Human Resources

📈 Aimbridge EMEA expands leadership with six new General Managers: Sujith Kattezhath Gopinathan (Mercure York Fairfield Manor), Michelle Hickey (Mercure Brighton Seafront), Saira Cieloszyk (Holiday Inn Southend), Nora Urbancova (Hotel Indigo Manchester), Jacqueline Turpin (The Harlow Hotel by Accor), and Frederik Deman (Holiday Inn Express & Suites Ghent). The appointments support Aimbridge's strategic growth, following the addition of nine properties in Q1 2025, enhancing operational efficiency and guest satisfaction.

🏨 Jannes Sörensen, a hospitality expert with 20 years of experience at luxury hotels like Georges V and Bristol in Paris, now leads Kepler Hotel Group and Kepler International Hospitality Academy. He emphasizes shifting focus from physical assets to emotional guest experiences, citing a study of 2,500 guest comments where only 4% mentioned physical features, while many highlighted personalized service. Sörensen advocates educating hospitality leaders on enhancing emotional intelligence for competitive advantage.

📈 Philippe Bijaoui, Accor's chief development officer for Europe and North Africa, discusses Handwritten hotels' investment strategies. Filmed at Hotel Maison Hamelin Paris, the interview highlights opportunities for the brand amid rising costs and competition.

🌍 Carolyn Turnbull's career spans roles at Aman (2005-2015), CEO of Tourism Western Australia, and now CEO of Nammos Hotels and Resorts. In 2015, Aman had 26 properties globally, up from 18. Nammos, with a $71 million turnover in Dubai, plans to open 10-12 luxury hotels in a decade. The first hotel in Mykonos has 26 keys, and Amaala will feature 110 keys by December 2023. The Maldives site, with 48 keys, opens in 2027. Carolyn aims for a $1 billion market value for Nammos.

📅 Dolphin Dynamics has expanded its booking capture tool for independent travel agents to include easyJet holidays packages. The tool enhances efficiency and data accuracy, reducing manual entry errors. It automatically integrates supplier details and captures deposit and balance due dates. Scott McCabe from Oasis Travel finds it enhances workflow, while Natasha Marson from easyJet holidays highlights time savings and error reduction. Chuck Richardson of Dolphin Dynamics mentions previous integrations with Jet2holidays, Expedia TAAP, and TUI.

💸 Sharla Singh was appointed CFO of Awaze in 2025 after serving as Interim CFO since May 2025. Singh joined Awaze in December 2023. Awaze, which includes Hoseasons, cottages.com, and Novasol, hosted over one million guests in August 2025 across 20 countries. The company reports increased repeat bookings and guest satisfaction in 2025 due to tech, service, and marketing investments. CEO Matthew Price emphasizes Singh’s strong platform experience to support Awaze’s growth and owner engagement.

💻 IBS Software appoints Abha Dogra as Chief Product Officer to lead its global product organization and integrate AI-first strategies. With over 20 years of experience, Dogra previously held senior roles at CAE and other major firms. Amit Jain joins as SVP and Global Head of Engineering, overseeing a 1,000-strong team across India, the US, UK, and Canada. These leadership changes, initiated in late 2024, aim to enhance product innovation and impact in travel technology.

💼 Stéphanie Cabassu joins D-EDGE's Executive Committee in Paris, overseeing strategic transformation, governance, and operational efficiency. D-EDGE employs 550+ staff and supports 17,000 clients globally. Stéphanie, with 20+ years of expertise, previously served as CFO at Sephora and led transformation projects in Europe. Her role emphasizes simplifying hotel operations via D-EDGE's integrated platform, supporting international growth and consolidating its leadership in Europe and Asia.