Teneo Names Gary Murakami VP of Sales and Industry Relations

Responding to the challenges of a vastly changing business world, Teneo Hospitality Group has appointed seasoned meetings and hotel industry leader Gary Murakami as vice president of sales and industry relations. In this newly created role, Murakami will be responsible for building awareness of Teneo’s plans across the global meetings, events and travel industries. Based in San Francisco, Murakami will develop and leverage his extensive corporate, association and intermediary/third-party relationships from the West Coast and international markets. Murakami will assume primary responsibility for sales originating from the West Coast markets.

Known for his innovation, industry expertize and negotiating skills, according to Teneo, Murakami brings over two decades of experience within the hotel, convention and meetings management industries in a variety of professional sales and sales leadership roles. His experience spans the corporate business travel, leisure travel, associations and group meetings and events markets with such prominent hotel brands as The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. Most recently, Murakami was director of global sales at MGM Resorts International, working with an international portfolio of destination resort properties, including the Bellagio Hotel & Casino, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Aria at City Center and The Mirage.

Throughout his career, Murakami has held a variety of leadership and committee roles with several industry associations, both locally and nationally. He currently serves on the PCMA Foundation Board of Trustees following his service on the PCMA Board of Directors, and has been a past chapter president of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Northern California Chapter. Murakami has also served as president of the board of directors for the MPI Northern California Chapter. He has been an active member of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and has been involved with its GBTA Meetings & Events Committee for the past several years. Murakami has also served on the board for the Bay Area Business Travel Association (BABTA), a chapter of GBTA for almost 20 years, including two terms as president.

Murakami was recognized by Meeting Professionals International in 2019 with the RISE “Meeting Industry Leadership” award for his contributions to advance the global meetings and events industries and for his work on the diversity, equity and inclusion committee. Other professional organizations benefiting from his commitment to the industry include the Events Industry Council’s Equity Task Force, and the Events Industry Council APEX Commission, where he served as chair.

Among many other involvements, Murakami is an executive board member for the LGBT Meeting Professionals Association, and continues to  bring visibilit for the professional development of the LGBTQIA+ community within the meetings and events industries.

A graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, Murakami maintains several industry-recognized certifications and designations including the certified meeting professional certification from the Events Industry Council, in addition to the global travel professional certification and global leadership professional designation and certification from the GBTA. Murakami received his certificate in meeting management offered through MPI and his digital event strategist certification from PCMA.

Visit www.teneohg.com.

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