Chris Stafford
CEO & Founder, The Orient & Occident Company & Stafford Edison International ( Singapore ) LLP
As a nomad of the planet since a young age, growing up in Africa, Asia and Europe, Chris is based in Bangkok, Thailand where he has lived for the last 24 years.
A seasoned and passionate Hotelier with an eye for detail, Chris’s hospitality career has spanned nine countries over the last 40 years. After graduating from the University of Hawaii's School of Travel Industry Management in 1980, he earned a management traineeship with the Westin Hotel group in Oslo, Norway. After two years and a promotion to Night Manager, he joined The Regent International Hotel Group in 1982 to open The Regent Sydney, acclaimed as one of the world's top 10 hotels. Developing his talents in both F&B and Hotel operations over four years, he then took up his first role General Manager role at the Bali Hai Hotel in Moorea, Tahiti, where he remained for three years.
In the late 1980s, Chris took a break from hospitality and opened the School of Audio Engineering in Singapore; a school he created called the Ocean Institute of Audio Technology in Kuala Lumpur in the early 1990s. This field introduced him to Apple and the beginnings of digital music production. After three years, he returned to hospitality and joined the Marina Mandarin Hotel in Singapore. A year later he took the helm running food and beverage operations at the inaugural outlet of the highly successful and hugely popular Harry's Bar & Restaurant at Boat Quay in Singapore. He was the Managing Director for this group for four years before it eventually went public and developed 32 bars in Singapore and Jakarta.
Chris then joined the Raffles Town Club in Singapore to open the Club in 1998 and returned to his first love of hotels, joining The Minor Group in 2000 to open the first Anantara in 2001 which is now a global brand. Over the next seven years, he opened the Anantara Golden Triangle, the Anantara Hua Hin, the Anantara Khao Lak, the Anantara Koh Samui, and the Anantara Maldives. In 2007, He opened the award-winning global hotel for Minor Group, the Naladhu Resort. Chris was the Vice President and General Manager at The Anantara Group for 7 years.
On leaving Anantara, Chris worked with The Beaumont Foundation Architects in Bangkok, and we created a design portfolio in hospitality that included projects throughout Thailand as well as in Morocco, Bangladesh, exploring new concepts with Holiday Inn Express, InterContinental, and Anantara. In 2011, he joined legendary hotelier Bill Black as the Regional Director of Operations for a boutique hotel group under the Ativa Brand which was acquired by SilverNeedle Hospitality. Chris was their Vice President of Operations for four years, opening the all-suite 137 Pillars House Chiang Mai, Kiridara Luang Prabang, Riva Surya, Riva Arun Bangkok, SilQ Bangkok.
His next move in 2015 on being appointed Chief Operating Officer of the 137 Pillars Group was to oversee the development and opening of 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok and the management of 137 Pillars House Chiang Mai. In this time period a corporate team was put in place with a view to long term expansion of this brand.
In the wake of covid Chris created The Orient & Occident Company, with the intent of crafting a company to work on luxury tented camps and luxury boutique management in the post-Covid 19 eras with a focus on a long term partnership with VHGAsia.com (Visama Hospitality Group). He serves in dual capacities of CEO/Founder of the Orient & Occident Company and COO/Co-founder of the Visama Hospitality Group in Bangkok.
Chris is very mindful of creating a brand outline that maximizes technology and contributes to sustainability and climate control in a responsible manner bringing communities together. His first luxury tented camp, The Visama Mae Chan, will open in northern Thailand on November 1, beginning a venture to be managed by Orient & Occident hotels under a 10-year management agreement. Current pipeline includes potentials in Vietnam, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
Charming and eloquent with a quick wit, Chris has experience as a public speaker, compere, moderator and panelist in the hospitality arena. He has worked closely with media throughout his career, with many interviews under his belt. His favourite interview was with Richard Quest at CNN at 137 Pillars House Chiang Mai.
