MARCUS HANNA JOINS LA VIE HOTELS
Marcus Hanna has been appointed as COO of La Vie Hotels and Resorts. Hanna brings more than 25 years of experience to his new role. He joins La Vie at a time when the group is expanding its reach and is preparing to open its first hotel in Laos.
Hanna joins La Vie after around 20 years with Accor, most recently serving as vice president operations, Pacific, Sofitel, MGallery and Emblems. He has worked in Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast and Brisbane, as well as in London, Malta, San Francisco and Singapore, where he was managing director for Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford.
Before his career with Accor hotels, Marcus spent nearly a decade with InterContinental in Sydney, London, Malta, and San Francisco in leadership roles.
WATERFORD PROMOTES DUANE SCHRODER
Waterford Hotel Group has promoted Duane Schroder to the newly created position of chief growth officer. In his new role, Schroder will lead strategic initiatives designed to drive the company’s expansion.
He will helm business development efforts to secure management contracts as well as cultivate strategic partnerships with capital partners to propel future expansion and oversee the acquisition of properties that align with owner investment objectives. Schroder will prioritize select-service and extended-stay properties within the Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and IHG brands. He will also explore opportunities within the college market for independent hotels and compact full-service properties.
Schroder joined Waterford Hotel Group in 2002 through their International Training Program and has since spent 20 years with the company and served in several leadership roles across several properties.
MORE MOVES
Sandy Shen has been appointed as vice president, sales and marketing for Asia Pacific at The Lux Collective. Bringing more than two decades of experience to her new role, Shen will spearhead the sales and marketing teams in Asia Pacific, develop strategies to expand its market presence and deliver value to all stakeholders.
She will be based in the Shanghai office and report to Chief Operating Officer – Asia Pacific Nitesh Pandey. Shen has served as vice president of sales and marketing with Tonino Lamborghini Hotels & Resorts and also held key positions with The Edition, Alila Hotels & Resorts and Jumeirah Hotel Group.
Hyatt Regency Irvine has appointed Joseph Zuziak as director of sales and marketing at the newly renovated property. He will lead sales, along with strategic and tactical marketing for the hotel.
Prior to his new role, Zuziak served as the director of group sales at Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad. With over 10 years of experience, he has held several positions, including director of sales for the Marriott Southwest Group Sales Office.
Outrigger Hospitality Group has added to its leadership team with the appointment of Ninoska Batista as project manager. She will manage planning, programming and construction programs for Outrigger and its hotel partners. She will also contribute towards design and construction, including specifications, product maintenance, raw materials and vended products.
Batista brings more than 10 years of industry experience. In her most recent position, she served as project manager for THOST Projektmanagement. Prior to this, she served as design manager at Gensler.
Scenic Group has launched a new APAC office and appointed a team in Singapore. The new team members include:
- Constance Seck — regional director, sales and marketing APAC
- Ally Grueter — business development manager APAC
- Quoc Huy To — accounting manager APAC
NEW GMs
Park Hyatt St. Kitts has appointed George Vlachopoulos as general manager. He will oversee all aspects of the resort, including the full-service Sugar Mill Spa & Sanctuary, its three restaurants and the property’s signature Destination Dining program. Bringing more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Vlachopoulos most recently served as general manager of Malliouhana, Auberge Resorts Collection.
Prior to his time at Malliouhana, he served as the area general manager of Auberge Resorts Collection’s Santorini & Mykonos property, where he was promoted to designated VP-operations Europe for the brand. He has also spent time as the general manager for the Aqua Blue, SLH in Greece, Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve property in Thailand and the Nihi Sumba Island Resort in Indonesia.
Marquis Los Cabos, the adults-only, all-inclusive resort in Baja California, has welcomed Mauricio Quezada Reyes as general manager. In his career spanning more than 15 years, Reyes’ leadership journey has traversed eight countries, where he served in sales and general management in diverse hotel models.
In his new role, Reyes will be in charge of overall guest experience and manage all guest operations. An active member of the Los Cabos community, he has served on various board and executive committees, including the Los Cabos Hotel Association and Empresarios Playa El Médano.
Stephan Kapek has joined Shangri-La Singapore as its new vice president operations and general manager. With more than three decades of international experience in the luxury hospitality, Kapek joins Shangri-La Singapore with years of experience in leadership and an understanding of global hospitality trends. He will helm all aspects of the hotel’s operations, including Shangri-La Apartments and Residences.
Kapek has spent almost 20 years in leadership roles within the Shangri-La Group, managing hotels and resorts in multiple destinations. Prior to joining Shangri-La Singapore, he served as vice president operations at Shangri-La’s China World Trade Center hotels, where he led the three hotels during the pandemic.
