RELAX, EXPERIENCE & EXPLORE
Our projects are conceived for guests who would like to experience world class surf, relax, play golf and explore lush rain forests, crater lakes, ancient cultures and pristine island beaches.
New tourism legislation has created an opportunity for Mentawai to unseat Tavarua as the world's premier surf destination & carrying capacity is 3-4 times greater. Mainland resorts are now only 55 minutes flying time from Singapore yet the area has the allure of being little known or "undiscovered". Our challenge is to harness the areas enormous potential as a "high tariff" nature & adventure destination in a sustainable manner.
Sensitive small scale resorts in extraordinary locations will ensure tranquillity & privacy.
After defined life-style dividends are paid to investors, all profits will be committed to improving the quality of life of Mentawai's people while preserving their culture & environment.
On completion the integrated projects will be publicly listed to tap growing interest in "for-more-than-profit" enterprises.
P R O J E C T T E A M
Mentawai Sanctuary is a unique project in many ways. With project goals defined in terms of sustainable development in a remote archipelago that is 30% larger than Bali and over 20 times the land area of the Maldives, a mix of extraordinary skills is essential. The project team has evolved over 7 years. A skill matrix is attached showing the primary, secondary and back-up roles for each team member. The weighting of skills is greatest in key area such as Administration, Sustainable Development, Concept Design and Village Relations.
Key hospitality positions will be filled in Bali and Java while most staff will be recruited from the local community and trained in Padang during the construction phase.
MANAGEMENT & STAFF
Jesse & Sam Liddon - Surf Industry Marketing Jesse & Sam hold Master 5 commercial skipper's tickets and both are partners in the Dog Rock crayfishing and pearl operations in the Abrolhos Islands. Keen surfers, they have been skippering surf charter boats in the Mentawais since 1997 . Both are active musicians and they have written and recorded a number of commercial tracks. Jesse & Sam plan to take an on-going active role in Mentawai Sanctuary. Sam has funded the construction of his own house in Puncak Bukit Gado2, Padang.
Rick Cameron (59) – Business Development & Marketing.
Rick sold his private consulting practice and set sail from Fremantle to Sumba in 1981 on his 54ft home built wooden yacht “Electric Lamb”. The Indonesian Yachting Federation chartered the yacht in 1982 and engaged Rick to coach the Indonesian team. Electric Lamb set a mono-hull course record and took first in class in the ’82 Darwin - Ambon yacht race.
Rick’s architectural experience and his family’s engineering background combined with a life-long passion for boats led to a 4 year involvement in a UNIDO boat building project that led to the establishment of boatyards in West Papua, Sulawesi and Jakarta. Boats built in the Jakarta yard formed the core of a Bali based fleet of day cruise boats and live-aboards. In 1990 Rick helped engineer the formation of the highly successful Bali Hai Cruises operation in Benoa, Bali and in 1992 headed up the development team for a privately funded resort and marina development in West Java.
In 95 Rick & a group of friends established GBI Ltd/PT MWB - Mentawai Sanctuary and started operations with a fleet of surf charter boats. 8 years of operations in the Mentawai Islands and the mainland give Rick unique hands-on knowledge and in-depth understanding of the social fabric and the political terrain in West Sumatra. Rick speaks fluent Bahasa Indonesia. Read "Surfers Path" magazine's interview with Rick.
In the wake of the 2004 Tsunami, Rick and partner Jane Liddon formed Island Aid to bring relief to survivors of the devestation in Aceh and Nias.
See www.island-aid.org
For an overview of Rick's backgound visit www.electriclambstory.blogspot.com
Rick holds a Degree in Architecture - Curtin University, West Australia.
Terry Keys (59) – Global Sales Manager: Terry has been on the leading edge of surfing and surfboard technology for the past 35 years. Born in Bondi, Sydney, Terry spent several years in NZ in the construction industry. He moved to the North NSW coast in 1967. Terry became actively involved in the birth of the Australian surf industry building surfboards and experimenting with new designs and materials. Terry’s association with surf film pioneer George Greenough and other leading edge designers led eventually to the establishment of Resurf Ltd in Margaret River.
Resurf pioneered the development of the “Beama” range of “soft” surf equipment manufactured from recyclable foams and plastics. These user friendly boards sparked the beginning of the “learn to surf” schools that now number in their thousands worldwide.
Terry is grew up with many of the leaders of the surf industry. His extensive range of surfing contacts and his widely acknowledged role as an innovator in surfboard design combine to enhance his role as marketing anchor to GBI's existing surf charter business. Terry has traveled extensively throughout West Sumatera and he has been a major force in formulating the vision that catalyzed the birth of the Mentawai Sanctuary concept.
Haji Zola Pandu (45) – Director PT MWB: Bp Zola has wide experience in the civil and domestic construction fields he is one of West Sumatra’s leading real estate & housing developers. Bp Zola speaks some English. Bp Zola holds a Master of Agricultural Economics Degree from Andalas University Padang.
Bp Zukri Saad (52) – Commissioner PT MWB: A Chemical Engineering graduate from the Institute of Technology Bandung, Bp Zukri is one of Indonesia’s foremost environmental activists and highly respected in academic & intellectual circles. Bp Zukri is also founder of the Mimbar Minang Foundation. Mimbar Minang is one of the leading newspapers in West Sumatra. Bp Zukri speaks fluent English.
Zukri is a specialist consultant in Community Development
- Social Engineering and the environment especially planning, planning and the evaluation of the concept of the development participation, scenario Planning, and "Best Practice" Development Management.
- Alternative Energy Generation, especially the micro procurement of electricity.
- Rural Economics, especially small scale industry and the development of rural co-operatives for small scale rural finance.
- Sustainable Development strategies.
