AWAKEN

FURTHER EAST UN-CONFERENCE
MONDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2020
Designed to nurture your mind, business and spirit, AWAKEN is where disruptors from Asian hospitality and beyond come together to connect, innovate and inspire.

A NEW DAWN OF THINKING

BE INSPIRED

BE INSPIRED

Attended by industry disruptors and thought-leaders from Asia and beyond, AWAKEN takes a deep-dive into the hottest topics in luxury travel. Sit back and soak up the insights…

CONNECT IN PARADISE

CONNECT IN PARADISE

Network with the biggest names in luxury travel (and beyond) in a beautiful secret location.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

Discover a unique and immersive community spirit – a group of people passionate about increasing high value, low-impact tourism to Asia.

2019 LINE UP

SUSTAINABILITY –  DESIGN – TECHNOLOGY – INNOVATION – LEADERSHIP

Meet our 2019 speakers who will lead a series of intimate sessions and immersive workshops.

Watch this space: new speakers added weekly.

ANITA KAPOOR

Master of Ceremonies

ANITA KAPOOR

Master of Ceremonies

Anita Kapoor works across corporate, lifestyle, wellness, human development and advocacy as a moderator, host, emcee, spokesperson and podcaster, and uses her platform to engage, co regulate, question and evolve human reasoning, emotional capability and true aliiance.



PATRICK VANHOEBROUCK

Resident Anthropologist, Aman

PATRICK VANHOEBROUCK

Resident Anthropologist, Aman

Moving Mindfully: Using Local Heritage to Foster Deep Connections

As a highly qualified Anthropologist, Patrick has an incurable passion for Javanese and Balinese culture and spirituality. Explore the eastern wisdom of Bali and Java with him in a 30 minute session. You’ll be invited to step back and look at your connection to different cultures, nature and people – the key elements of thriving in travel and hospitality. Finish with a ten minute meditation guided by Frendy Agung; Balian (Balinese shaman), to re-energise and clear the mind before a full-on Further East.

DOMINIQUE BACKHOUSE

Managing Director, Companion Communications

DOMINIQUE BACKHOUSE

Managing Director, Companion Communications

The Art of Storytelling: The PR Journey from Sales Pitch to Brand Building

If all the world's a stage – how do you tell a story that translates across borders and cultures? Brand Communications and PR specialists, Dominique Backhouse of Companion Communications and Samantha Strawford of Pepper & Seed share insights on how to turn your sales pitch into authentic storytelling and explain how to better tell it during a time of huge global shifts and changes.

A practice that helps create a powerful connection with your audiences by tapping into their emotional desires for travel. Dominique and Samantha will discuss how to get your ‘brand house in order’ to help you build the foundations for creative storytelling and how to disseminate the stories in key markets including APAC, UK and Europe.

Originally from Hong Kong, Dominique has spent the last 15 years working in communications in Asia-Pacific and Greater China. Prior to launching Companion Communications as Asia's only senior-led hospitality PR agency, Dominique led the Asia-Pacific and Greater China communications strategy for COMO Hotels and Resorts, where her focus was on raising the profile of its 9 regional properties in Australia, Thailand, Bali, Bhutan and Maldives as well as elevating Asian outbound travel to its European and US properties. She spent many years agency-side where she led the Asian communication strategies for Belmond, Oetker Collection, Qantas, One&Only Resorts, Leading Hotels of the World, CE LA VI, Champagne Barons de Rothschild, Longines Horse Masters and many more.


SAMANTHA STRAWFORD

Managing Director, Pepper & Seed

SAMANTHA STRAWFORD

Managing Director, Pepper & Seed

The Art of Storytelling: The PR Journey from Sales Pitch to Brand Building

If all the world's a stage – how do you tell a story that translates across borders and cultures? Brand Communications and PR specialists, Dominique Backhouse of Companion Communications and Samantha Strawford of Pepper & Seed share insights on how to turn your sales pitch into authentic storytelling and explain how to better tell it during a time of huge global shifts and changes.

A practice that helps create a powerful connection with your audiences by tapping into their emotional desires for travel. Dominique and Samantha will discuss how to get your ‘brand house in order’ to help you build the foundations for creative storytelling and how to disseminate the stories in key markets including APAC, UK and Europe.

