Executive Appointments at The Upper House in Hong Kong

Dean Winter has been appointed as General Manager of The Upper House, a small intimate hotel opening in Admiralty, Hong Kong in October 2009.

Dean currently oversees the strategic positioning and daily operations of the hotel. Previously he managed the launch of Swire Hotels, overseeing pre-opening preparations for The Opposite House, which opened in Beijing in 2008, as well as The Upper House and EAST, which opens next year in Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong.

Dean has over 20 years senior management experience in London, Hong Kong and Singapore. A former Director of Food and Beverage within Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, he was also General Manager of Conran Restaurants, London, from 1999-2001. Prior to joining Swire Hotels, Dean was the Executive Assistant Manager at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, responsible for overseeing its renovation prior to re-opening in 2006.

Dean is supported at The Upper House by a team of experienced professionals.

Benjamin Banh has been appointed Director of Sales & Marketing following a career in travel agencies and hotels that has spanned over 20 years in New York and Hong Kong. He has held senior sales management positions in hotels including The Regent HK, Starwood, Hyatt Regency, and Hokubei Tours, a Japanese Wholesaler.

Prior to joining The Upper House, Benjamin was Director of Sales at the Four Seasons Hong Kong and Regional Director of Sales at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

Marcel Thoma has been appointed as Director of Guest Experience. Marcel is a graduate of the prestigious Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne in his native Switzerland, with a degree in International Hospitality Management. He joins from The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel in New York. He started as a management trainee in 2003, rising to Front Office Manager and Assistant Rooms Division Manager. Marcel’s career has taken him from Mexico and Spain with Ritz Carlton, to hotels in Zurich and Bangkok. Marcel is fluent in German, English, French and Spanish.

Mervyn Tam joined The Upper House from InterContinental Hong Kong as Director of Sales. He has over 18 years experience in 5 star luxury hotels including Intercontinental Hong Kong, Mandarin Oriental and Kowloon Shangri-La.

Andrew Lau has been appointed Director of Reservations and Revenue. He has over 20 years experience in 5-star luxury hotels, including 18 years at the multi-award winning Island Shangri-La Hong Kong, having started his career at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong.

Sue Ann Liu has joined the hotel as Public Relations Manager. Sue Ann began her career at PR firm Hill & Knowlton Hong Kong and was formerly Marketing Manager of Hill & Associates, a risk management firm. Prior to joining The Upper House, she worked at the food and beverage department of Intercontinental Grand Stanford, Hong Kong.

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