Meet Paula Woodgate from FNTC and VO Associates

Paula Woodgate
We talk to Paul Woodgate from First National Trustee Company (Hong Kong) Limited (FNTC), the world’s leading provider of business solutions, legal structures and trustee services for resort developments.

Paula Woodgate is the Business Development Director Asia Pacific of First National Trustee Company (Hong Kong) Limited (FNTC) and a Director at VO Associates. FNTC provide essential tools that help make the vacation ownership industry more efficient, more attractive and more profitable.

VO Associates are Vacation Ownership and Timeshare/Fractional specialists and they offer the practical solutions to optimise returns and accelerate cash flow on hotel, resort and purpose-built inventory.

Hyatt Vacation Club Timeshare Resorts

A senior executive in the Resort Hospitality Industry with over 30 years’ leadership experience in Shared Ownership and Fractional sectors, Paula provides independent advisory services in resort sales and marketing; feasibility; product definition and product development; member acquisition, engagement and retention; property acquisitions; business start-ups and business turnarounds; as well as team recruitment, training and development.

Her direct delivery experience to date has been predominantly in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the USA, and she has spent over 20 years of her career working in Global Hospitality/Resort Leisure Corporations such as Marriott, Interval International and Sunterra.

We recently caught up with Paula on the sidelines of the 5th Tourism, Hotel Investment & Networking Conference (THINC) Indonesia 2017, which was held in the Sofitel, Nusa Dua, Bali on September 6-7.THINC LogoWhat were you hoping to achieve by attending this year’s THINC conference?

The THINC conference gave me the opportunity to meet those specialising in Bali and Indonesia in general and to understand the initiatives of the Indonesian government to stimulate growth in the tourism and associated industries. It also enabled me to explain what services my companies provide, and how they can assist with the successful fulfilment of resort and hotel developments, particularly in the vacation/fractional ownership space.

Where do you see the hotel industry in Indonesia, in general and specifically in Bali both now and in the next 5 years?

Indonesians are a naturally welcoming and hospitable people and the country offers a variety of high quality and diverse vacation experiences for tourists of all nationalities and budgets. The mid-sector is very strong right now and this will continue to grow particularly for Indonesian and Chinese visitors attracted by the variety of accommodation options and the growth of low cost carriers operating in the region. Bali still has considerable growth opportunities in both the mid and luxury sectors and I would encourage the government to expedite the development of the 2nd airport in the north to accommodate this growth.

International tourists will continue to enjoy the fabulous beaches and culinary experiences that Bali resorts offer and it’s encouraging to see developers and operators getting more and more creative with the overall vacation experience they deliver to their guests.

What global trends are you seeing in the industry that will have the greatest impact in how you do business?

I see the traditional vacation ownership model as being superseded by new innovations, which answer consumer demands for greater flexibility of usage, a shorter commitment, and wherever possible an investment element. This is good news for companies such as FNTC and VO Associates; both are well placed to drive these new innovations with bespoke solutions, tailored to meet the individual requirements of developers and operators.

timeshare calendar

Does FNTC have any plans to develop/operate/expand in Bali and in any of the government’s 10 New Bali’s initiative? If so where? If not, why not?

FNTC is keen to expand its operations in Bali. We are convinced that the industry would benefit long term from more use of trustees to protect the interest of consumers, especially when looking to market to international customers unfamiliar with local legislation.

We welcome the Government’s intention to re-create Bali’s success in 10 defined Indonesian locations but believe this initiative will take a decade or two to accomplish mainly due to current infrastructure constraints. We will follow developments closely with a view to supporting those companies that respond to the initiatives.

What are the three most important things for you in business?

It has to be practical solutions, integrity and professionalism.

Fundamental to both FNTC and VO Associates, is listening to our client’s needs and responding with bespoke solutions that accomplish their goals. Our clients do not want to overcomplicate their operations. Simple is usually best.

Integrity and professionalism speak for themselves. Throughout my career, I have tried to follow the highest standards and have been rewarded by trust and respect in my business dealings.

Where do you see your biggest competition coming from in the next five years?

We are the largest specialist shared ownership trustee in the world and manage assets in excess of USD$3 Billion. Truth is there are very few trust companies in the world that can offer our complete range of services, and even fewer operate in Southeast Asia.

Different jurisdictions, different local market needs, combined with cumbersome legislation at times, encourages trustee companies to focus more on local conditions. These competitors will of course, be able to service the national consumer, but we believe that the international consumer and developer will continue to favour international trustee companies with a transparent track record and worldwide resources.

I can foresee FNTC forming local partnerships, which combine the benefits of the local company with that of FNTC with its multinational reach.

What (if anything) would you change about THINC for next year’s conference?

This was my first time to attend the THINC conference. I enjoyed it enormously and came away with a very positive opinion on the growth and of the Indonesian tourism and hotel markets.

I liked the way the speakers shared information freely with the audience and the networking opportunities, particularly the Pub Crawl, were a lot of fun and we were spoilt by the fabulous food and wines served to us by the participating hotels.

