Corporate Bits | MGM Macau holds second “MGM dealer Olympics”

MGM Macau held its second “MGM Dealer Olympics”, with the objective to enhance the vocational skills and customer service standards of the Table Games team members, while promoting team spirit. The competition was organized by the Casino Operations Team, with the winners: Samuel Lei of Blackjack, Ivan Cheong of Baccarat and Jimmy Lim of Roulette, who were announced on April 29, after final rounds of the contests.
The participants were mainly the supervisors and dealers of table games such as Baccarat, Roulette and Blackjack. Nearly 100 candidates participated in three different categories of the game, while pre-rounds and semi-finals took place by phases since March. Only 15 of the participants (five from each category) qualified for the finals. Divided into two parts – simulated game and mental calculation, the final contests were designed to test the team members’ professional knowledge of the respective table games, their response to impromptu incidents, their capability in handling situations and providing quality customer service.
Mr. John Shigley, Chief Operating Officer of Gaming, said: “We value each of our team members who contribute to casino operations. Since dealers are the most fundamental element of the casino operation, we place an emphasis on their skill enhancement through different training programs, activities and competitions so as to give them the confidence while promoting team spirit.”

Lamborghini SUV moves closer to reality as Italy seeks jobs deal

Automobili Lamborghini SpA may finally be moving closer to producing a high-performance sport utility vehicle for the world’s wealthy, as Italy’s job-hungry government offers incentives, according to people familiar with the matter.
In exchange for Lamborghini’s plan to hire as many as 300 people, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s government is prepared to offer as much as 100 million euros (USD111 million) in tax breaks and other benefits for a new Italian assembly facility for the crossover, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private. Talks on the incentives were scheduled to resume yesterday in Rome, the people said.
Lamborghini unveiled a prototype of the high-riding Urus SUV in 2012. The Italian supercar brand has since been refining a business case for the vehicle in an effort to win approval from its parent, Volkswagen AG’s Audi. If it gets the green light for production, the car will vie with the upcoming Aston Martin DBX as the world’s sportiest crossover.

Philippine telephone revamps for data push as its revenue falls

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. has hired top executives and expanded the roles of some existing ones in a revamp designed to boost data revenue as subscribers increasingly turn to Facebook Inc. and Viber for calls and messages.
The carrier appointed Winston Damarillo, founding partner at Global Gateway Venture Capital, as chief strategy officer, according to a statement in Manila yesterday. It may spend more than 39 billion pesos (USD875 million) this year as the company puts in place infrastructure to provide a “digital spine,” Chairman Manuel Pangilinan said at a press conference after reporting that first-quarter profit was little changed.
Pangilinan said the carrier has to prepare itself as customers increasingly use the Web for shopping and entertainment on their mobile devices. The Philippines’ largest telecommunications company posted its first drop in revenue in 13 quarters, while operating profit margin narrowed from the year-earlier period. “Either we pivot or we perish,” Pangilinan said. “It’s very clear that we can’t think and behave like a telco of the past.”