Monday 4 November 2024

12:30 – Late | Potato Head Beach Club

THE HOME FOR GOING FURTHER, TOGETHER

Whatever’s next for the world, it starts in the Asia-Pacific region. And those ideas first form here, at Open House. Our annual ideas festival launches Further East and welcomes our community into the industry’s boldest emerging concepts, topics and trends — ready for you to take and run with.

Over talks, roundtables and workshops, you’ll hear from groundbreaking talent and join the conversations that matter more than ever in APAC luxury travel. But this isn’t just a chance to gain lessons and insight. You’ll also bond with fellow Further Easters, letting conversations fly under the Bali sun. Which is great for doing business differently.

So, step through the doors. Open your mind. Follow the sound of Asia-Pacific, amplified . . .

WHAT TO EXPECT

LISTEN & LEARN

Take a seat as luxury pioneers explain why and how to bring the rest of the world to the APAC region. From sustainability and authenticity to AI, hotel design and effortless storytelling, there’s something to find and savour on each of our stages.

CONNECT

Every talking point brings you closer to exhibitors, buyers and media. Since Open House kicks off a week of doing business differently at Further East, the networking potential is huge — stirred by surprising answers to the questions you all care about.

ADD YOUR VOICE

These sessions aren’t closed conversations. The main Amplify stage leaves room for Q&As. Masterclasses offer more practical, interactive engagement with a topic, while The Circle pulls you into the centre of debate with our speakers and other Further Easters.

WHO ARE OUR SPEAKERS?

Check out the names, faces and insider knowledge that have defined past editions of Open House.

Sangjay Choegyal

Principal, Advant Labs

Sangjay Choegyal

Principal, Advant Labs

With over 15 years in the hospitality industry spanning iconic brands and stand alone hotels from six Senses to Aman and the critically acclaimed Shinta Mani Wild, Sangjay has successfully opened some of the worlds leading hotels continually striving to push the boundaries of guest experiences and what a hotel is.

AI: The Uninvited Guest

16:00

AI is poised to tear through hospitality marketing – first as a critical advantage, then as table stakes, and eventually perhaps as a liability. Here’s what you need to do to prepare for this rollercoaster, direct from three innovators in the high-end hospitality sector. Sangjay Choegyal has successfully opened some of the world’s leading hotels for brands like Six Senses, Aman and Shinta Mani Wild; Matthew Lo is a former management consultant who scaled Porter & Sail and built products for Design Hotels, EDITION Hotels and Soho House; and Alex Liu is a data scientist with valuable insights into innovative technologies like blockchain and AI.

Ronald Akili

CEO, Potato Head Family

Ronald Akili

CEO, Potato Head Family

Serial entrepreneur and founder of Seminyak Beach’s uber-cool Potato Head Beach Club, who has a reputation as an artistic visionary, industry disruptor and cult hero.

Good Times, Do Good: The Future Of Regenerative Hospitality

14:00

Ronald Akili, CEO & Founder, Potato Head, in conversation with Colin Nagy, Director & Columnist, Skift. Ronald Akili is an entrepreneur, innovator and change-maker who thrives on challenging the status quo in every industry he touches. In this conversation, he’ll reveal his journey from promoting sustainable Indonesian architecture to the creation and evolution of Potato Head, the first carbon-neutral company in the region. Ronald’s “Good Times, Do Good” motto encapsulates his belief that we can balance incredible experiences with actions that make the world a better place – and that we can not only serve guests but also inspire them. Learn more about how Ronald is investing in real change towards a regenerative future.

Melita Koulmandas

Co-founder & CEO, Song Saa Private Island & Foundation

Melita Koulmandas

Co-founder & CEO, Song Saa Private Island & Foundation

Melita Koulmandas is a regenerative designer and living systems thinker working in the travel sector. She co-founded Song Saa Private Island & Foundation more than 10 years ago, where she now serves as CEO.  
In 2005, Melita arrived at the Song Saa islands, witnessing a landscape overwhelmed by ocean waste, its resources depleted, and its habitability fading. Applying the principles of regenerative design, she orchestrated a remarkable transformation. Today, the area boasts Cambodia’s largest Marine Park and community-driven initiatives spanning education, waste management, fisheries, and more.
Amidst global challenges, Melita remains resolute in her mission to advance regeneration in travel, fostering a new era of thoughtful and purposeful exploration.

