Seasoned hotelier Stephanie T. Chong has been named deputy general manager of Hermès in the Philippines. This was revealed by Mario Katigbak, Hermès general manager in the Philippines, this week.

Chong is a familiar presence in Philippine lifestyle as the executive of the Peninsula hotel chain for 19 years—in banquet and special events of Peninsula Manila for 17 years, and for the last two years, in marketing for Peninsula Tokyo.

These past years, she’s worked extensively with Hermès, Stores Specialists Inc., and Rustan’s in their milestone events and launches. The firms belong to the group founded and owned by the Tantoco family, the leading high-end retailer in the country.

A business management graduate of the University of Asia and the Pacific, Chong, a very stylish woman herself, is looking forward to working with the French luxury brand. “I’m actually excited to learn and work in various aspects of Hermès, from the merchandise selection to the marketing and relating to the clientele. I’m looking forward to attending the Fall-Winter 2019 showroom,” she told us over lunch last Tuesday.

She leaves with Katigbak and the Hermès group for Paris this month, her first trip for Hermès. —Thelma S. San Juan