"I am very excited to work at such a Waikiki landmark, and look forward to the challenge of preparing The Ilikai for the 21St century," explains Wakuta.

Wakuta joined Nikko Hotels in 1973 as the assistant manager of food & beverage operations in the Tokyo corporate headquarters. Over the past 26 years he has seen the company grow from owning a single hotel to the multinational giant it is today.

In his decades with Nikko, Wakuta has served in both the corporate headquarters in Japan and at a variety of posts abroad, including Dusseldorf and Mexico City, where he worked for eight years. It was in Mexico that he garnered the prestigious Mexican Hoteliers of the Year Award for 1990. In addition, Wakuta received the Hospitality Award in 1991 by Nikko Hotels International and the Presidential Award in 1998 by JAL Hotels Co., Ltd.

Born in China and raised in Japan, Wakuta received hi bachelors degree from Keio University in 1968. He continued his education at Michigan State University, where he earned an M.B.A. Wakuta speaks English, Spanish, German and French, as well as Japanese. He is married, and lives in Honolulu with his wife Kazue.

Mr. Wakuta replaced Kazuo Imai, who is overseeing the Hotel Nikko Longbai Shanghai.

The Ilikai/Hotel Nikko Waikiki, where Waikiki Beach begins, was built in 1962. The 800-room resort joined the Nikko Hotels International management family in 1991. Nikko Hotels International currently manages 51 hotels worldwide, with locations in Europe, Asia, Oceania, the Pacific, Japan and North America. Hotel Nikko USA Inc. is the management group for the company's six North American luxury hotels located in Hawaii, New York, California and Mexico City.