Regenerative Ripples: Change Beyond Your Brand

14:00

Prepare to be inspired and to gain the knowledge needed to begin your own transformative journey by adopting a regenerative mindset. This session is designed for those who are driven to create meaningful change and are intrigued by truly innovative systems of change-making. Melita will delve into how Song Saa Private Island & Foundation has continually generated a ripple effect of generational positive impact in its surroundings since adopting regenerative principles. She’ll discuss the learning curve in co-evolving and designing in harmony with nature, place, and people, and the shift from linear to integrated, holistic thinking. You’ll discover why embracing regenerative principles represents a crucial mindset shift for the travel industry, how working with “wholes” in business rather than parts can revolutionise your business strategies and create enduring change far beyond your brand, and the limitations of mechanical systems compared to a living systems perspective that fosters collaborative environments that regenerate nature. Overall, you’ll find out how regenerative design enables you to navigate complexity, creating more resilient and adaptable businesses in our rapidly changing world.

Jeremy Tran

Founder, Sainha & Co-founder, Asia Sustainable Travel Briefing

Jeremy Tran

Founder, Sainha & Co-founder, Asia Sustainable Travel Briefing

Impact entrepreneur Jeremy Tran is an award-winning marketing and communications expert.
With over a decade of experience in global branding and marketing, he has advised over 50+ luxury brands on Asia market entry strategy, outbound Chinese travel, Chinese social media, and sustainability integration.
In 2022, he founded Sainha with a mission to normalize sustainable travel practices. A member of Positive Luxury Impact Network, the agency provides sustainability consulting and marketing solutions to next-gen travel and hospitality brands and organizations seeking to scale positive impacts while generating returns.
He also co-founded Asia Sustainable Travel Briefing, a digital media network that serves up agenda-setting analysis and advice for professionals involved in building and growing a sustainable tourism brand in Asia.
He was a speaker at Arab Travel Market, and has been featured in Skift and Travel Tomorrow.
A fluent speaker of 5 languages, Jeremy holds an Executive Education certificate from Cambridge Judge Business School on Sustainability Strategies and Circularity and a master’s degree from University College London’s Bartlett Faculty of Built Environment.
He is a member of Clean Creatives, a movement of advertisers, PR professionals, and their clients cutting ties from fossil fuels.

Decoding Future Trends in Asia Pacific Travel

15:00

We’ve seen a remarkable bounce back for travel to Asia Pacific since the pandemic – but this revival remains uneven. Who in the region is seeing the most growth? And who is lagging behind – and why? By looking at the latest in hospitality trends including foodie travel, online booking, digital nomads, AI, and more, you’ll learn how to differentiate your product, become one of the winners in the region’s resurgence, and ultimately thrive in tomorrow’s travel landscape.

Gary Bencheghib

Co-Founder, Sungai Watch

Gary Bencheghib

Co-Founder, Sungai Watch

Gary Bencheghib is a filmmaker and environmental activist. He founded Sungai Watch in 2020 to combat environmental pollution in Indonesia. His initiatives include garbage-floating barriers and cleanups, alongside innovative recycling projects through Sungai Design. In 2022, he earned the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia's Nobel Prize, for his efforts against plastic pollution in Indonesia.

The Power Of Collective Action

17:00

Sungai Watch is an environmental organisation on a mission to stop plastic going into the ocean. Founded in 2020 by Gary, Kelly and Sam Bencheghib in Bali, Sungai Watch is now a team of 90 passionate river warriors, and is working with the government on a master plan to make all rivers in the Tabanan and Denpasar regions plastic-free. Gary will share challenges and learnings from his humble journey of environmental activism, including the power of social media to drive change, Sungai Watch’s creative techniques in documenting and analysing waste data, and its upcycling initiatives that transform trash into products that generate funds. Above all, he’ll emphasise the need for unified global efforts and the role of both individuals and communities in this collective responsibility.

Elora Hardy

Founder and Creative Director, IBUKU

Elora Hardy

Founder and Creative Director, IBUKU

Elora is the Founder and Creative Director of IBUKU. Born and raised in Bali, Elora then spent 14 years in the United States, where she designed prints for Donna Karan that walked the world’s runways. In 2010, Elora left her successful fashion career to carry on the incredible work of the design-build team that created the world-renowned Green School in Bali, founded by her father John Hardy. She reconnected with the culture and landscape that she loves – and today continues to work with Balinese artisans alongside innovative designers and architects, with the goal of making Bali a global centre for sustainable design.

