Sands China Integrated Talent Development Programme Welcomes New Cohort

Customised programme targets management professionals

(Macao, August 12, 2021) – A new group of Sands China team members are beginning the nine-month Sands China Integrated Talent Development Programme, after attending an opening ceremony at the Macau University of Science and Technology (M.U.S.T.) Aug. 3.

The programme debuted in 2019 and was developed in conjunction with M.U.S.T. to be custom-tailored for Sands China's management professionals. The new group is the second to join the programme, following the success of the first cohort of students.

The management training initiative combines practical and sustainable learning approaches and is facilitated by distinguished academics from across Asia. It aims to enhance the management quality of Sands China's management team members and nurture them as future leaders.

Team members who participate develop innovative management strategies, which they then implement at work at the end of the programme. The process requires them to engage in a number of cross-departmental projects, which in turn helps them obtain operational insight across various business divisions within an integrated resort environment.

Sean McCreery, Sands China's senior vice president of resort operations, said: "Sands China believes that ongoing learning and development is instrumental to the success of any organisation, so we are very pleased to continue this programme. It is designed to elevate the concept of leadership development within an integrated resort, and it creates opportunities for professional growth and development across many key areas of the business. We hope this innovative programme continues to help build the talent pool for both the company and the integrated resort sector in Macao, in contribution to the city's further development as a world centre of tourism and leisure."

Up to 60 management professionals from various departments, such as facilities, food and beverage, and hotel, will participate in this second round of the programme after being identified as the company's future generation of leadership. The training aims to help them develop a deeper understanding of shared responsibility and empower them to contribute to the company's success through their actions on a daily basis.

Of the group, 33 are taking all seven modules of the programme and will receive a certificate upon completion. The remainder have chosen to make use of the programme's flexible approach and will only take the modules that best suit their particular interests and needs.

The Aug. 3 opening ceremony was attended by Sun Yaohua, senior assistant director of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR; Chan Un Tong, deputy director of the Labour Affairs Bureau; Pang Chuan, vice president of M.U.S.T. and dean of the School of Graduate Studies; Ben K. Goh, dean for the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management, M.U.S.T.; Sheng Ni, executive vice dean of the School of Business, M.U.S.T.; Grant Chum, chief operating officer of Sands China Ltd.; Sean McCreery, senior vice president of resort operations for Sands China Ltd.; Wen Hongyan, senior vice president of human resources for Sands China Ltd.; and management team members and department heads from Sands China.

Sands China views its team members as its greatest asset. Committed to developing a well-trained workforce, the company offers a variety of horizontal and vertical mobility opportunities to its team members through avenues like internal promotions and integrated resort career development programmes, among others. The company has proactively collaborated with educational institutions in Macao on a wide diversity of professional development programmes to cultivate the practice of lifelong learning that contributes to Macao's growth as a world-class destination for tourism and leisure. In 2020 alone, Sands China delivered more than 1.48 million training hours to team members and Macao locals, with training content stretching across 20 different programmes.

Photo caption: A group of Sands China team members in the nine-month Sands China Integrated Talent Development Programme attend an opening ceremony Aug. 3 at M.U.S.T.

Photo caption: Sands China team members participate in the first module of the Sands China Integrated Talent Development Programme, which focuses on personality-based assessments, immediately after the programme's opening ceremony Aug. 3 at M.U.S.T.