OVER 100 YEARS HISTORY OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT AND HOSPITALITY CONSULTING

From a small village in Xin Hui Guangdong, Zhi Wen Agon emigrated to Cuba as an early Chinese pioneer seeking business opportunities in a new land. After years of success as a happy trading merchant, Zhi Wen took on a new challenge, or hobby, and opened a series of restaurants and home-style inns. Years later, homesick for his motherland, he sold his properties and he and his family returned to China where his early tradition of hotel development was continued in Hong Kong by his son, Carlos.

Working for the Spanish Fathers, who owned a prime lot in Hong Kong's Tsimshatsui area, Carlos Agon was engaged as the hotel's General Manager and chief designer, and he opened what was to be known as the Miramar Hotel in 1951.

Together with some other investors, he developed and built the Astor Hotel in Tsimshatsui, a boutique hotel of 138 rooms, well-ahead of its time, appreciated for its simplicity and functionality and attention to detail.

In 1961, Carlos was a co-founding member of the Hong Kong Hotels Association.

He later developed what was the Ambassador Hotel, also in Tsimshatsui Hong Kong, and then the luxurious President Hotel on Tsimshatsui's Nathan Road which was later named as the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Carlos then moved into the property development business full-time working on several residential properties world-wide.

From hotel operations to the corporate boardroom, or from advising today’s leading hoteliers, to advising hotel investors, Richard Agon’s breadth of experience is truly unique.

Richard’s extensive years in hotel operations includes experience in varied hotel departments including rooms, food and beverage, sales and marketing, and overall administration. Thereafter, he taught and managed one of Canada’s leading hospitality schools, graduating 1,500 students in 12 years, many of whom today hold key executive appointments in the industry.

Relocating to Asia, Richard later took the challenge of joining international conglomerates in senior head office roles. This included his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of NYSE publicly-listed Renaissance Hotel Group where he was instrumental in the listing process. As well, as Owner’s Representative, he worked with major international hotel chains, overseeing and being responsible for a portfolio of over 140 hotels worldwide. He was also active in buying and selling of properties and hotel chains. Notable properties he oversaw included the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong and the Regent Hong Kong managed by Hyatt International and Regent respectively.

He began his own hospitality consultancy firm in 1996 and today is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Agon Hotels and Resorts Ltd..

He holds the both the Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) and Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive (CHAE) industry designations.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia, Darryl worked for two of the leading “Big 4” consulting firms – PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte Touche.

Originally beginning his hospitality operations career in catering and later with hotels and the Regent brand, he relocated to Hong Kong in 2001 where he has been a hospitality consultant ever since.

As the Managing Director of Agon Hotels and Resorts Ltd., he is responsible for the delivery of end-to-end solutions to hospitality clients, spanning each of the group’s practice areas, and has been involved in or the leader in each of the group’s many engagements.