WELCOME TO AHICE FAR EAST ASIA 2025 with emcee CHRIS WAITE and AHICE Group President and Chair and Convenor, JAMES WILKINSON.

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: What to expect in 2025 and beyond by STR Regional Director, MATT BURKE.

PANEL SESSION: TOKYO GENERAL MANAGERS’ OUTLOOK.
Hosted by:
• GAVIN WEIGHTMAN, Chief Operating Officer, Section L
Panelists:
• ANSHUL KAUL, Managing Director, The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon & The Tokyo EDITION Ginza
• MASARU WATANABE, Executive Director and General Manager, Palace Hotel Tokyo
• Speakers to be announced

PANEL SESSION: INVESTOR Q&A: Blackstone Head of Real Estate Japan, DAISUKE KITTA, in conversation with AHICE Group President and HM Editor-In-Chief, JAMES WILKINSON.
Hosted by:
• GAVIN WEIGHTMAN, Chief Operating Officer, Section L
Panelists:
• MASARU WATANABE, Executive Director and General Manager, Palace Hotel Tokyo
• Speakers to be announced

PANEL SESSION: HOTEL TECHNOLOGY. What’s hot in technology for 2025 and beyond.
Hosted by:
• BENJAMIN KRIEG, Global Vice President Strategic Accounts, FutureLog
Panelists:
• DANIEL MOURAD, General Manager – APAC, Canary Technologies
• JURGEN ORTELEE, Managing Director – APAC, IDeaS Revenue Solutions
• MUKUND MOHAN, VP, Business Development & Strategic Partnerships, Hotel Key
• STEVEN HOPKINSON, Senior Vice President for Asia Pacific and the Middle East, Shiji Group
• Speakers to be announced

MORNING TEA
Presented by

HOTELIER Q&A: Marriott International Area Vice President – Japan and Guam, YUJI TANAKA, in conversation with AHICE Group President and HM Editor-In-Chief, JAMES WILKINSON.

PANEL SESSION: THE JAPAN INVESTMENT OUTLOOK. Leading investors take to the stage to look at their market expectations.
Hosted by:
• JAMES ABE, Managing Director, Head of Investment Sales – Japan, JLL Hotels and Hospitality Group
Panelists:
• GARY KWOK, CEO & Managing Partner, Axe Management Partners Limited
• HIRO ABE, Executive Advisor, Seibu Prince Hotels and Resorts
• TOKIO TAKAI, Associate, Salter Brothers
• YOSHIHIRO KAWAMURA, Managing Director, TJK NZ
• Speakers to be announced

PANEL SESSION: JAPAN NATIONAL HOTEL OUTLOOK.
Hosted by:
• CASPAR SCHMIDT, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, QCC Collection
Panelists:
• CARLOS TARRERO, Area General Manager Luxury, Japan and General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto
• HOWARD HO, Co-founder and CEO, Section L
• JEFF JIWHAN CHO, Vice President, Business Development, Far East Hospitality
• OLIVIER BERRIVIN, Vice President – APAC, BWH Hotels
• VIVIAN WONG – Vice President, Business Development Japan & Korea, The Ascott Limited
Presented by

KEYNOTE: LEADERSHIP IN SPORT. Rugby World Cup winning coach, SIR STEVE HANSEN, guided the All Blacks to victory in 2015 and he currently serves as the head coach and Director of Rugby for Toyota Verblitz. He will chat with AHICE Group President and Wayfarer Editor-In-Chief, JAMES WILKINSON.
Presented by

PANEL SESSION: NEW JAPAN HOTELS COMETH. A look at new openings and what’s on the way.
Hosted by:
• NATHAN COOK, Executive Vice President, Head of Asset Management, Japan, JLL Hotels and Hospitality Group
Panelists:
• KAZUHIKO YAMAMOTO, Asset Manager, Salter Brothers
• SHINSUKE NAGASAWA, Director of Development, Japan, Accor
• Speakers to be announced

LUNCH
Presented by

PANEL SESSION: HUMAN RESOURCES IN THE SPOTLIGHT.
Hosted by:
• KELLY DODD, Senior Associate – Hotels-Resorts-Accommodation, Tourism Talent
Panelists:
• Speakers to be announced

PANEL SESSION: JAPAN HOTEL DEVELOPMENT OUTLOOK.
Hosted by:
• KURAUDO OHASHI, Executive Vice President, Head of Advisory, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group
Panelists:
• ANDREW LANGDON, Chief Development Officer Asia, Accor
• FRANK SORGIOVANNI​​​​, Vice President, Development (Asia Pacific), Starwood Hotels and Resorts
• KATE LOH, Vice President of Development, Pan Pacific Hotel Group
• MATT HOLMES, Vice President of Development – South East Asia and Pacific Rim, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts
• TSUKASA KUNIYA, Senior Director of Development – Japan & Micronesia, IHG Hotels & Resorts

HOTELIER Q&A: Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide President, Representative Director & CEO, YOSHIKI KANEDA, in conversation with AHICE Group President and Wayfarer Editor-In-Chief, JAMES WILKINSON.

AFTERNOON TEA
Presented by

PANEL SESSION: GLOBAL BRANDS WITH A FOCUS ON JAPAN. Hear from leaders looking to launch and expand in Japan.
Hosted by:
• Speaker to be announced
Panelists:
• CHRISTOPHER HARTLEY, Chief Executive Officer, Global Hotel Alliance
• KENNETH KAN, SVP – Chief Development Officer, Outrigger Hotels and Resorts
• LEE LIN, Regional Director, Asia Pacific, Nobu Hospitality
• NORMAN ARUNDEL, Director of Hotels and Resorts, EVT
• RAMZY FENIANOS, Chief Development Officer – APAC, Radisson Hotel Group

VIEW FROM THE TOP: MARKET EXPECTATIONS FROM LEADING HOTELIERS, with a glass of wine.
Hosted by:
• JAMES WILKINSON, AHICE Group President
Panelists:
• CHRISTIAN BAUDAT, Country General Manager Japan, The Ascott Limited
• DEAN DANIELS, Vice President Operations, Representative Director AAPC Japan K.K, Accor
• MARK ROHNER, Chief Operating Officer, Far East Hospitality
• VICTOR OSUMI, Regional President of the Americas, Seibu Prince Hotels and Resorts
• Speakers to be announced

WRAP-UP by emcee CHRIS WAITE and AHICE Group President and Chair and Convenor, JAMES WILKINSON.

NETWORKING: GALA NETWORKING EVENT at Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa
Presented by