Managing Director of Boutique Communications Agency, Pepper & Seed, Samantha has a wealth of experience creating award-winning and brand defining campaigns for international brands as well as small independent businesses.

ZAG ASGHAR

Managing Partner & Joint-CEO, Predixa

ZAG ASGHAR

Managing Partner & Joint-CEO, Predixa

Business Strategy 101: The Road to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Luxury travel has always been about providing exceptional experiences and about making human connections. Learn how to face the new, post-pandemic reality of the luxury travel industry and understand why DE&I within the APAC region should be an integral part of your business strategy. Sit tight and buckle up for this engaging learning journey to a destination every business leader should know more about!

You’ll discover:
-Why you should care about Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I)
-The impact of DE&I in the Luxury Travel Market
-Regional considerations in the APAC region
-How regional organisations who have implemented DE&I have benefitted
-The seven steps you need to take to get on the DE&I journey
-How financial, social and competitive value is typically achieved and measured as a result from the seven steps
-Key takeaways to set you on track

With 30 years of experience in strategic business change and digital transformation, Zag’s background in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) advisory services has been key in formulating Predixa’s development of unique AI-based diagnostics. He's passionate to help organisations achieve a level of social excellence whereby employees at all levels are heard, engaged and valued, whilst at the same time, benefiting financially and positioning themselves stronger competitively.

PAULA NEWBY

Joint-CEO, Predixa

PAULA NEWBY

Joint-CEO, Predixa

Business Strategy 101: The Road to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Luxury travel has always been about providing exceptional experiences and about making human connections. Learn how to face the new, post-pandemic reality of the luxury travel industry and understand why DE&I within the APAC region should be an integral part of your business strategy. Sit tight and buckle up for this engaging learning journey to a destination every business leader should know more about!

You’ll discover:
-Why you should care about Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I)
-The impact of DE&I in the Luxury Travel Market
-Regional considerations in the APAC region
-How regional organisations who have implemented DE&I have benefitted
-The seven steps you need to take to get on the DE&I journey
-How financial, social and competitive value is typically achieved and measured as a result from the seven steps
-Key takeaways to set you on track

Paula also draws on a wealth of experience from over 30 years in industry, globally. Throughout her career Paula has been passionate about Sustainable Business Growth and believes creativity and originality are the cornerstones to bringing tangible business benefits to the bottom line, to create sustainable, profitable organisations.

JINOU PARK

Founder, Normal

JINOU PARK

Founder, Normal

Igniting Your Brand’s Purpose Post-Pandemic

The turmoil of the last few years has hugely influenced all our lives. The future is always uncertain and navigating the industry post-pandemic can seem daunting as we know things will never again be as they were. So, how do we move forward? Will people maintain crisis-time behaviours or actively rebel against them? This presentation brings to life two opposing sets of social realities and explores two mindsets regarding social conduct, consumption, work, and travel.

What is your brand’s purpose as you embark on a new journey towards the post-pandemic future?

Normal is a hospitality and lifestyle branding firm that creates brands and experiences that shake us out of the routine, raise consciousness of the moment and deliver belonging to the greater purpose. Founder Jinou Park brings over twenty years of experience in leading global brands such as Disney, Hilton and InterContinental Hotels. Immediately prior to founding Normal in 2020, Jinou was the Asia Pacific leader of Design Hotels curated collection of 300 plus privately owned and independently minded hotels globally.

SEE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS

2019 AGENDA

 

LEARN : Talks that will transform the way you feel about luxury travel

DISCUSS:  Expert panelists ready to share their experiences and ideas

INTERACT:  Debates, demonstrations and the chance to try something new

MONDAY 11th NOVEMBER 2019 - POTATO HEAD BEACH CLUB

12:30 - 13:15

Doors Open

13:30 - 14:30

Welcome & Opening Keynote

14:40 - 15:10

LEARN #1
DISCUSS #1
INTERACT #1

15:20 - 15:50

LEARN #2
DISCUSS #2
INTERACT #2

15:50 - 16:10

Networking Break

16:10 - 16:40

LEARN #3
DISCUSS #3
INTERACT#3

16:50 - 17:20

LEARN #4
DISCUSS #4
INTERACT #4

17:35 - 18:05

Keynote & Closing Ceremony

18:15

Welcome Drinks

ATTEND AWAKEN

WHO WILL ATTEND

WHO WILL ATTEND?

