Oakwood Appoints General Manager in Seoul for New Serviced Apartments

Business Wire, Nov 15, 2001

Business and Travel Editors

SEOUL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 16, 2001

Veteran hotelier Neil J. Harvey has been appointed as inaugural General Manager for Oakwood Premier Coex Center (www.oakwood.com), Seoul's first five-star serviced apartments. The property will open in December 2001.

Oakwood Premier Coex Center is located at 159 Samsung-dong in Kangnam-ku, Seoul, Korea, adjacent to the City Air Terminal, COEX Convention Center and ASEM Tower. Oakwood Premier is the newest and most unique super deluxe lodging available in Seoul, offering 279 spacious furnished residences ranging from 47sqm to 193sqm. Daily and extended stays are welcomed at Oakwood Premier, whose clientele will include business travelers, COEX convention guests, World Cup visitors, long staying foreign expatriates and also Seoul natives seeking a luxury pied a terre (the popular French phrase describing a second or temporary residence).

Welcoming Mr. Neil J. Harvey

Neil J. Harvey's appointment was announced this week by P.G. Mathew, Managing Director of Oakwood Asia Pacific. Oakwood Asia Pacific is the regional arm of Oakwood Worldwide, the leading global name in serviced apartments, with more than 20,000 units located throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. Oakwood Asia Pacific currently manages or is developing serviced apartment properties in Seoul, Tokyo, Bangkok, Manila, Guangzhou and Beijing.

"Oakwood Premier is the first property in Seoul to combine the atmosphere and security of a long stay residence with the services of a five-star hotel," said Mathew. "Neil Harvey's more than 20 years of hotel experience, spanning many cultures and hospitality disciplines, represents the type of leadership we seek to bring into the Oakwood family."

Harvey's experience includes tenure in more than one dozen countries, with international brands such as Mandarin Oriental, Hilton International, Swissotel and Swiss-Bel Hotel. Most recently, Harvey was based at the Swissotel Istanbul as part of his responsibilities for pre-opening of new Swissotel projects in the Middle East and Mediterranean region.

He has previously served as a hotel General Manager at the Swiss-Belhotel Changchun in Changchun, China; and the Hotel Ciputra Semarang in Indonesia. An early career highlight for Harvey was serving the elite of Hong Kong as Restaurant Manager for the illustrious Mandarin Grill, located in the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong.

Harvey's education includes a diploma in Hotel & Catering Studies from Southeast London Technical College as well as continuing education achievements at Cornell University and other international management development programmes.

About Oakwood Premier Coex Center

Oakwood Premier Coex Center offers a completely new experience in Seoul hospitality. Each residence has separate bedroom, living and kitchen areas, and is handsomely decorated with designer furniture, home electronics, and appliances including a washer/dryer. Similar to a hotel, Oakwood Premier has 24-hour front desk, concierge and security; daily maid service; and onsite restaurants. Rack rates range from KRW 290,000 to KRW 1,000,000 per day.

"There is great anticipation for our opening in December," said Mathew. "Harvey's focus is implementing the exacting Oakwood Premier standards for guest services and facility management, and training our 120 highly qualified Korean staff."

For more information or reservations for Oakwood Premier Coex Center, contact: 822.3466.7000, www.oakwood.com, or seoul@oakwoodpremier.co.kr.