The New Luxury: Harmony In Nature-Led Design

16:00 - 16:40

When architecture is imagined in harmony with the potential of nature, enchanting spaces that resonate on a different frequency arise. IBUKU is a sustainable design and architecture firm that offers travellers access to this harmony, creating a new luxury grounded in nature. With a portfolio that includes The Four Seasons and COMO Hotels, Elora rejoins us at Further East to explore the transformative power of IBUKU’s nature-infused design and its profound impact on our quest for authenticity in travel. Elora’s TED talk on the topic has over 5 million views and she’s shared her insights with emerging leaders at institutions including MIT, the World Government Summit, the US Green Building Council, and London Design Week. Now, learn about how to merge architecture, artisanal craftsmanship and human-made and natural spaces for yourself.

Colin Nagy

Columnist, Skift

Colin Nagy

Columnist, Skift

Colin Nagy leads global brand strategy and management for Instagram. He writes the long running Skift column on luxury, customer experience and innovation and contributes to Courier and  Monocle. Nagy holds a degree in Politics and History from New York University.

Good Times, Do Good: The Future Of Regenerative Hospitality

14:00

Ronald Akili, CEO & Founder, Potato Head, in conversation with Colin Nagy, Director & Columnist, Skift. Ronald Akili is an entrepreneur, innovator and changemaker who thrives on challenging the status quo in every industry he touches. In this conversation he’ll reveal his journey from promoting sustainable Indonesian architecture to the creation and evolution of Potato Head, today the first carbon-neutral company in the region. Ronald’s “Good Times, Do Good” motto encapsulates his belief that we can balance incredible experiences with actions that make the world a better place – and that we can not only serve guests, but also inspire them. From the launch of Katamama to the creative village of Desa Potato Head and partnerships with Green School Bali and the United Nations, hear how Ronaldi is investing in real change – and share your own action for a regenerative future.

Carly Van Sickle

Senior Director, Global Brand Marketing, W Hotels Worldwide Marriott International

Carly Van Sickle

Senior Director, Global Brand Marketing, W Hotels Worldwide Marriott International

Carly Van Sickle is the Senior Director of Global Brand Marketing for W Hotels Worldwide at Marriott International. In this role, Carly is responsible for setting the W Global Marketing vision and driving innovation in marketing platforms, campaigns and partnerships. She oversees the creation of strategic and integrated marketing programs for the brand worldwide, driving commercial performance and increased brand awareness. She spearheaded the brand evolution and re-positioning project for W Hotels, impacting all 68 hotels around the globe.
Prior to her role as Senior Director, Carly was a key member of The Luxury Collection brand team where she served many roles, most recently as Director, Global Brand Marketing. Carly oversaw the development and implementation of The Luxury Collection’s global marketing, strategic partnerships, visual identity and digital strategies to ensure consistent messaging across the portfolio of more than 115 independent hotels worldwide.
Carly brings more than 15 years of experience in luxury lifestyle and hospitality to her role at Marriott International. Prior to joining the organization in 2015, Carly held multiple roles at New York-based PR agency, HL Group, where she oversaw brand strategy and communications for brands such as Baccarat Hotels and Resorts, Rizzoli Publishing, and Hilton Luxury Worldwide Brands including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts brands, among others.

Carly received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from Michigan State University and resides in New York City.

The Business Of Influencing

17:00

Social media impacts every decision consumers make before and while travelling, and at the centre of it all are influencers. As newer platforms like TikTok change the influencing game, in this panel we’ll talk to influencers, buyers and hoteliers about how best to collaborate to enhance their business. You’ll learn about how influencers operate in the high-end market, how they drive revenue for their partners, and how they see their profession developing within the travel industry in 2023 and beyond. You’ll leave feeling empowered about the business of influencing, and how you can collaborate with influencers to amplify both your bookings and your brand.

Watch this space for our 2024 lineup . . .

 

 

MEET OUR VENUE

Where are we unlocking Open House this year? A place that suits grand ambitions — somewhere that’s been voted one of the world’s finest hotels. Desa Potato Head is a mini creative village and luxury paradise by the Bali ocean. Its Beach Club, renowned for cocktails, DJs and a jaw-dropping infinity pool, will host our speaker sessions and welcome party with a plant-based menu. Once you arrive, you’ll see so much of what makes our region special come alive.

WANT TO KNOW MORE

Every question is worth asking. Chat to us about Open House, or download our free report on some of the topics that our brightest Further Easters dissected last year.

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