REGISTRATION, coffee and tea.

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, MATTHEW BURKE and STR Sales, Japan, SHIORI SAKURAI.

PANEL SESSION: GREATER TOKYO HOTELIERS’ OUTLOOK.
Hosted by:
• GAVIN WEIGHTMAN, Chief Operating Officer, Section L
Panelists:
• ANSHUL KAUL, Managing Director, The Tokyo EDITION Toranomon & The Tokyo EDITION Ginza
• REBECCA THORN, General Manager, Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya
• SHINICHI KOSHIKAWA, Deputy Country Manager – Japan, The Ascott Limited

INVESTOR Q&A: Blackstone Head of Real Estate Japan, DAISUKE KITTA, in conversation with AHICE Group President and HM Editor-In-Chief, JAMES WILKINSON.

PANEL SESSION: HOTEL TECHNOLOGY. What’s hot in technology for 2025 and beyond.
Hosted by:
• BENJAMIN KRIEG, Senior Vice President Operations & Global Strategic Accounts, FutureLog
Panelists:
• DANIEL MOURAD, General Manager – APAC, Canary Technologies
• ERIC WONG, Vice President, Hospitality – Asia Pacific, Infor
• 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

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

MORNING TEA
Presented by

HOTELIER Q&A: Marriott International Market 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
• HOWARD HO, Co-founder and CEO, Section L
• TOKIO TAKAI, Associate, Salter Brothers
Presented by

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
• JEFF CHO, Vice President, Business Development (Hospitality), Far East Hospitality
• MATT HOLMES, Vice President of Development – South East Asia and Pacific Rim, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts
• VIVIAN WONG – Vice President, Business Development Japan & Korea, The Ascott Limited

KEYNOTE: THE FAMILY BUSINESS. Talking leadership, family history and the oldest tea company in the world with Yamamotoyama Chief Executive Officer, NAMI YAMAMOTO, in conversation with AHICE Group President and Wayfarer Editor-In-Chief, JAMES WILKINSON.

PANEL SESSION: NEW JAPAN HOTELS COMETH. A look at new openings and what’s on the way.
Hosted by:
• KURAUDO OHASHI, Executive Vice President, Head of Advisory, JLL Hotels and Hospitality
Panelists:
• GAVIN WEIGHTMAN, Chief Operating Officer, Section L
• HAYLEY MITCHELL, Principal, Mitchell Eades (representing Caption by Hyatt Kabutocho Tokyo)
• KAZUHIKO YAMAMOTO, Asset Manager, Salter Brothers
• SHINSUKE NAGASAWA, Director of Development, Japan, Accor

LUNCH
Presented by

HOTELIER Q&A: IHG Hotels and Resorts Managing Director – Japan & Micronesia & Chief Executive Officer – IHG ANA Hotels Group, ABHIJAY SANDILYA, in conversation with AHICE Group President and HM Editor-In-Chief, JAMES WILKINSON.

PANEL SESSION: GLOBAL BRANDS WITH A FOCUS ON JAPAN. Hear from leaders looking to launch and expand in Japan.
Hosted by:
• TROY CLARRY, Director, Tourism Talent
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

AFTERNOON TEA
Presented by

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.

PRESENTATION: JAPAN REAL ESTATE MARKET OUTLOOK for Japan for 2025 and beyond, presented by JLL Hotels and Hospitality Group Vice President, RONGCAN YANG.

PANEL SESSION: VIEW FROM THE TOP: MARKET EXPECTATIONS FROM LEADING EXECUTIVES, with a glass of wine.
Hosted by:
• JAMES WILKINSON, Group President, AHICE
Panelists:
• BJÖRN ANTONSSON, Regional CEO – Asia-Pacific, Candela
• 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

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

AHICE ‘AFTER DARK’ networking bar.
Presented by