Human Resources

🏨 Marcus Hanna, with 25 years of experience, appointed COO of La Vie Hotels & Resorts, previously with Accor for 20 years. Duane Schroder promoted to Chief Growth Officer at Waterford Hotel Group, with 20 years at the company. Sandy Shen becomes VP at The Lux Collective, with 20+ years of experience. Joseph Zuziak named Director of Sales and Marketing at Hyatt Regency Irvine, with over 10 years in the industry. Ninoska Batista joins Outrigger Hospitality Group as Project Manager, bringing a decade of experience. Scenic Group opens APAC office in Singapore, appointing Constance Seck, Ally Grueter, and Quoc Huy To. George Vlachopoulos takes on GM role at Park Hyatt St. Kitts following a 20-year career. Mauricio Quezada Reyes becomes GM at Marquis Los Cabos after 15 years in the industry. Stephan Kapek joins Shangri-La Singapore as VP Operations and GM, with 30 years of experience, nearly 20 with Shangri-La Group.

🚢 Bill Allen, chief supply officer of On the Beach (OTA), is set to step down in September 2025 after serving the company since 2014. During his tenure, Allen was pivotal in the OTA's direct hotel contracting, achieving over 90% direct sourcing from hoteliers. He played a significant role in taking the company public on the London Stock Exchange in 2015. Allen's 30-year career includes senior roles at MyTravel and On Holiday Group. He plans to focus on leisure and advisory work post-departure.

📈 JLL's Hotels & Hospitality group added Carolina Bernal as senior director and Mackenzie Melikian as senior associate in NYC, focusing on hotel investment sales advisory. Bernal also joins the global hotel desk. Frasers Hospitality appointed Chew Hang Song as COO post-Mark Chan's retirement on September 30 and Ian Loe as managing director, technology and innovation. Outrigger Hospitality Group named Crystal Ho as EVP and CFO, succeeding Avery Aoki, and Craig A. Waterman as GM of Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort. Other hospitality appointments include Tori McLaughlin at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara, Frederic Vidal at Oetkar Collection, Jeff David at Six Senses La Sagesse, and Amit Kumar Prasad at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. Additionally, Adnan B. Virani joined HRI Hospitality as SVP of capital markets and investor relations.

🏖️ Phil Salcedo steps down as head of UK market for HolidayPirates Group after seven years, passes the baton to Nick Cooper, the former supervisor of UK and North America commercial partnerships. This leadership transition aims to drive a new era of growth with a focus on social media branding, technology investments, and digital marketing strategy evolution. David Armstrong, CEO, acknowledges Salcedo's significant impact and looks forward to Cooper's vision for the UK operations.

🏦 Jessica Shelton-Agar appointed as managing director of Online Travel Training (OTT). Prior role: head of sales for Discover Qatar. OTT acquired by Jacobs Media in November 2023. Shelton-Agar starts on November 26, succeeding OTT founder Julie Feuell, who transitions to consultancy in 2025. OTT offers training, events, and rewards for the travel industry, part of Jacobs Media's portfolio alongside Travel Weekly and other brands. Shelton-Agar brings a 10-year background from APT, including head of sales.

🏨 Jennifer Clay, Vice President of Hotel Operations at Appellation, discusses hiring practices for General Managers on Oct. 3, 2024. Highlights include interview questions, key traits for success, and the value of downtime for recharging. Key interview insights are shared at 01:28 and 03:15, with a focus on the importance of disconnection at 04:14. Clay recommends sharing episodes for turning ideas into action within hospitality teams.

💰 Splendid Hospitality Group appoints Rachel Bulford as Chief Commercial Officer, joining its leadership team and Board of Directors. Bulford, with her experience as Director of Retail at Gatwick Airport and senior roles at Homebase and Burberry, aims to enhance commercial strategies for the company's hotels, restaurants, and care homes. She holds an MA from Cambridge and an MBA from Bayes Business School, and chaired the UK Travel Retail Forum from 2021 to 2023.

📆 Rob Rain joins OTO Development as CEO, replacing the late Corry Oakes and recently retired Todd Turner. Rain, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Bronze Star recipient, will drive growth and efficiency from Spartanburg, S.C. headquarters. Bill Ryan is now BWH Hotels' SVP and CTO, contributing 15 years of retail brand experience, reporting to President and CEO Larry Cuculic. Brent LeBlanc becomes EVP of Peachtree Group, bringing nearly 30 years of hospitality real estate experience. Margaritaville Beach Resort Nassau adds four sales team members: Antonecia Sweeting-Monroe, Beverley Maycock, Felicia Joseph, and Sabrina Stubbs. Nina Hospitality appoints Julian Ding as Group Director of Finance and Michelle Chung as Group Head of Internal Control and Compliance. Other key appointments include Abigail Seanez at Caption by Hyatt Nashville, David Kopasz as Chief Hospitality Officer at Delaware North, Laurent Ebzant promoted within Park Hyatt New York, and Juliette Granon as Director of Communications at Rosewood São Paulo. New GMs announced: Ana Gorjão Henriques for Nekajui, Naowarat Arunkong for NH Bangkok Sukhumvit Boulevard, Rod Lapasin for Hotel Westland at Railspur, Brian Koenitzer for Hilton Richmond Downtown, Aaron Osborne for Hyatt Centric French Quarter, Brian Kent for Caption by Hyatt Nashville, and Liz Martinez

🏢 Journey Mentor appointed Mark Anzur as EVP of Sales, bringing over 20 years of experience from senior roles including CEO of Air Montenegro and management positions at Adria Airways, Stobart Air, and UNEX Management Consulting. Anzur led Air Montenegro's increased revenue via a long-term business strategy, and at Adria Airways, he spearheaded a successful turnaround resulting in its privatization in 2016. His focus at Journey Mentor will be to drive sales and address challenges with advanced technologies.