles and vision to the staff.
Who Alan Agnew
From Aviva Middle East
To Aviva Singapore
Alan Agnew is the HR director for Singapore Life, Hong Kong and the Middle East at Aviva, functioning as the HR business partner for senior leadership. He has been with the organisation for six years, starting out in the UK office and moving on to the Middle East before being stationed in Singapore. Agnew says it is inspiring to work for a global company with 54,000 employees serving 28 countries around the world. As an HR practitioner, Agnew has great interest in “observing the current changing and unpredictable economic environment and understanding its impact on future capabilities as it unravels”. With his new position, he aims to encourage the staff to perform exceptionally through engagement, recognition and reward. Agnew’s goal is to develop current leadership capabilities and build a talent strategy which includes a talent pipeline for succession planning.
Who Ivy Wong
From Orchard Hotel Singapore
To M Hotel Singapore
Ivy Wong is appointed the new HR manager of M Hotel Singapore as of 15 June. Her responsibilities include overseeing all HR-related matters including staff recruitment, appraisal and training. She will also review HR policies, establish standards to keep up with the changing needs of the workforce and ensure the objectives of staff welfare are fulfilled. Prior to this role, she was the assistant HR and training manager at Orchard Hotel. Wong believes her top priority now is to acquaint herself with the company culture and fellow colleagues, as HR is “a people business and every individual is unique”. She feels that with familiarity, she will be able to review and put in place procedures and practices to ensure staff welfare is looked after despite the economic climate.
