JLL ADDS TO NYC TEAM
JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality group has added two members to its New York City office — Carolina Bernal as senior director and Mackenzie Melikian as senior associate. Bernal and Melikian will focus on NYC hotel investment sales advisory and contribute to national investment sales and strategic initiatives. They will work with Kevin Davis, Americas CEO, for JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality group and Dan Peek, Americas president for JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality group. Additionally, Bernal will join JLL’s global hotel desk, which directs global capital flows into hospitality opportunities, and partner with Global Hotel Desk Head Patrick Saade.
Besides continuing his role as Americas CEO, Davis will also lead daily operations for NYC’s investment sales advisory.
Most recently, Bernal served as a director in the Hospitality Investment Advisory practice at Hodges Ward Elliott; while Melikian served as an associate in the Investment Sales and Capital Markets/Loan Sales group at Hodges Ward Elliott.
FRASERS HOSPITALITY ADDS TO LEADERSHIP TEAM
Frasers Hospitality, a strategic business unit of Frasers Property, has appointed Chew Hang Song as COO and Ian Loe as managing director, technology and innovation.
Chew succeeded Mark Chan, who retired from his role on September 30, after over four years with Frasers Hospitality. Chew will be in charge of the operational strategy and financial performance of Frasers Hospitality’s portfolio of over 100 properties across more than 20 countries. He joined Frasers Hospitality in March 2019 as the deputy country general manager of China and climbed up the ranks to become the cluster head of North Asia.
Bringing around 30 years of experience to his new role, Loe will lead and execute Frasers Hospitality’s global IT infrastructure and transformation, as well as the innovation strategy to enhance its capabilities and elevate the guest, resident and employee experience. An active adjunct senior fellow at the Singapore University of Technology & Design, Loe most recently served as chief information officer at DFI Retail Group.
LEADERHSIP HIRES AT OUTRIGGER HOSPITALITY
Outrigger Hospitality Group has added to its leadership team with the following appointments:
- Crystal Ho, executive vice president and CFO: Succeeding Avery Aoki after 40 years, Ho brings more than two decades of experience in full-cycle real estate development, asset management and financial operations. Her previous leadership roles include working at Chartres Lodging Group, Oceanwide Holdings and Chileno Bay Development positions.
- Craig A. Waterman, general manager of Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort: Waterman will oversee operations at the recently transformed resort. Prior to his new role, he served as area general manager for Davidson Hospitality and has more than 20 years of experience in luxury brands.
MORE MOVES
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara has welcomed Tori McLaughlin as director of sales and marketing.
Most recently, she served as divisional vice president of sales and marketing at Remington Hospitality, where she helmed the sales team for the independent and lifestyle division, overseeing a portfolio of 15 properties and $206 million in revenue. Prior to that, she held leadership roles as the director of sales and marketing at the Mar Monte Hotel and regional director of sales and marketing with Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Group.
Oetkar Collection has appointed Frederic Vidal as managing director of Jumby Bay Island, Antigua.
Vidal recently completed more than 10 years with Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. Most recently, he served as managing director at Las Ventanas al Paraíso as well as the vice president of operations Americas for Rosewood.
Conrad Maldives Rangali Island has appointed Amit Kumar Prasad as the new director of F&B. With more than 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Prasad will oversee the repositioning of the resort’s dining outlets. His responsibilities include managing dining operations, developing innovative dining concepts and elevating the overall guest dining experience.
Prasad’s career includes leadership roles at several resorts. Prior to joining Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, he served as director of F&B at Villa Park Sun Island Resort & Spa.
The Belgrove, Autograph Collection, which will open later this year in West Palm Beach, Fla., has welcomed Kai Fischer as managing director.
Fischer will helm management, operations and marketing efforts for the 150-room resort’s opening. He brings in more than three decades of experience in the hospitality industry.
Adnan B. Virani has joined HRI Hospitality as senior vice president of capital markets and investor relations. Virani will help raise equity and expand HRI Hospitality’s financial partnerships and strategies to maximize market investment and development opportunities. With a focus on forming new capital relationships and platforms, securing funding for specific projects and overseeing reporting and compliance requirements, he will lead in developing a long-term capital raising network to support the long-term growth of HRI Hospitality.
Virani brings years of experience to his new role, having recently served as the director of investor relations and FD Stonewater, LP. Prior to this, he was the head of consultant relations and institutional strategist for Truist Financial Corp.
NEW GMs
Six Senses La Sagesse has appointed Jeff David as general manager. Located in the parish of St. David, Grenada, the hotel opened in April.
Bringing in more than 30 years of experience in the luxury hospitality industry, David will helm a team of 150 hosts at the hotel, of which 44% come from the Parish of St. David. His prior experience includes positions in luxury brand operations as well as hotel start-ups and overseeing net worth, high-profile luxury assets.
Minor Hotels has welcomed Erik Billgren as general manager of Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort in Sri Lanka. Billgren joined Minor Hotels in 2021, drawing on over a decade of experience in Vietnam, and served as general manager of Anantara Mui Ne Resort. He was promoted to complex general manager for Anantara and Avani Quy Nhon Resorts, where he also led operations for The Vietage by Anantara.
Mike Garcia has joined Caribe Hilton as its general manager. Garcia will helm daily hotel operations and further enhance guest experiences at the historic property.
Having begun his career in hospitality as a front desk agent and night auditor, Garcia has more than 25 years of experience. Prior to joining Caribe Hilton, he served as the general manager at Embassy Suites by Hilton San Juan Hotel & Casino.
25hours Hotels has appointed Jesper Soerensen as general manager of the 25hours Hotel The Oddbird Jakarta, which is set to open in November. Bringing in more than 20 years of experience in lifestyle and luxury hospitality, Soerensen’s career spans from Nicaragua to London, Doha, Miami, Los Angeles, Singapore, and the Maldives.
He began his journey in hospitality in the early 1990s in fashion and beauty, before transitioning to hotels like Ian Schrager’s Sanderson and St. Martin’s Lane in London, Shore Club in Miami, followed by Six Senses Singapore, The Standard Maldives and SO/Maldives.
Hotel La Compañía has appointed Bruno Belletti as general manager. With more than 20 years of experience, Belletti will helm the hotel’s operations and lead the hotel’s team, focus on daily management and long-term growth.
Since joining the global hospitality industry in 2005, Belletti has held leadership roles at several Hyatt hotel in Brazil, Singapore, Cambodia, Uruguay and Mexico. Most recently, Belletti served as director of operations at Hotel La Compañía.
Kurt Wiksten has joined The Nittany Lion Inn as the hotel’s general manager. Wiksten brings 35 years of hospitality management experience to his new role and will oversee all aspects of service at the property, including daily operations, event sales and coordination, revenue management and growth strategies.
Wiksten spent the past five years as the managing director of Frenchman’s Reef Resort and Spa in St. Thomas. He has held several management roles in the luxury segment and has served as vice president hotel operations and transitions at AJ Capital Partners – Graduate Hotels and director of resort operations at Sheraton Bay Point Resort.
