Joanna Flint has joined Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group as chief commercial officer starting 1 April, taking over the responsibilities of chief marketing officer, Jill Kluge who will retire this September and continue with the Group as brand advisor.
In this newly created role, Flint will oversee the development and execution of the Group’s commercial strategy while also helming Mandarin Oriental’s customer experience.
Prior to her newest role, Flint had spent 12 years at Google in general management and sales leadership roles, most recently as managing director — global partner business. She had also held positions at Ogilvy Asia Pacific, and a decade leading global eCommerce, CRM and customer service transformation programmes for Singapore Airlines and British Airways.
Of her return to the travel industry, Flint said that "it is a privilege to join Mandarin Oriental at such an important time; a brand I’ve always admired for service excellence and luxury. This opportunity is boundless, and I’m excited to return to the travel industry to work with our colleagues and partners around the world to shape the Group’s future for our customers".
James Riley, group chief executive, said, “We are delighted to welcome Joanna to Mandarin Oriental. Her global leadership skills, digital expertise and understanding of customer behaviour will strengthen our ability to innovate and enhance our position as a leader in the luxury market.
Meanwhile, Cindy Kong will be joining Mandarin Oriental, Singapore as hotel manager — and coming one full circle since her first role with the Group as guest services executive back in year 2000. She was later promoted to guest services manager, managing the SARS outbreak season and the hotel's reopening after refurbishment works.
Kong's most recent role was at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. Other positions at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group include the Kuala Lumpur and Macau properties.