Human Resources

💻 Tony Pallas promoted to Chief Technology Officer at Choice Hotels International in North Bethesda, Maryland. Reporting to Anna Scozzafava, he will spearhead enterprise technology, engineering, and SkyTouch Technology. With over a decade’s experience, Pallas has modernized platforms and led AI initiatives like CHARLIE. He will drive AI-enabled developments including Choice Hotels Business Direct, EasyBid, and RAISE. His leadership aims to enhance innovation and deliver value to franchisees, customers, and guests.

📈 At the EHL HumanX Summit in Lausanne, Bernold Schroeder, CEO of MINPER Hotels, shared his journey from leading Europe’s Kempinski Hotels to co-founding a new venture with Singapore's Perennial. Schroeder, with 30+ years of experience across Europe and Asia, managed Kempinski through the pandemic, achieving record results. Underlying his leadership, no layoffs occurred; temporary salary cuts were later reimbursed. He emphasizes focusing on core priorities and the importance of communication during crises.

📅 Yasmin Boromand was appointed as the new group director of people and culture for Iconic Hotels and Resorts on June 8, 2026. This follows the company's rebranding in February and the hiring of Shan Kanagasingham as COO. Boromand has experience managing HR for 80 restaurants in 18 countries and overseeing nine hotels in the Dorchester Collection. The group plans to launch a learning academy and graduate program, managing 14 properties, including 10 in the UK.

🏨 In April 2021, The Boca Raton in South Florida, a 1,000+-room property, tasked its new president and CEO with elevating the resort to a Forbes Five-Star level by its 100th anniversary in 2026. This involves a multi-million-dollar transformation and subdividing the resort into five distinct hotels, each with 60 to 300 rooms, to maintain luxury standards—Beach Club, Cloister, Yacht Club, Tower, and Bungalows—each offering unique experiences while sharing core service standards.

📈 In Amsterdam, Mews rebranded and launched five products at its seventh Unfold event. SiteMinder, now integrated as the engine in Mews' Channel Manager, reported a 25% revenue increase to A$131 million, adding 2,900 hotels to reach 53,000. Despite profitability, SiteMinder's stock fell 48% over a year, valuing it at A$2 billion. On June 1, SiteMinder introduced a model embedding its distribution engine in partner platforms, aiming to become the infrastructure hub like Stripe in the hotel industry.

📖 Michael Robinson has been appointed as the general manager of The Valorian Los Angeles, part of Curio Collection by Hilton. With 20 years in hospitality, Robinson has managed openings and renovations in 10 properties across four countries, notably at Kimpton Hotels. Previously, he led Kimpton Hong Kong and Kimpton Everly Hollywood. The Valorian, formerly Mondrian Los Angeles, is on Sunset Strip and offers 236 rooms, including luxury suites with views of the Hollywood Hills.

📋 Actabl appoints Rob Bahl as Senior Vice President, AI Asset Management. Bahl, with 40 years at Marriott, enhances Actabl’s strategy to extend asset life and reduce costs using AI. Previously serving as Global VP of Engineering at Marriott, Bahl collaborated on Transcendent, Actabl's asset platform. Now, he’ll guide AI implementation across Actabl’s business tools. Starting as a cook in Colorado, Bahl joined Marriott in 1983, achieving global leadership and impacting over 50 countries’ engineering standards.