Leading industry leaders and academic administrators appointed to the Joint Advisory Board of Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Cornell University have appointed industry stalwarts and leading academic administrators as members to the Joint Advisory Board of the Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management (CNI). CNI is an alliance between Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration and NTU’s Nanyang Business School, offering a first-of-its-kind joint graduate degree program in hospitality management.

The members of the board are Mr Michael Chiu, Ms Marge Ferguson, Professor Hong Hai, Professor Sheryl Kimes, Mr Kwek Leng Beng, Mr Edward Kuok, Mr Kevin McGovern, Mr James Mingle, Mr Ratan Tata and Mr Philip Yeo.

Mr Michael Chiu is Chairman and President of Prima Donna Development Corporation and affiliated companies based in Los Altos, California. The companies are involved in the ownership, development, and management of hotels, residential, commercial and retail properties.

Ms Margaret Ferguson is the Associate Dean of Business Administration, School of Hotel Administration. She has nearly 20 years experience in financial, project and human resources management, including her recent role as project manager for the Cornell Hotel School’s $16.2 million addition, the Robert A. and Jan M. Beck Center.

Professor Hong Hai is the Dean of the Nanyang Business School. He is also a director of several public-listed companies, including China Merchant Holdings (Pacific) Ltd, IDT Holdings (Singapore) Ltd, Singapore Airport Terminal Services Ltd, Poh Tiong Choon Logistics Ltd, and Asia Food and Properties Ltd.

Professor Sheryl Kimes is a professor and the Richard J. and Monene P. Bradley Director for Graduate Studies at Cornell University. She will assume the position of Interim Dean of the Cornell Hotel School on 1 July 05. She researches on yield management, hotel location, and service quality. She has provided consulting and training for Starwood Asia Pacific, Starwood Europe, Troon Golf, and Chevy's FreshMex Restaurants.

Mr Kwek Leng Beng is the Executive Chairman of the Hong Leong Group Singapore, one of Singapore’s largest private sector conglomerates engaged in a wide range of businesses worldwide. Among the group’s core businesses is hotel ownership and management, under its subsidiary, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels.

Mr Edward Kuok is the Chairman of Shangri-La Asia Limited which is engaged in the ownership and operation of hotels and associated properties and the provision of hotel management and related services. He is also the Chairman of EDSA Properties Holdings Inc. and Kuok Philippine Properties, Inc.

Mr Kevin McGovern is the Chairman and CEO of McGovern Capital LLC, which provides intellectual property rights strategy, and originates and implements capital formation, joint ventures and business alliances.

Mr James Mingle is the Cornell University Counsel and Secretary of the Corporation. He has more than 25 years of experience as a senior executive in university legal and educational affairs.

Mr Ratan Tata is the Chairman of Tata Sons Limited, the apex body of the Tata Group. One of the major Tata Group companies is Indian Hotels, which operates the Taj hotels, palaces and resorts, and is the largest hotel chain in India. Tata Group also manages the Institute of Hotel Management, Aurangabad.

Mr Philip Yeo is the Chairman of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and Co-Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board. He also serves on the CapitaLand International Advisory Panel, providing inputs on the group’s property, hospitality and property-related products and services.

In addition, Dr Judy Siguaw, Mr Lim Neo Chian and Mr Gong Wee Lik will serve as non-voting ex officio members of the Joint Advisory Board.

Dr Judy Siguaw is the dean of CNI and is currently a professor of marketing and holds a J. Thomas Clark Chair in Entrepreneurship and Personal Enterprise in the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University.

Mr Lim Neo Chian is the Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive of the Singapore Tourism Board, an economic development agency for one of Singapore’s key service sectors.

Mr Gong Wee Lik is the Deputy Managing Director (International) of the Economic Development Board. He has held key portfolios in EDB in industry development, services development, international manpower and international operations, including international positions in London and Stockholm.

The Joint Advisory Board provides advice to the Deans of CNI, Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and NTU’s Nanyang Business School, as well as to the parties’ governing boards. The Joint Advisory Board is primarily responsible for the review and evaluation of the joint masters program and other activities of CNI. The board will assist local operations at the Singapore venue and will help secure fundraising support for the joint program. The board will meet twice annually, with members serving for three years.

The chair shall be elected from among the Cornell and NTU members by majority vote to serve a three-year term, and shall rotate between the representatives of Cornell and NTU. Mr Philip Yeo has been proposed as chair-designate, subject to the formal ratification and bylaws of the chair election at the first meeting. The proposed vice chair-designate, who will rotate in reverse, is Mr Michael Chiu.

The inaugural Joint Advisory Board meeting will commence on 21 September 2005 with a reception and dinner for the board members and the elite associates of the Singapore hospitality community at the Shangri-La Hotel. Aside from the formal discussion on 22 September 2005, the Joint Advisory Board members will be also be meeting the media to discuss industry trends. The meeting is expected to conclude with a dinner on 23 September 2005.

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