Human Resources

📌 RateHawk.com, a booking platform for travel professionals, has hired Iain Raeper as Area Manager for Scotland, expanding its UK and Ireland team. With over 20 years of experience, Raeper brings expertise from roles at If Only, EFR Travel, and ONEE Luxury Travel. He will focus on customer acquisition and key accounts in Scotland. RateHawk, used by over 80,000 partners globally and 3,000 in the UK, features a web platform and mobile app for remote business management.

🍴 Ben Murphy, head chef since 2017 at Launceston Place, a D&D London restaurant in Kensington, West London, is set to depart on October 31, 2024, without specifying his next move. His career started at Koffmann’s at The Berkeley in 2010, followed by roles in France and other prestigious London restaurants. In 2022, Murphy was named National Chef of the Year. Launceston Place opened in 1986 and D&D London acquired it in 2017. Murphy’s successor is not yet announced.

🍴 Allegra, a restaurant located in East London, will close after five successful years. General Manager Ashley Shaw cites 'inextricable changes' in London's culinary scene as the reason. The announcement follows the departure of Patrick Powell, who launched Allegra in 2019 and achieved a listing in the UK's Top 100 Restaurants. Allegra's final service is scheduled for Saturday, 31 August. The Stratford hotel will soon announce a new dining concept to replace Allegra.

🏩 Christopher Tatum named divisional president of Aimbridge Hospitality's Full Service division, overseeing its U.S., Canada, and Caribbean portfolio. Marriott International appoints Federico Greppi as COO for the Caribbean and Latin America, and Sam Basu as area general manager of Puerto Rico, including GM of the Ritz-Carlton, San Juan. Claudio Coriasco joins R Collection Hotels as GM in Italy. Christina Pedersen becomes vice president of sales and marketing at Dreamscape Hospitality. Derek Lescrinier set to manage Pendry Natirar, opening fall 2024.

📈 ATPI appoints Angelina Bunting as head of commercial strategy in the UAE, bolstering its energy sector presence. With nearly 30 years in travel, Bunting's previous role was senior director at Navan, a Reed & Mackay company, for over two years. Her expertise is expected to integrate global strategy with Middle East operations and foster strong supplier partnerships. ATPI has a significant Middle East presence, with offices across the GCC including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, plus services in Kurdistan and Federal Iraq.

📈 Pauline Houston appointed as global managing director of Reed & Mackay Events, supporting a growth strategy signaled by the recent hiring of James Kent and Emma Chamberlain. Houston brings experience from ITM, Women in Travel, GBTA, American Express, and CWT. CEO Julie Oliver highlights the firm's commitment to integrating travel and event management, emphasizing the importance of meetings and events for collaboration and talent retention.

🏨 Orascom Hotels Management in the MENA region announced four senior appointments following Stuart Leven's CEO role since September 2023. New hires include Sanjay Sharma as Chief Technology Officer, Paula Frey as Chief Revenue Officer, Shafayat Miah as Chief e-Commerce Officer, and Renee Wagner as Director of ESG & Quality Management. Sharma, a Top 10 Middle East CIO, Frey, former Group Director at Corinthia Hotels, Miah, ex-Meta with 20+ years in digital, and Wagner focusing on ESG are to drive innovation, profits, and workplace desirability.

💱 Chain4Travel restructures its leadership; Ralf Usbeck transitions to board chairman to strategize company direction, with the CTO stepping up as CEO. Anke Hsu is promoted to chief growth officer, managing product development, while Vincent Usbeck becomes COO. The focus is on launching the Camino Network (CAM) token, expanding globally, and preparing for the CAM token's CEX listing in Q4 2024. Stirnimann, ex-CEO of Hotelplan, is on the founding team alongside Ralf Usbeck and Castillo, ex-CIO at Hotelplan.

🍽 Seamus Sam, having led Muse to its first Michelin star, will helm Evelyn's Table starting September, succeeding James Goodyear who departed on July 13. The Michelin-starred Soho restaurant, previously guided by Goodyear since November 2022 after Luke Selby's exit, will reopen on September 4 following a closure from August 17.

🍴 Chris Eden, appointed executive head chef at Gidleigh Park in 2019, regained the Michelin star for the Chagford property in 2023. Before Gidleigh Park, Eden earned a Michelin star at Cornwall's Driftwood in 2012 and maintained it until his move to Devon in 2019. Gidleigh Park had two Michelin stars under Michael Caines until 2016. Eden plans to leave Gidleigh Park in autumn 2023 to spend more time with his family. The search for his successor is currently underway.