Andy writes on a variety of topics related to property, real estate, the customer experience, mindset training and local/international trends for Seven Stones Indonesia. You can read some of his blogs here.

Seven Stones Indonesia is a property company headquartered in Bali, Indonesia, with a mission to help people who are interested in buying and selling residential and commercial real estate.

If you’re thinking about property, ROI, capital gains or lifestyle investments in Bali, Jakarta, Surabaya, and Indonesian’s Eastern Islands and need some friendly advice and guidance then why not email hello@sevenstonesindonesia.com or check out Seven Stones Website | Seven Stones Linkedin | Seven Stones Facebook

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Andrzej Barski

Director of Seven Stones Indonesia

Andrzej is Co-owner/ Founder and Director of Seven Stones Indonesia. He was born in the UK to Polish parents and has been living in Indonesia for more than 33-years. He is a skilled writer, trainer and marketer with a deep understanding of Indonesia and its many cultures after spending many years travelling across the archipelago from North Sumatra to Irian Jaya.

His experience covers Marketing, Branding, Advertising, Publishing, Real Estate and Training for 5-Star Hotels and Resorts in Bali and Jakarta, which has given him a passion for the customer experience. He’s a published author and a regular contributor to local and regional publications. His interests include conservation, eco-conscious initiatives, spirituality and motorcycles. Andrzej speaks English and Indonesian.

Terje H. Nilsen

Director of Seven Stones Indonesia

Terje is from Norway and has been living in Indonesia for over 20-years. He first came to Indonesia as a child and after earning his degree in Business Administration from the University of Agder in Norway, he moved to Indonesia in 1993, where he has worked in leading positions in education and the fitness/ wellness industries all over Indonesia including Jakarta, Banjarmasin, Medan and Bali.

He was Co-owner and CEO of the Paradise Property Group for 10-years and led the company to great success. He is now Co-owner/ Founder and Director of Seven Stones Indonesia offering market entry services for foreign investors, legal advice, sourcing of investments and in particular real estate investments. He has a soft spot for eco-friendly and socially sustainable projects and investments, while his personal business strengths are in property law, tourism trends, macroeconomics, Indonesian government and regulations. His personal interests are in sport, adventure, history and spiritual experiences.

Terje’s leadership, drive and knowledge are recognised across many industries and his unrivalled network of high level contacts in government and business spans the globe. He believes you do good and do well but always in that order. Terje speaks English, Indonesian and Norwegian.

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Ridwan Jasin Zachrie

CFO of Seven Stones Indonesia, Jakarta

Ridwan is one of Indonesia’s top executives with a long and illustrious career in the financial world. He holds several professional certifications including being a Certified Business Valuer (CBV) issued by the Australian Academy of Finance and Management; Broker-Dealer Representative (WPPE); and The Directorship Certification for Directors and Commissioners, issued by the Indonesian Institute of Commissioners and Directors.

His experience includes being the Managing Director at one of the top investment banking groups in the region, the Recapital Group, the CFO at State-owned enterprises in fishery industry and the CEO at Tanri Abeng & Son Holding. He’s also been an Independent Commissioner in several Financial Service companies and on the Audit and Risk Committee at Bank BTPN Tbk, Berau Coal Energy Tbk, Aetra Air Jakarta as well as working for Citibank, Bank Mandiri and HSBC. His last position was as CFO at PT Citra Putra Mandiri – OSO Group.

Ridwan has won a number of prestigious awards including the Best CFO Awards 2019 (Institute of Certified Management Accountant Australia-Indonesia); Asia Pacific Young Business Leader awarded by Asia 21 Network New York USA (Tokyo 2008); UK Alumni Business Awards 2008 awarded by the British Council; and The Most Inspiring Human Resources Practitioners’ version of Human Capital Magazine 2010.

He’s a member of the Board of Trustees of the Alumni Association of the Faculty of Law, Trisakti University, Co-Founder of the Paramadina Public Policy Institute and actively writes books, publications and articles in the mass media. He co-authored “Korupsi Mengorupsi Indonesia” in 2009, which helps those with an interest in understanding governance in Indonesia and the critical issue of corruption. Ridwan speaks Indonesian and English.

Per Fredrik Ecker

Managing Director of Seven Stones Indonesia, Jakarta

Per is the Managing Director of the Seven Stones Indonesia (SSI) Jakarta office and has more than 25-years’ experience in Indonesia, China, and Western Europe. He previously worked in senior management positions with Q-Free ASA, Siemens AG, and other companies in the telecom sector. Over the last six years, he has been the Chairman of the Indonesia-Norway Business Council (INBC) and recently become elected to be on the board of EuroCham Indonesia.

His most recent experience is within Intelligent Transport Solutions (ITS), Telecom, and other sectors within the Indonesian market. He is today through his position in SSI and by representing Norway Connect, promoting Nordic and European companies that would like to explore business opportunities in the Indonesian market. He’s also playing an active role to help create the Nordic House concept in Jakarta that will provide an excellent platform for Nordic companies entering Indonesia, where they’ll find a community that can offer support with trusted information and affordable services to enter this market.