Career highlights:
Retired Executive Director WALIH (Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia) the Indonesian Network of Non-Governmental Organisations for environmental Advocacy
WARSI founder (the regional Sumatran network of the Non-Governmental Organisations for conservation) and the Warsi facilitator for ICDP preparations for the implementation of the Integrated Conservation and Development Project for Kerinci Seblat National Park, Jambi, West Sumatra, Bengkulu and South Sumatra
Community Development Specialist for Deutsche Forst Consult, Germany, for the Conservation of Tropical Ecosystems and Biodiversity (ADB and PHPA), the National Park West Lorentz – Papua – the sea National Park Togian – Central Sulawesi - the National Park Ruteng – Flores and the National Park Siberut – West Sumatra.
Initiator and Member of BIOCERT – the Indonesian Agency of Certification of Organic Products – Seloliman – Mojokerto & Bogor
Bp Zukri has acted as project consultant to the following agencies:
- PACT-USAID
- ADB
- ADP/GTZ
- CIDA Canada
- OXFAM
- UNICEF
- SDC Switzerland
- World Bank
- UNDP – PAKTA
- WWF
Bp Nasdion Chalidi, SH, MKn (48) - Company Lawyer. Pak Dion specializes in consultation with traditional land owners at a grassroots level. The consultation process can involve several days of meetings and in some cases Pak Dion has stayed in villages for over a week so as to meet all family members and to identify existing disputes between family members and neighboring land owners. We know of no other lawyer willing to go to these lengths to achieve a clear legally binding result for all parties. Nasdion recently finished his Honors Degree in Law majoring in traditional land rights and native title at Diponegoro University, Semarang.
Andy Hays (42) Resort Management - Andy has over 12 years hands on experience in the hospitality industry in New Zealand, Bali and Mentawai.
Bp Ali Nurdin MP(ret) (37) - Mentawai Field Manager PT MWB: Ali was born in Sipura and educated in Padang. He was elected to the first ever Mentawai Parliament and has become widely respected for his outspoken views on Mentawai's environmental and social problems. Now retired from his public role, Ali has joined our team to coordinate the implementation of the PERDA rules in the field. Our Mentawai office is located in Mapadegat (in the bay fronting Telescopes break) and Ali's brother-in-law, Johni will be act as Ali's 2IC in his absence. Ali speaks fluent Bahasa Mentawai, Bahasa Minang and passable English. His hobbies are boating, amateur radio and bodyboarding.
Rita Marina (45) General Manager PT MWB: Rita has worked in secretarial, accounting and marketing roles in the construction, automotive & hotel industries. Rita joined PT MWB as Public Relations Officer in 2001 and has become an indispensable part of the the MWB team. Appointed as General Manager in 2002, Rita's network of contacts in both local and national business and government circles has been of great value to the company. Rita graduated from the Academy of Secretarial Management in Jakarta
Zariah Putri (30) Senior Bookkeeper PT MWB: Riah continues her business administration studies at night-school while taking care of bookkeeping for all aspects of our business in Padang.
ADVISORY TEAM
Damon Young - Financial Advisor to the group Damon is a Chartered Accountant and principal at AllState Partners with over fifteen years experience in accounting and business in both Australia and Asia.
Based on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, Damon has extensive experience in property developments and in the tourist and hospitality industries. He also has an extensive client list in the surfing industry, covering manufacture, clothing, accessories and boardriding professionals.
Rob Wuillemin - Marine Logistics As owner operator of Sanssouci II, Rob has operated more charters in Mentawai than any other expatriate skipper. Rob owns a fleet of live lobster boats in West Australia and he pioneered whale shark tours in Exmouth and Kimberley coast cruises before bringing his purpose built charter boat to the Mentawais.
Chris Willcox - Willcox & Associates - Architects Chris runs the one of Australia's leading Architectural practices based in Margaret River, West Australia.
Vance & Nancy Burrows - Production Advisors Vance is a talented chamber musician and live performer. Nancy specializes in filming wild dolphins and under water life. Both are core investors with a keen interest in a hands-on role as the project reaches operational status.
Peter Rigby - Electric Cicada Productions
Marketing and trans-media consultancy. Specializing in strategic marketing plans, print, electronic media and video production, copywriting, media liaison and national and international media placement. Other areas of operation: Corporate marketing strategies, development of partnership alliances and corporate profile enhancement.
Marketing Manager, Margaret River Tourism Association
Current duties include management of all regional promotions and marketing activities for the Margaret River Wine Region; strategic planning; staff management; design and writing of all publications and media material; media liaison and familiarization; developing strategic alliances; on-line marketing, events conceptualization management; report writing; tourism feasibility consulting; prom &mark strategy advising and implementation; budgeting; public & corporate liaison; and other relevant activities
Jane Liddon - Mari-culture & Wild Fisheries Advisor: Owner of Yellow Bird P/L Lobster fishing license - Abrolhos Islands. Owner Dog Rock Pearls P/L pearl lease Abrolhos Islands, West Australia. 30 years hands on experience in fisheries and mari-culture, teacher, artist/designer and founder of Sumatran Sewing Circle - Padang http://www.dogrockpearls.com
Vincent Barry - Telkom & IT Advisor - Vin is CEO of Azure Solutions, British Telecom's vehicle for new communications ventures in SEAsia. Vin has many years of experience marketing top end IT solutions to government agencies and the private sector.
Michael Fay - Education Advisor - ASEAN FOCUS Group. Michael established the highly respected "Australian Center" in Medan in 1995. The AC is now one of the top English language schools in Indonesia. Michael's role with ASEAN FOCUS includes establishing linkages for distance learning, promotion of Australian Universities and Academic Institutions for overseas studies and partner acquisition for both foreign and Australian companies.
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