Charlie Dang has been appointed to Starwood's newly created position of area managing director for northern China.

He will continue to retain the responsibilities of his current role of general manager at The Westin Beijing, Financial Street, while overseeing and setting strategic direction for the team in the northern China hotels.

Starting his hotel career in 1981, Dang has risen from a junior trainee to a general manager at age of 35. Educated at Cornell University with a major in food and beverage marketing and management, he has also worked as a restaurant manager and food and beverage director in five-star hotels, resorts and convention centers around the world including his home country of Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore as well as Switzerland, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Dang started his stint in China as general manager of Sheraton Xian Hotel, followed by a successfully opening of Sheraton Dongguan as its general manager, before moving to Beijing to head up the opening of the first Westin in Beijing, The Westin Beijing, Financial Street.