James Chang – new COO in town

By V. Sivaji 

Having been in the hospitality industry for the past 16 years, James Chang has reached the pinnacle of his career when he was appointed the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the PICCA Convention Centre, Island LandCap Hospitality Sdn Bhd and the Grand Orient Hotel.

His appointment is effective January, 2024.

He started his career in 2007 at the former Tanjung Bungah Beach Hotel (now Hotel Mercure Penang Beach) as an Events & Communications Coordinator.

He later moved on to the Bukit Merah Laketown in Perak as their sales manager and subsequently worked at the Rainbow Paradise Beach Hotel too.

By 2015 he was appointed as the Hotel Manager at the Grand Orient Hotel in Butterworth.

He practices a hands-on style of management and teamwork of his colleagues.

“My immediate aim is to further improve the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) market. 

“For this, we are collaborating with Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) and also Penang Global Tourism (PGT) along with other tourism players at the state and federal level.

“Our vision is to make Penang the :home away from home” for tourism visiting and creating fond memories. This will ensure that the visitors have a happy and memorable experience while here.

Penang Hyperlocal also asked Chang about his hobby or pastime after a long day at work.

“In my free time, I like to go swimming as part of my daily routine. Then, I also like to go shopping and spend quality time with the family 

We congratulate James Chang on his appointment and wish him the very best in all his undertakings.