Tatiana Valenzuela

🏨 Kohler Co. appointed Nina Kohler as CEO of its hospitality division to oversee strategy and growth in destinations like Kohler, Wisconsin, and St. Andrews, Scotland. Investments include Wisconsin's Kohler Waters Spa renovation, the Carriage House's transformation into a 55-room wellness retreat, and Inn on Woodlake's 66-room expansion. New ventures, like Purebred Farm's 14-hole golf course, are planned. Nina aims to preserve Kohler's charm while enhancing its appeal. She also chairs PGA REACH and serves on multiple boards.

📍 Nicholas Untermann will become the general manager of Viceroy Park Avenue, set to open in February 2027 in New York City’s NoMad neighborhood. The hotel, located at Park Avenue South and 29th Street, will feature 252 rooms, 15,000+ square feet of event space, and a 2,100-square-foot Wellness Penthouse. Untermann, with 15+ years in hospitality, previously managed Terranea Resort and other California hotels. Viceroy expands globally with projects in multiple locations, including Sun Valley, Idaho.

📍 Richard Sorensen appointed general manager of The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort. With over 30 years of luxury hospitality experience, Sorensen previously managed a luxury beach resort in Encinitas, CA, and held senior roles in Los Cabos. The 22-acre resort in Punta de Mita, Mexico, completed a transformation in 2024, adding beachfront villas, redesigned suites, new dining options, and a Marietas Pool. Sorensen aims to enhance guest experiences and foster return visits.

💻 Jeff Moore, former VP of software engineering at Uber, will join Hilton as executive VP and CTO, starting October 26, reporting to CEO Chris Nassetta. Moore's experience includes leading 2,500 engineers at Uber and holding leadership roles at Amazon, notably in Fulfillment by Amazon and device portfolio development. He will focus on advancing Hilton's AI and technological innovations to enhance guest experiences. Moore also holds three U.S. patents and is a board member of Edmund Optics.

📈 Kara Randall, with over 20 years of hospitality experience, becomes Accor Luxury Brands' Chief Development Officer for North America, reporting to Agnès Roquefort. Accor's portfolio includes brands like Raffles and Fairmont. Randall, formerly VP at Hilton, joins Accor's Global Development Committee. Accor operates around 150 North American hotels and plans 45 more, over 9,000 rooms. Randall is a member of Castell and a Cornell board member. Roquefort emphasizes North America's strategic importance.

📑 Oetker Hotels announces leadership changes: Duarte Bon de Sousa becomes COO, Virginie Saint-Laurent as chief people & culture officer, and Simon Neggers as chief commercial officer. These roles enhance leadership for future growth, per CEO Timo Gruenert. The company, founded in 2013, plans to expand its hotel portfolio, including The Vineta Hotel in Palm Beach, its first U.S. property, and Le Mas Bellevue in Saint-Tropez, debuting June 2027.

🏖 OUTRIGGER Hospitality Group has appointed Brian Regula as CFO. With over 20 years in finance leadership, Regula previously held roles at Pyramid Global Hospitality, Turtle Bay Resort, and The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, managing finances for over 130 hotels. His expertise in optimizing financial operations and Hawaiian connections align with OUTRIGGER’s mission to lead in the beach resort industry, as stated by Jeff Wagoner, President and CEO.

💸 Kempinski Group appoints Andrea Vanni as CFO on October 2026, leveraging his 25+ years in luxury real estate. Vanni, a board member of Kempinski A.G. for over 3 years, previously held senior roles at J.P. Morgan and Deutsche Bank. Kempinski operates 74 properties in 33 countries, with 20+ projects in development. The strategy focuses on enhancing existing assets and expanding through acquisitions and management contracts to maximize returns.