Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Marina Bay Sands appoints vice-president


Source : Business Times - 31 Mar 2009

MARINA Bay Sands has appointed Tony Cousens vice-president of its hotel operations in Singapore.

Mr Cousens, who has been in the hospitality industry for more than 30 years, was formerly a senior-vice president with Dubai-based Jumeirah.

In Singapore he will be responsible for Marina Bay Sands’ 2,600-room hotel and its 2,000 staff.

His appointment comes after Nigel Roberts was named president of Marina Bay Sands in February.

Marina Bay Sands parent Las Vegas Sands (LVS) has seen movement in its upper management ranks too.

Brad Stone was recently named president of global operations and construction. And Michael Leven was appointed president and chief operating officer after the departure of William Weidner. The latter is said to have left over differences with LVS chairman and chief executive Sheldon Adelson about the running of the company.

In November 2008, LVS’s auditor said in a regulatory filing that it had doubts about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

LVS has since raised US$2.1 billion of capital, with Mr Adelson and his family pumping in more than US$1 billion.

Bloomberg said last week that Mr Adelson may seek to buy back as much as US$800 million of bank loans, and that he has hired Goldman Sachs & Co to negotiate credit amendments.

Mr Adelson said later in a telephone interview with Bloomberg that LVS is seeking flexibility to reduce debt and meet lender requirements and has ‘no present plans’ to purchase loans.

‘It’s an option more than anything else,’ he said.


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