Ladies And Gentlemen

Good evening. On behalf of Tradewinds Corporation Group, let me extend a very warm welcome to all present here today to witness the setting of yet another exciting milestone in the history of one of the finest and most well known properties in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Your presence at this auspicious evening adds to the significance of this special occasion.  

We are most grateful and proud to have with us Yang Berhormat Datuk Dr Leo Michael Toyad, who has so kindly accepted our invitation to officiate the launch of our hotel.  

Most of you here would recall the property’s various historical highlights. First known as the Hilton Kuala Lumpur some 30 years ago, this property claimed the prestige of being the very first 5-star international-chain hotel in Kuala Lumpur, as well as Tradewinds Corporation’s first international-class hotel. This property was then renamed Mutiara Kuala Lumpur upon the establishment of Mutiara Hotels and Resorts in 2001.  

Further enhancing its rich heritage is the property’s official launch as Crowne Plaza Mutiara Kuala Lumpur this evening, which marks the beginning of an exciting new era for the hotel under the management of the InterContinental Hotels Group.  

The appointment of the InterContinental Hotels Group extends beyond managing just this one property. Our partnership, which came into fruition after an extensive one-and-a-half year search, is for InterContinental Hotels Group to manage our premium hotels, whilst Tradewinds Hotels and Resorts continues to enhance our very own Mutiara brand. Indeed, as part of our strategy to further strengthen our revitalized hotels business, our renowned property in Penang will also take on the prestigious InterContinental name, and will soon be known as the InterContinental Resort Penang.  

Our alliance with InterContinental Hotels Group makes for a powerful combination – one that merges global best practices in hotel operations and management, with the most strategically located hotels in Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Added to that, with our two premium properties receiving a new international status, we will be competing more recognizably in the international market.  

Although the tourism sector anticipates further growth, the hospitality industry in Malaysia is an undeniably competitive one. However, we are confident that our affiliation with the InterContinental Hotels Group would add even more value to our properties – coupling our renowned warm Malaysian hospitality with excellence in service quality and standards. This would undoubtedly place us in an even better position to offer our guests superior experience, be it for business or leisure.  

Ladies and Gentlemen, with our premium hotels set to be elevated to even greater heights, our Group’s overall hotels business would likewise be further enhanced. The numerous successes we have seen within just three months of the InterContinental Hotels Group’s management of Crowne Plaza Mutiara Kuala Lumpur further reinforces our confidence that this strategic partnership will return value to us as owners and correspondingly, to our stakeholders. Indeed, this is a strategic move that would reinforce our leadership in the Malaysian hospitality industry – taking us yet another step closer to being the Premier Investment Company.

I would like to record my sincere appreciation to YB Datuk Dr Leo Michael Toyad for your gracious presence and for sharing this memorable evening with us.  

To all our guests and supporters, the Crowne Plaza Mutiara Kuala Lumpur looks forward to welcoming you and members of your family, time and time again, to the hotel to enjoy the many facilities it has to offer. To our travel trade partners, we are ready as ever to extend our warm hospitality to your clients from all over the world. With the support of everyone, together we can make Crowne Plaza Mutiara Kuala Lumpur the hotel of choice.  

On this note, may I conclude by offering my best wishes to Philip and his team as they embark on their endeavors to meet targets set for the hotel and deliver the anticipated contributions to the Group. To all our guests, thank you for your kind presence at the grand launch of Crowne Plaza Mutiara Kuala Lumpur  

Thank you.