REGGIE Shiu, senior vice-president for Shanghai-based Accor Asia Pacific (AAPC), was among the casualties of the tsunami that hit the Khao Lak seafront in southern Thailand on December 26, 2004.

His body is yet to be positively identified, but Accor Pacific has assumed he is dead, along with his wife and two of his three children.

On the morning of the tragedy, Shui, his wife and two sons were on the beach and had disappeared after the tsunami. Fortunately, the youngest child of the family, Zoe, stayed in the beachside hotel - the Sofitel Magic Lagoon Resort and Spa. The six-year-old girl was saved by the hotel's staff, although the hotel was seriously damaged by the tsunami.

A US citizen educated both in Hong Kong and New York, Shui graduated from the State University of New York in 1976 and had served in Accor for over 20 years in New York, Singapore, Thailand, China and other areas.

He was regarded as one of the great hotel pioneers of the Asia Pacific region since his first assignment to Singapore in 1986.

In 1989, Shui was the opening General Manager of AAPC's flagship hotel in Thailand - The Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square.

In 1993, Shui became one of the five recipients of Accor's most prestigious award (the Bernache D'Or) amongst

145,000 employees worldwide.

In 2002, he was appointed senior vice-president for Accor Asia Pacific based in Shanghai, responsible for Accor's operations and development in Greater China.

From just a handful of hotels when he was appointed, he built the company's China network to 25 hotels by the end of 2004, with another 13 hotels scheduled for opening in the next two years.

Shui not only grew the Accor hotel portfolio, he built relationships with some of China's leading hotel and travel groups.

From 4-6 pm on January 13 (Thursday), a memorial service will be held for Shui in the Science & Technology Museum (2F, Gate 1, 2000 Shiji Dadao). Donations will be sent to the Education Fundation for his surviving daughter.

Hu Yan