Sunway appoints new hospitality CEO

KUALA LUMPUR (May 22): Sunway Bhd has appointed Albert Cheong (pictured) as the new CEO for its hospitality division effective May 18.

“Albert’s immediate focus will be on the proposed redevelopment of the flagship property’s two hotel towers, which are the 549-room Sunway Pyramid Tower East and the 456-room Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa, commencing progressively from mid-2016. Besides these, is the imminent opening of a third hotel tower, the 401-room Sunway Pyramid Tower West in late-December 2015,” said the group in a press release.

According to Sunway, Cheong’s appointment as CEO for its hospitality industry comes amidst exciting times for the hotel group, given Sunway’s commitment to refresh and renew its products and services and to accelerate growth.

Cheong, who has 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, joined Sunway’s hospitality division in January 2014 as group general manager of Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa in Kuala Lumpur. 

He will assume the dual role of overseeing and managing the portfolio of properties under Sunway Hotels & Resorts as CEO, while continuing his position as the group general manager, to lead the management team in all of Sunway’s hotels under Kuala Lumpur’s Sunway Resort City, namely Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa, Sunway Pyramid Tower East and the soon-to-be opened Sunway Pyramid Tower West.

Cheong will oversee the immediate launch of the renovated 650-room Sunway Putra Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Cheong had previously spent more than 28 years with Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts where he held key management positions in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar and China. Prior to joining Sunway, Cheong was the area general manager for The Landmark Lancaster Hotel Group, a Thai hospitality company with hotels in Thailand and the UK.