Laguna Phuket Expands Executive Management

James Batt, Joint Managing Director of Laguna Resorts & Hotels Plc, has announced the appointment of Bill Barnett in the newly created position of Deputy Managing Director for the company.

Prior to joining Laguna Resorts & Hotels Plc, Mr. Barnett's most recent position was that of Chief Operating Office - Asia/Pacific with Millennium & Copthorne Hotels in Singapore in charge of 43 operating and owned hotels. Previously Mr. Barnett spent nine years in Hong Kong with Century International Hotels in various executive roles including Vice President Operations, Assets 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, with 17 of those being 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.

In his new role reporting directly to the Joint Managing Director, he will be responsible for overseeing the portfolio of non-hotel business units at Laguna Resorts & Hotels including Laguna Services Company, Laguna Property Sales, the Allamanda Vacation Club, Canal Village Laguna Shopping and Laguna Travel & Tours. This change in executive management is due to James Batt's additional responsibility of overseeing the Area General Managers and General Managers of all Banyan Tree and Angsana Hotels in his concurrent role of Vice President (Operations) for Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, effective since July 2002.

Aged 43, Mr. Barnett has lived in Phuket since 2001 with his Thai wife.