Human Resources

🏨 Murray Scott has been appointed general manager of The Standard, London, succeeding Elli Jafari. He transitions from The Hoxton, having managed its London properties, and brings experience from NH Hotel Group and others. Following Hyatt's acquisition of Standard International in October 2024 and Trinity Investments' purchase of The Standard, London, Scott enters a complex ownership structure. Amber Asher, former CEO, left in January 2025 after growing the brand to 25 hotels with a 400% revenue increase.

🍴 Ranjitkumar Sukumaran has been appointed as executive head chef of Hyde and Seek, London Hyde Park, before its September 2026 opening. The hotel, located at 1 Lancaster Gate, underwent a £42 million transformation, evolving from the former Corus Hotel Hyde Park. The property includes 309 rooms, meeting spaces, and a gym. Sukumaran oversees two dining concepts: Seekers Restaurant and Bar (138 seats) and HydeOut Café (88 seats). Paul Davies was appointed GM in June 2026.

🍴 Anthony Connor has been appointed to the board of directors at The Halston in Carlisle, 12 years after joining as a sous chef. Connor, trained at Carlisle College, joined The Halston during its 2014 opening and became head chef in 2017. The Halston, occupying Carlisle's former General Post Office, offers accommodation, dining, and events. Connor, with his family also part of the staff, will lead a supper club event on 28 August.

🏠 Gencom, a U.S.-based investment firm, reorganized its structure into Gencom Capital and Gencom Real Estate, with founder Karim Alibhai at the helm. Key appointments include Alessandro Colantonio as Chief Investment Officer and Donald McGregor as President of Gencom Real Estate. Gencom, founded over 40 years ago, manages nearly $8 billion in assets, with 24 owned assets and over 6,000 hotel rooms globally, partnering with brands like The Ritz-Carlton and Hyatt.

📈 Highgate appoints Siim Karu as chief commercial officer to lead European commercial strategy, focusing on revenue management, sales, and marketing. With over 15 years of experience, Karu previously served as CCO at Generator and Freehand Hotels. Highgate manages over $15 billion in assets across the US, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean, covering diverse sectors. Karu aims to strengthen Highgate's European operations alongside existing teams to enhance performance and support regional expansion.

💼 Gencom, based in Miami, Florida, has restructured its organization into two segments: Gencom Capital and Gencom Real Estate. Founder Karim Alibhai continues as CEO, with Alessandro Colantonio leading Gencom Capital. Key promotions include Ignasi Puig, Peter Trujillo, and Blythe Pierre-Louis to managing director roles. Donald McGregor becomes president of Gencom Real Estate, with Shaun Johnston as head of portfolio finance. Jake Lynch joins as senior VP of asset management, leveraging over 15 years in the field.

🍴 TPG Hotels & Resorts appointed Jens Baake as Senior VP of Food and Beverage in May. Baake, with over 30 years of experience, aims to enhance TPG’s food and beverage offerings. He previously led Acme Hospitality and worked with Paradies-Lagardère and The Palm Restaurant Group. Baake plans to focus on boutique hotels and improve guest experiences. His first-year projects include designing new concepts and refining existing ones for both guest satisfaction and financial success.

📈 JLL data shows that luxury hotels with flagship dining see a 6.7% increase in occupancy and an 18.6% boost in RevPAR. Belmond's Lawrence Edwards highlights that hotels prioritizing room revenue are outdated, focusing instead on guest experiences. 60% of luxury travelers now choose hotels based on dining options, up from 38% in 2022. Lighthouse advises independent hotels on AI booking strategies to counter OTAs' dominance. A dual-brand Marriott opened in Portland, Maine, adding Residence Inn and Moxy.

📋 JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa appoints Simone Farci as general manager. Farci, with 20+ years of international hospitality experience, including roles at IHG Hotels & Resorts, takes over after serving as GM at InterContinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace. Opened in 2015, the resort boasts 266 rooms, four restaurants, a spa, and a rooftop lounge with pool views of Venice.