Luxury travel buyers and influential media as well as Asia’s most innovative and iconic travel suppliers.

HOW TO ATTEND

HOW TO ATTEND

Further East delegates get exclusive access to AWAKEN. You must apply to attend Further East 2019.

NOT PART OF FURTHER EAST

NOT PART OF FURTHER EAST?

We will be releasing a limited number of tickets to join this exclusive event. Register your interest below for more information.

REGISTER FOR AWAKEN

MONDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2020

All Further East delegates will receive complementary access to AWAKEN.

For non-delegates, please register below to purchase your AWAKEN badge

PREVIOUS LINE UP

SUSTAINABILITY –  DESIGN – TECHNOLOGY – INNOVATION – LEADERSHIP

Meet our 2018 speakers who led a series of intimate sessions and immersive workshops.

YOKO CHOY

China Editor, Wallpaper*

YOKO CHOY

China Editor, Wallpaper*

Currently based in Hong Kong and Amsterdam, East-meets-West is more to Yoko than just an alignment of two aesthetic visions; her mission, as a multilingual and multicultural creative commentator and communicator, is to raise awareness of the importance of cross-cultural development in the creative industry, to translate the knowledge and insights from both worlds into a common creative language and to stimulate and inspire conversations between the two mentalities.

VIRGINIA NGAI

Director of Strategy at CatchOn

VIRGINIA NGAI

Director of Strategy at CatchOn

Virginia Ngai is an impressive authority on brand communications, having provided strategic counsel for global brands as diverse as Facebook, HSBC, Marriott International and Volkswagen. Her latest trend reporting for CatchOn looks at the rising influence of tech in travel.

TOM EGERTON

Sustainable Bartender, Potato Head Family

TOM EGERTON

Sustainable Bartender, Potato Head Family

At Potato Head, Tom has helped to develop a drinks program that promotes sustainable, ethical and responsible practices for Potato Head's drinks, which have been adapted across our group. Most recently,
he has taken his message to the wider world, delivering a talk at TedX Wanchai and sitting on panels for the Food’s Future seminar in Hong Kong and others.

ROMAN MILISIC

Creative & Content Director, Porter & Sail

ROMAN MILISIC

Creative & Content Director, Porter & Sail

An artist, writer, and communications specialist, whose work promotes innovation, and connection. He is pursuing a vision for the future that places highly controlled and designed hotel spaces at the center of the new social experience.
His fashion-art creations have been presented at The Museum of Contemporary Art, MA, and The Museum of the City of New York, on Bravo TV, and via custom pieces for Lady Gaga, and Valentino. He co-created the global youth culture movement, Style Wars

RICK XIE

Chief Product Officer at ZANADU

RICK XIE

Chief Product Officer at ZANADU

An expert in high-end Chinese outbound travel who believes that the significance of travelling lies in experiencing different lives.

PENELOPE JANE WILLIAMS

Executive Chef and Creator, Bali Asli

PENELOPE JANE WILLIAMS

Executive Chef and Creator, Bali Asli

Penelope’s speciality is cultural immersion through the power of food, fuelled by her passion for authentic Balinese cuisine and traditional techniques. As the food consultant for Nikoi and Cempedak Islands, she puts sustainability an eco-tourism and the forefront of her work.

NANCY HUANG

Industry Reporter

NANCY HUANG

Industry Reporter

Nancy Huang knows what it takes to produce provocative, influential and award-winning content. Her work looks at the trends shaping the Asian luxury travel space and what the lessons are for other aspirational brands.

MAURICE LI

Founder, OPEN Studios

MAURICE LI

Founder, OPEN Studios

A brand architect, business strategist, product designer, content curator and producer.

