By V. Sivaji
Hyatt Regency Penang at THE LIGHT Waterfront Penang has appointed experienced hospitality professional Ms Doris Hor as its Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM), ahead of the highly anticipated opening of the new hotel in December this year.
Her tenure takes effect today, Monday October 12, 2026.
The appointment comes as Hyatt prepares to make its debut in Penang, adding another internationally recognised hospitality brand to the state’s increasingly competitive hotel and business-events landscape.
Doris brings extensive experience in hotel sales, marketing and commercial management, with a career spanning prominent properties in Penang and the northern region. Her previous senior appointments include serving as Director of Commercial at Amari SPICE Penang and Director of Sales & Marketing at PARKROYAL Penang Resort.
Her experience encompasses corporate and leisure sales, MICE, destination marketing, revenue generation and strategic business development — areas that will be particularly important as Hyatt Regency Penang establishes its presence in the market.
Doris’ appointment also comes at a significant time for Penang’s hospitality and business-events sector. The new Hyatt Regency forms part of THE LIGHT Waterfront Penang, an integrated waterfront development by IJM Land that brings together hospitality, retail, residences, offices, convention facilities and lifestyle attractions.
Located strategically along the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway, THE LIGHT Waterfront is positioned close to Penang Bridge and key parts of George Town, while the development is also planned to benefit from a future Penang LRT Mutiara Line interchange. The precinct includes the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre (PWCC), Waterfront Shoppes and a 750-metre waterfront promenade.
The new Hyatt Regency is expected to introduce 459 contemporary guest rooms, catering to both business and leisure travellers. Its location next to PWCC is particularly significant. The Penang Waterfront Convention Centre is Northern Malaysia’s largest exhibition and convention centre, offering 10,443 square metres of indoor and outdoor event space, including a 7,318-square-metre column-free multipurpose hall. The venue can accommodate events of up to 10,000 guests and includes 10 additional meeting rooms. More meeting rooms are in the works.
The combination of the Hyatt Regency and PWCC is expected to strengthen THE LIGHT Waterfront’s appeal as an integrated destination for conferences, exhibitions, incentive groups, corporate meetings, weddings and large-scale events.
For Hyatt Regency Penang, this provides an opportunity to tap into the growing MICE market while offering conference delegates and event organisers the convenience of accommodation, meetings, dining, retail and waterfront leisure experiences within the same destination.
The hotel is expected to offer a comprehensive full-service hospitality experience, with facilities designed to cater to both business and leisure guests.
These are expected to include contemporary guestrooms and suites, dining and social spaces, leisure facilities, fitness and wellness amenities, as well as meeting and event facilities.
The hotel’s location also gives guests direct access to the wider facilities of THE LIGHT Waterfront. The development’s Waterfront Shoppes will bring together retail, dining and lifestyle experiences along the waterfront, while its 750-metre promenade is designed as a major public leisure space overlooking the coastline.
The proximity to PWCC is another major advantage, particularly for corporate and MICE travellers. Delegates will be able to stay within the same integrated waterfront precinct as one of the region’s largest convention facilities, with extensive exhibition, meeting and event infrastructure available nearby.
The broader destination is designed around the concept of an integrated waterfront city, bringing together residences, offices, retail, hospitality, convention facilities and social spaces. This positioning is expected to give the Hyatt Regency a strong platform from which to attract both domestic and international travellers.
For Doris, the new position represents another significant milestone in a career built around developing hotel business and strengthening commercial performance.
Her familiarity with Penang’s hospitality market, coupled with her experience across sales, marketing and commercial functions, is expected to be valuable as Hyatt Regency Penang builds its corporate client base, develops relationships with travel and tourism partners and establishes itself within the MICE sector.
She will also play an important role in positioning the hotel within Penang’s broader tourism ecosystem, from leisure and corporate travel to weddings, meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions.
The arrival of Hyatt Regency Penang is expected to further enhance THE LIGHT Waterfront’s ambition of becoming a major integrated business, tourism and lifestyle destination, while adding fresh momentum to Penang’s growing reputation as a regional destination for leisure, business and international events.
We at Penang Hyperlocal take this opportunity to wish Doris the very best in her new endeavours.