Ivan Suardi joins Grand Hyatt Melbourne as Director of Food and Beverage throughout Hyatt Hotels and Resorts in Australia and New Zealand.

Area Vice President Pacific for Hyatt International, Mr. Arthur Holliger, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Ivan Suardi as executive assistant manager food and beverage for Grand Hyatt Melbourne and area director of food and beverage for the Pacific region including all nine Hyatt Hotels and Resorts in Australia and New Zealand.

Mr. Suardi, a veteran of Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, started with the company back in 1993 when he joined the team of the Hyatt Regency Dubai as executive sous chef.

Following various appointments as a chef in Jakarta, Almaty, Manila and Taipei, Mr. Suardi swapped chefs whites for a suit in May 2004 when he was appointed Director of Food and Beverage at Grand Hyatt Taipei following a three year posting as the hotels executive chef.

As director of food and beverage in Taipei, Mr. Suardi led a team of 250 employees and oversaw eight restaurants, two lobby lounges, a pool bar, nine function rooms and a room service operation for the hotels 852 rooms and suites. He was also directly involved with the innovative development of The Residence concept, which has been successfully launched in both Taipei and Bangkok.

During the last two years, prior his arrival in Melbourne, Mr. Suardi was based in Hong Kong at the corporate office of Hyatt International Asia-Pacific as director of food and beverage projects. In his role Mr. Suardi supported the vice-president food and beverage in projects within the Asia Pacific region including new hotels and renovations. He was part of the support team for newly opened hotels and worked closely with top designers and architects in the design and concept element of new food and beverage facilities for every new hotel projects while still overlooking standards and renovation for the existing property.

Son of a prominent Italian chef who regularly cooked for Italys President and Olympic team, Mr. Suardi comments that in his off duty time he still continues to enjoy cooking and exploring food markets, stores, restaurants and bars. As a newlywed and new resident to Melbourne he has been discovering some of the citys nearby laneway bars and bistros. His favorite wines are sauvignon blancs and he admits liking dining venues which have a distinct identity and are authentic to one cuisine.

In his new role, Mr. Suardi will be instrumental in the success of Grand Hyatt Melbournes new restaurant, bar and new events venue, The Residence, which will be unveiled in 2008.

The citys iconic five star hotel recently turned 21 years old and has begun a significant $40 million AUD redevelopment project which includes the renovation of the hotels entrances at both Collins Street and Russell Street, spectacular lobbies, a stunning new signature restaurant and bar and an exclusive double storey retail precinct as well as the addition of a new concept for event venues called The Residence.

The Residence will be the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. This exciting new venue will resemble a private residence complete of kitchen, large courtyard, spacious event venues and a dedicated service team, chefs and butlers.

While speaking about the hotels new restaurant, Mr. Suardi comments, the hotels new restaurant will be a flexible space and will have endless options. In the morning the restaurant will cater for the hotels residents with a dynamic buffet while at lunch and dinner a show kitchen will take centre stage. The aim is to create a buzzy, relaxed, modern inviting space that guests and diners will want to return to again and again.

The restaurants dishes will be product-driven and simply presented. Were so fortunate with Victorias bounty of fresh produce and quality of home-grown products, says Ivan.

The hotels new bar will arguably have the citys best whisky, bourbon, gin and vodka list and certainly aims to serve Melbournes best crush cocktails and martinis.

The refurbishment timeline will see the Russell Street entrance, hotel lobby, restaurant and bar open first in August 2008, followed by the Residence and the Grand Opening in October 2008 just in time for Melbournes Spring Racing Carnival.

Grand Hyatt Melbournes general manager, David Mansfield cites, were thrilled to have Ivan join us at such an exciting time in the hotels history as we undergo a major metamorphosis in the next twelve months.

As Area Director of Food and Beverage for the Pacific region, Mr. Suardi will be involved in all aspects of food and beverage taking place in Hyatt hotels in Adelaide, Auckland, Canberra, Coolum, Melbourne, Perth, Sanctuary Cove and Sydney.

To arrange an interview with Ivan Suardi or to learn more about the hotels redevelopment, please contact Tara Bishop or visit hyatt.com.

About Global Hyatt Corporation There are 214 Hyatt branded hotels and resorts (over 90,000 rooms) in 43 countries around the world, operating under the Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Grand Hyatt and Park Hyatt brands. Currently, there are an additional 43 Hyatt hotels and resorts under development, including 15 new hotels in China. Global Hyatt Corporation is also the owner of Hyatt Vacation Ownership, Inc. operator of the 12 Hyatt Vacation Club timeshare and fractional residential properties, Hyatt Equities, L.L.C. (hotel ownership), Select Hotels Group L.L.C. (which owns, manages and franchises 163 AmeriSuites hotels, Hyatt Place and Summerfield Suites hotels) and U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc. (which franchises 95 Hawthorn Suites, and 272 Microtel Inns and Suites). Australia and New Zealand reservations for any Hyatt hotel worldwide may be obtained by calling 13 1234 or logging onto www.hyatt.com