MATT BRAZIER

Head of Experience, Experience Travel Group

MATT BRAZIER

Head of Experience, Experience Travel Group

Matt loves everything about travel, catching the bug during his (first) gap year in 2004. His career began in adventure tourism working for one of the UK's leading operators and organising trips all over the world. With over a decade’s experience in the industry, he now works at Experience Travel Group, a travel company that creates boutique holidays for the travel curious. As Head of Experience, his role is to develop the client experience from start to finish, ensuring the client is put at the heart of every holiday.

MARCIN SAPETA

Chief Manager, Kengo Kuma & Associates

MARCIN SAPETA

Chief Manager, Kengo Kuma & Associates

Master of Architecture and Engineering at the Japanese architecture firm, led by Kengo Kuma

KAREN DAY

Director of Communications, Potato Head Family

KAREN DAY

Director of Communications, Potato Head Family

Karen Day is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor whose work features in design-minded publications like Frame, Kinfolk and Cool Hunting who is now Director of Communications for Potato Head Family

JULIET KINSMAN

Luxury travel expert , Bouteco

JULIET KINSMAN

Luxury travel expert , Bouteco

Juliet Kinsman not only shares her wisdom as a writer for several national newspapers and magazines but also helped create iconically stylish hotel brand Mr & Mrs Smith. Her latest project, Bouteco, celebrates the hip hotels making sustainability sexy.

JEROME D. LEROUX

Managing Director, Greater China, MANGO PR

JEROME D. LEROUX

Managing Director, Greater China, MANGO PR

Jerome is a recognized expert on the Luxury, Travel & Tourism sectors in Greater China and he will be sharing his insights on on to demystify the Chinese luxury travel market.

IRSHAD MOBARAK

Resident Naturalist, The Datai Langkawi

IRSHAD MOBARAK

Resident Naturalist, The Datai Langkawi

Acting as guardian of Langkawi’s natural beauty, Irshad is inspiringly active in his conservation, preservation and education initiatives.

GUY HEYWOOD

Guy Heywood, COO, Two Roads Hospitality Asia

GUY HEYWOOD

Guy Heywood, COO, Two Roads Hospitality Asia

Guy Heywood, COO of Alila Hotels & Resorts, has been at the forefront of his company’s attempts to embrace ethical travel and combine luxury with sustainability.

DEWA LEGAWA

Eco Champion, Potato Head Family

DEWA LEGAWA

Eco Champion, Potato Head Family

Plastic waste is a global crisis that isn’t going anywhere. Ditching straws, bottles and cups is a start; but what to do with existing plastic?
This is a unique opportunity to discover how Potato Head’s Eco Champion transforms plastic into something truly fantastic – watch and be inspired for your own business..

DAVID LIM

Explorer & Mountaineer

DAVID LIM

Explorer & Mountaineer

David Lim – aka ‘The Everest Man’ – is best known for leading Singapore’s first expedition to the world’s tallest peak in 1998. Days after the climb, he was diagnosed with a devastating rare nerve disorder – yet in the 10 years since has gone on to lead more than 15 expeditions, defying all expectations.

DAN MITCHELL

Creative Director, Potato Head Family

DAN MITCHELL

Creative Director, Potato Head Family

The driving the creative direction of Potato Head’s bars, clubs and hotels across the world.

ANDREW DIXON

Nikoi & Cempedak Founder

ANDREW DIXON

Nikoi & Cempedak Founder

Andrew spent the first 20 years of his career working in banking in finance eventually arriving in Singapore where he stumbled across the unspoilt beaches and islands of nearby Indonesia. Together with some friends they developed two private islands as boutique resorts using bamboo and driftwood and without air-conditioning. Working closely with the local communities they have also established a foundation that has focused on improving education standards in the local villages helping to improve the lives of 10,000 villagers.

GET IN TOUCH

Interested in speaking for 2020? Want to learn more about attending AWAKEN? Please contact:

JEMMA UGLOW

JEMMA
UGLOW

HEAD OF FURTHER EAST

jemma@thisisbeyond.com
+44 203 176 4131

HELEN MULHERN

HELEN
MULHERN

MARKETING MANAGER

helen@thisisbeyond.com
+44 203 198 6989