Human Resources

💼 Global Asset Solutions has appointed Duncan Kinnear as hotel asset manager, enhancing their team in December 2025. Duncan, with over eight years of hospitality experience, has worked with Hamilton Pyramid Europe, Savills Spain, and the Iberostar Group. He holds a Master's in Engineering from the University of Leeds and a Hotel Real Estate Investment and Asset Management certificate from Cornell. This appointment follows the recent additions of Adnan Shamim in the Middle East and Leanne Reddie in Singapore.

🏖️ Awaze, one of Europe's largest holiday rental providers, appoints Carlie Wittred as Brand Growth Director to enhance brand presence. Wittred, formerly at Gousto, aims to unify PR, partnerships, and marketing for brands like Hoseasons and Cottages.com. Awaze reports record guest numbers in August and a 14% rise in Black Friday bookings year-on-year. Occupancy grew 4% in Q3, supported by investments in technology and marketing. Richard Banks believes Carlie will sharpen market positioning.

📈 William Gibbs, appointed Senior Advisor for strategy and growth at roomangel Foundation, will lead the global expansion of hive, an AI platform for hotels. With a background in hospitality management, he aims to optimize hotel data usage for better decision-making. Previously, Gibbs was a board member at Sir Richard Sutton and held roles at The Hotel Collection and Westmont Hospitality Group. Hive, already analyzing billions of data points daily, aims to transform hotel asset management.

🚌 Paul Stoneham will become CEO of Big Bus Tours in January, succeeding Pat Waterman, who becomes non-executive chairman. Vagn Soerensen steps down as chairman but remains an advisor. Stoneham, previously with Life Fitness and other companies, aims to expand Big Bus Tours' services and destinations. The company has recently acquired Touristation (Rome), West Coast Sightseeing (Vancouver), and Tour Dubai, and introduced amphibious 'Duck' tours.

📚 Karen Donaghy has been named publisher of *Hospitality Design* (HD) magazine, succeeding Paul Bienkowski, who retired in October after over 40 years. Donaghy, with 20+ years in publishing, will focus on print and digital growth. Previously at Condé Nast and *Contract* magazine, she brings extensive design industry experience. HD, a leading trade magazine, is published 10 times annually, offering insights on hospitality design trends and projects. Donaghy is based near Philadelphia.

📈 Arturo Moreno was promoted to chief supply and data officer at Civitatis, a Spanish-language tours and activities platform. Moreno, who has been chief data officer for six years, will lead a new executive division focused on supply. The strategy emphasizes data-driven approaches to improve supply curation and expand offerings, particularly in ticketing and private tours. Chief Operating Officer Enrique Espinel will shift focus to international expansion. Inma López remains in charge of commercial operations with 7,000 global operators.

📈 Net Affinity, a hotel tech company operating in the UK and Ireland, will undergo a leadership change as Lauri Koop, CEO of Dutch-backed Hotel Tech Group (HTG), takes over in 2024. William Cotter, founder in 2000, steps down after 25 years. HTG's acquisition of Net Affinity earlier in 2023 aims for growth and innovation. Serving 400+ hotels, Koop, with 20+ years in SaaS, will enhance integration and expand by 2026, focusing on client hotel performance.

🚢 AmaWaterways has enhanced its Travel Agent Portal, offering 24/7 booking access for agents. Agents can instantly secure bookings by paying deposits via credit card. A fixed £75 regional airport supplement now applies to all UK airports, except the Channel Islands. Agents can also opt for cruise-only bookings by omitting flights. Confirmations and flight arrangements are communicated within 48 hours post-booking. Andrea Stafford, Sales Director UK & Europe, highlights the simplified booking process and increased flexibility.