BEAUMIER NAMES NEW CEO
Beaumier, the European boutique hotel group, has appointed Billy Skelli-Cohen as CEO, effective January 1, 2025. Originally from France, Skelli-Cohen has been a long-term hotelier specializing in high-end hospitality and international hotel development.
Most recently, he was the CEO of Zien Group, the owner and operator of hospitality businesses, including the Eden Hotel brand. Prior to Zien Hotels, he founded and spearheaded Lore Group.
“Beaumier is an incredible collection of properties in exceptional European locations. I am truly honored to join as CEO and help lead a team of passionate and dedicated professionals. In 2021, Les Hôtels d’en Haut became Beaumier, which has since developed into a best-in-class brand of hotels dedicated to their unique location and culture with a strong commitment to sustainability and nature preservation. The company is poised to continue its impressive growth in new and exciting destinations, and I am thrilled at the opportunity to lead the company in this exciting next chapter,” said Skelli-Cohen.
LISA CARLSON JOINS LODGING DYNAMICS AS COO
Lodging Dynamics Hospitality Group has named Lisa Carlson as its new chief operating officer. She brings more than three decades of leadership experience in premium, independent and boutique hotels across the world.
Carlson’s career spans leadership in more than 45 hotels in multiple states. She has also held leadership roles in the industry, including chair of the general managers advisory board for IHG and has served on the board of Advocates for Children’s Education.
APPOINTMENTS AT PROPER HOSPITALITY
Proper Hospitality, the Santa Monica-based luxury hospitality brand, has announced three appointments at The Shelborne by Proper, the brand’s forthcoming Florida hotel in Miami Beach. Guy Chetwynd has been named managing director; Mariannie Santiago as general manager; while Oliver Morgan has been appointed director of sales and marketing. In their new roles, Chetwynd, Santiago and Morgan will helm Proper’s growth with its debut location in Florida, which follows the company’s expansion to the East Coast earlier this year with Montauk Yacht Club in New York.
Directly responsible for overseeing the opening of The Shelborne, Chetwynd most recently held the title of regional director of operations for East, Central, and South at Soho House.
Prior to her new role, Santiago served as vice president of hotel operations at McGuire Moorman Lambert Hospitality in Austin.
Morgan brings experience in luxury hospitality. Before joining The Shelborne, he spent more than five years leading sales at Faena Miami Beach, following pivotal roles at Waldorf Astoria and The Ritz-Carlton Central Park.
MORE MOVES
Viceroy Hotels & Resorts has appointed Nicholas Marino as the director of food and beverage at Viceroy Chicago. He will oversee the hotel’s F&B operations, including in-room dining, the signature restaurant, Somerset, and the new cocktail lounge, Pandan.
Marino brings two decades of global hospitality experience and has held key positions, such as executive chef, culinary director, and director of food and beverage at hotels across the U.S. Prior to his new role, he served at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago, where he led the launch of three dining concepts and contributed to the property’s Michelin Key recognition.
Carter Gradwell has joined Walker & Dunlop as senior director on the hospitality investment sales team. He will be focused on upper-upscale and luxury property sales nationwide. This hire is part of Walker & Dunlop’s push to build out a hotel investment-sales team.
Gradwell spent the last eight years as a vice president at CBRE; and prior to that was a senior analyst at Allianz for four years.
Davidson Hospitality Group has announced the appointment of Brad Barnett as senior vice president, sales for its lifestyle operating vertical, Pivot, and the promotion of Michael Yousif to the role of senior vice president, acquisitions & business development.
A hospitality sales executive with over 25 years of experience, Barnett earlier served as senior vice president of sales and marketing for HRI Lodging. He also held leadership positions at Dream Hotel Group and Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants.
Since joining Davidson’s acquisitions and business development team in 2010 as an analyst, Yousif has played a key role in the growth and evolution of the company’s portfolio, investment management and owner relations, in addition to the development and leadership of the acquisitions and business development team. During his tenure, he has supported $3.5 billion in transaction/development volume and signed over 40 management contracts.
TFE Hotels has announced the following leadership appointments for three properties:
- Gabriel Polias — General manager of Vibe Hotel Sydney Darling Harbour
- Brett Skinner — General manager of Adina-Vibe Darwin Watefront
- Aalap Rammurthy — Executive assistant hotel manager of Vibe Hotel Sydney
NEW GMs
David J. Cronin, CPCE, CMP has returned to W Scottsdale as general manager. With more than 30 years in the hospitality industry, including postings in Darmstadt, Frankfurt, San Antonio, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Miami, Minneapolis and Nashville, Cronin brings knowledge and experience to his new role.
Cronin has experience with the W brand, having served as complex general manager at W Minneapolis and opening general manager at W Nashville, following his initial tenure as general manager at W Scottsdale. In Scottsdale, he oversaw the hotel’s renovations. He joins from JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, where he served as resort manager.
Kolpin Hotels has welcomed Karolina Lasinska as general manager at Hotel Sanders. She joined Sanders at the reception desk, just before Sanders celebrated their first anniversary in 2018, making her one of the longest serving employees at the hotel.
Lasinska moved through various roles from the front desk to front of house supervisor in 2019 and was then named front office manager in 2020. In 2022, she was appointed director of operations, in which she has served for more than two years.
Hotel Effie Sandestin, Autograph Collection has named Jennifer Lombard Knight as general manager. She will oversee the hotel’s daily operations, including leading the team in delivering experiences that upgrade the service quality.
Lombard Knight will manage the hotel’s leadership team and further expand the hotel’s programming and amenities while working alongside the operations, sales, human resources and revenue management teams. She also plans to evolve the hotel’s F&B offerings and strengthen the wellness offerings, including the menu of services at Spa Lilliana, its wellness facility.
