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Paul Topping | Graham Merricks |
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Rohan Speldewinde | Dimantha Kinigama |
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Andy Ilett | Vangie Santos |
SINGAPORE. Alpha Asia has brought a mix of established and new industry faces to this week’s TFWA Asia Pacific exhibition in Singapore. It’s a group with a special focus on the key categories that drive Alpha’s business in Asia.
Here are brief pen-portraits of key members of the team.
Paul Topping – Managing Director, Alpha Airports Group, Asia:
Topping views Asia as the most exciting growth market in duty free, especially the Indian Subcontinent. He looks forward to reviewing product development at the show as well as meeting contacts – both established and new.
Graham Merricks – General Manager, Sri Lanka
As General Manager, Merricks is in charge of heading operations for the two duty free shops in Sri Lanka and the domestic division of Alpha Orient Lanka, Labels. He’s looking for products for the new Departures shop and the domestic division. One of Merricks’ missions at the Singapore show will be to launch the highly-acclaimed Alpha worldwide employee rewards and recognition scheme, Alpha Asia Heroes 2006, to suppliers.
Rohan Speldewinde – Buying Controller
A newcomer to Alpha Asia’s Senior Team, Speldewinde’s primary responsibility is overseeing the regional purchasing, merchandising and logistics for the Asian region. His main focal points at the show include: new product selection, supplier negotiations, marketing support, promotional activity, merchandising and stock management. Speldewinde previously worked for 15 years with a leading UK brand in the apparel industry, specialising in marketing and merchandising.
Dimantha Kinigama – Airport Retail Manager
Kinigama is a recent addition to the Alpha team in Colombo and heads the Sales & Operations of Alpha Asia’s flagship duty free shops at Bandaranaike International Airport, Sri Lanka. Kinigama hopes to bring new dimensions to retailing at the Sri Lanka duty free operations, having had over 15 years of experience in the UK and the Middle East.
Andy Ilett – Liquor & Wine Buyer
Ilett worked for many years at Toys ‘R’ Us in the Middle East, before joining Alpha in 2002. He then set up the Alpha Kreol Duty Free operations in Cochin, India. The Singapore show will give Ilett the opportunity to view and list new brands to the existing portfolio.
Vangie Santos – Fragrances & Cosmetics Buyer
Santos worked at Oman Duty Free prior to joining the Alpha Asia team in June 2003. She has been a buyer in duty free and travel retail for ten years. Her main focus at the show will be to find new products and increase promotional activity in the region in the fragrance and cosmetics category.
