Howard Johnson ITC Plaza Chongqing, which is scheduled to open in the last quarter 2007, has made four new key appointments.

Jim Khoo Wei Kwan has been appointed general manager of the hotel. He is a Singapore national with an Executive Leadership certification with Cornell University, and fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. As a veteran and internationally seasoned hotelier, he has trained much managerial talent and has more than 18 years of sales and marketing and operational hospitality experience and has worked with many international branded hotels in China, Hong Kong and Macau. Prior to joining this hotel, Khoo was hotel manager with Intercontinental Shenyang and Holiday Inn City Centre Shenyang.

Joan Jin is the newly director of finance and business support for the hotel. A Chongqing resident, she has been working with Howard Johnson Hotels & Resorts for the past three years. Jin has previous experience in Changchun, Zhuhai and other major Chinese cities. She once was general manager with No. 88 Park Hotel Chongqing, which is managed by Howard Johnson.

Carolina Lee, a Chinese national, has been appointed director of sales, focusing on the services and markets in Chongqing and western China. Prior to joining this hotel, she held various sales and marketing position with InterContinental Hotels Group and Best Western. She has strong relationships with many key preferred corporate accounts. Lee comes with an extensive knowledge in sales and marketing, and is looking forward to building on the success in Howard Johnson ITC Plaza Chongqing.

Julien Alexandre Pechey has been appointed executive chef and beverage at the hotel. A French national, he has experience in international cuisines and is also a graduate in Beijing for Imperial food cuisine. He has previously worked in Ramada Wuhan, Novotel Wuhan and Novotel Peace Beijing. Besides China, he has also worked in Myanmar.