1 December 2009, Singapore: Millennium and Copthorne International Limited (MCIL) is pleased to announce Mr Melvin Lim’s new appointment as General Manager at the Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur, as well as Mr Ruprecht Schmitz’s promotion to General Manager of Orchard Hotel Singapore.

Mr Melvin Lim
After almost five years managing two Millennium & Copthorne International hotels in Singapore- namely M Hotel and then Orchard Hotel, Mr Melvin Lim, who is currently General Manager at Orchard Hotel Singapore, will be taking the helm at our flagship-brand, 5-star Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur Hotel effective 10 December 2009.

    Mr Lim brings with him a wealth of experience honed from his 18 years of experience as general manager and senior sales and marketing positions at several international luxury hotels and serviced residences in Asia, including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Myanmar. With vast knowledge and industry expertise, he will contribute significantly to the growth of Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur Hotel, conveniently located along the shopping and entertainment belt on Jalan Bukit Bintang- right next to KL’s latest shopping icon, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur!

    Mr Lim commented, “It is a great honour for me to be working for the fast-growing international chain of Millennium & Copthorne and I am very excited to be appointed to undertake the task of maintaining the Grand Millennium excellence.”

Mr Ruprecht Schmitz
Succeeding Mr Lim as General Manager at Orchard Hotel Singapore from 1 December 2009 is our current Executive Assistant Manager (EAM), Mr Ruprecht Schmitz.  He is no stranger to the Hotel or to Singapore as he has been EAM of the Hotel since 2006.

    Mr Schmitz will be taking on expanded responsibility for all aspects of Orchard Hotel’s operations. He will also spearhead the development of its business thus ensuring continued success for this 653-room five-star hotel, situated in the heart of the world famous Orchard Road and home to well-known and celebrated Chinese restaurant Hua Ting Restaurant and Orchard Café.
       
    With 15 years of international experience in the hospitality industry, Mr Schmitz has worked in management positions with various International hotel chains in Europe and joined Millennium Hotel Paris Opera in 2003. In 2006, he was posted to Orchard Hotel as the Executive Assistant Manager where he assisted the General Manager with the day-to-day operation of the hotel.

    Speaking of his position, German-born Ruprecht Schmitz, who is trilingual in German, English and French, remarked, “I am very happy to be given this opportunity to move to the next level.  Together with the a remarkable management team, we will continue to create memorable experiences for all our guests and achieve greater operational excellence and growth.”

    "Melvin has been a great asset to Orchard Hotel and we are delighted to have his contribution at our flagship-brand, Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur.  We wish him well and have full confidence that he will carry out his duties admirably,” said Mr Richard Hartman, Chief Executive Officer of Millennium & Copthorne International Ltd.  

     “We would also like to congratulate Ruprecht on his well deserved promotion. Having been with Orchard Hotel for more than three years, Ruprecht’s familiarity with the hotel will serve him well in his first appointment as General Manager. Under his leadership, we are certain that Orchard Hotel’s position as a leading hotel in Singapore’s premier uptown shopping belt will further be strengthened.”

        “This is a perfect example of nurturing our future leaders and I hope to inspire individuals to upgrade and challenge themselves in their work through continuous learning.” added Mr Hartman.


Melvin Lim, General Manager, Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur



Ruprecht Schmitz, General Manager, Orchard Hotel Singapore

For more information, please contact:
Amy Ang
Director of Marketing Communications
Tel: (65) 6739 6595  Fax: (65) 6734 2231
E-mail: amy.ang@orchardhotel.com.sg

Editor’s Note:
Orchard Hotel Singapore
Situated on Singapore’s renowned Orchard Road, the city-state’s shopping and entertainment belt, Orchard Hotel offers 653 tastefully appointed guest rooms in characteristically unique twin buildings – Orchard Wing (325-room) and Claymore Wing (328-room). Orchard Hotel promises cosmopolitan elegance and comfort, complemented by a wide selection of cuisines in award-winning restaurants – Hua Ting Restaurant and the Orchard Café. Other dining outlets include La Terrasse which serves authentic Teochew porridge buffet and Intermezzo Bar which offers lively entertainment and refreshing cocktails perfect for wind-down sessions. Guests staying at Orchard Hotel will enjoy its perfect location and choice offerings for shopping, business entertainment and relaxation.

Orchard Hotel is owned by CDL Hospitality Trusts

CDL Hospitality Trusts is a stapled group comprising CDL Hospitality Real Estate Investment Trust (“H-REIT”), a real estate investment trust and CDL Hospitality Business Trust, a business trust. CDL Hospitality Trusts is listed on the mainboard of the Singapore Exchange.

H-REIT is the first hotel real estate investment trust in Singapore and owns a portfolio of hotels in Singapore and New Zealand.
www.cdlht.com

ABOUT MILLENNIUM & COPTHORNE
Corporate Profile
Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc owns and operates more than 120 hotels in 19 countries, ranking it among the largest owned and managed hotel groups in the world.

Millennium Hotels and Resorts was established as a global brand by Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc to provide a common marketing and operating platform across its entire portfolio.  It represents a worldwide community of hotels that provide consistent standards of excellence for business and leisure travellers alike. The brand represents a wide variety of hotel styles with high standards of service & facilities in every property. 

Millennium Hotels and Resorts comprises of three distinct brands – Millennium Hotels, Copthorne Hotels and Kingsgate Hotels and Resorts.

In Asia, its subsidiary Millennium & Copthorne International Limited operates and manages hotel properties in key gateway cities in seven countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, China and Korea.

Hotels operating under the Millennium and the Copthorne brands, in Asia, include the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore,  Orchard Hotel Singapore,  M Hotel Singapore,  Copthorne King’s Hotel Singapore,  Copthorne Orchid Hotel Singapore,  The Heritage Hotel Manila in the Philippines,  Millennium Hotel Sirih Jakarta in Indonesia,  Copthorne Orchid Hotel Penang and  Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Millennium Seoul Hilton in Korea,   Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok and  Millennium Resort Patong Phuket in Thailand, Grand Millennium Beijing, Millennium Hongqiao Hotel Shanghai, Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen and Copthorne Hotel Qingdao in China. 

Millennium Chengdu and Millennium Wuxi will open for business in 2009.
 
The Millennium and Copthorne brands are the principal brands of this worldwide portfolio of four- and five-star hotels in the Millennium Hotels and Resorts chain. 

The Millennium line of upscale hotels offers four– to five-star deluxe comfort in stylish settings in key city destinations, on four continents.  A well-known brand in Europe, the four-star Copthorne hotels are located in major regional business centres around the world and have garnered a string of major industry awards recognising their service quality, excellence and distinctive style.  The Kingsgate hotels are known for their personal service and practical comfort.

The Grand Millennium product was recently added to the portfolio of brands in the Millennium Hotels and Resorts chain to tailor our hotel product offerings to meet different customer needs.  The brand represents luxurious contemporary style designed for the well-heeled international traveller.

All the hotels in the Millennium Hotels and Resorts chain are targeted at its primary base of corporate guests and offer comprehensive business and meetings facilities and amenities for guests both at work and at play.  Comprehensive facilities at these hotels for guests to relax and recharge; making the Millennium Hotels and Resorts chain ideal for leisure travellers as well. 

Other chain-managed hotels, in Asia, owned by Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc include the Grand Hyatt Taipei in Taiwan, the Nikko Hotel and JW Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong.
For more information, please visit www.millenniumhotels.com