Report: Hong Kong ACMC 2017

In May, the 2017 Hong Kong Asian Club Managers Conference saw its organisers embrace technology and strong content for the educational tracks. The Conference schedule, speaker presentations and notes, and messaging to delegates was relayed via the Hong Kong ACMC Mobile Application. The information was available by all conference attendees.

Resources: Download the Conference Notes here

With over 130 delegates from the region participating, the conference was a resounding success. The Conference comprised various areas of club management and marketing including: Technology, Management Relationships with the Board, Fitness and Equipment Trends, Wine and New Areas in Diet/Cuisine, Cybersecurity, Employee Engagement, HR and Training.

The organisers: David Loan – General Manager, The American Club Hong Kong; Noel Burns, General Manager, United Services Recreation Club; Greg Hartigan, General Manager, Kowloon Cricket Club; Edward Read, Director of Food & Beverage, The Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club; and Kurt Walter, General Manager Ladies’ Recreation Club did an outstanding job of accommodating and hosting all the delegates.

The Singapore delegates: Wendy Tye, Corporate Communications Manager, Club Manager SAFRA Tampines; Irene Giam, Sales & Marketing Manager, The Chevrons; Cecilia Chua, Finance Manager; Gabrielle Frieda Loh, Vice President, Club & Brand Partnerships (APAC) OneClubNet by MobiCom; and Dinesh Singh, Membership Director, The National University of Singapore Society.

14 May (Evening) – The Opening Cocktail event at the Ladies Recreational Club, was intimate and allowed for excellent networking and “breaking of the ice” amongst the various delegates present. Past friendships were rekindled and new ones were forged.

15 May – All delegates assembled at the Hong Kong Jockey Club for the educational tracks that saw lively discussions among delegates and speakers alike. Networking lunches were held at this venue on both days and the sumptuous spread raised the bar for F&B practitioners.

The Club Crawl component was a welcome addition to the conference. Delegates were invited to visit the China Club, Hong Kong Club, and American Club. The food and drinks at all locations were commendable.

The final day’s closing conference event was a Happy Hour at the Hong Kong Football Club, where delegates were treated to various cuisines, including Japanese Sushi, Indian and Continental. Everyone experienced positive exchanges, with some feeling a little sad that the conference was over.

A special golf tournament was also organised at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling, on 17 May. All golfing delegates were invited to join the event for a day out. As a point of interest, the Hong Kong Club is steeped in history and is an icon amongst local golfers, their milestones are an interesting read.

Also related:

• Hong Kong Club Managers’ Association (CMAHK)
• 12th Hong Kong Club Managers’ Conference
• Hong Kong Golf Club at Fanling

Report by: Dinesh Singh

Dinesh is the Vice President, CMAS 2017-19 and attended this year’s Hong Kong Club Managers’ Conference in Hong Kong as the official representative for CMAS.