Ask George Benney about his Chinese name "Zuo Bainian", and the managing director of the Regent Beijing will say with a smile: "Actually Li Ruihuan (the former mayor of Tianjin) personally picked it out for me nearly 30 years ago and I've been using it ever since."

Although Benney migrated to Australia at 18, strong English breakfast tea and old-fashioned manners are still very much a part of him, especially the British humor, which works like a charm.

"I would like to think myself as more of a result-oriented general manager," Benney says. "And apparently I am a perfectionist, too, from what I heard."