Human Resources

🛂 Pedro Alves has been appointed as Senior Vice President at SITA, tasked with leading its Borders business through digital innovation. In 2024, Alves joined SITA to head global business development. He succeeds Jeremy Springall, who, since 2016, transformed SITA Borders, partnering with over 70 governments. In 2024, Springall led SITA to its largest deal ever. Alves brings experience from CGI, Vision-Box, and IDEMIA, focusing on secure, scalable, and people-centric border solutions.

🏨 easyHotel expands with the opening of easyHotel Marseille Euromed in November 2024. A new hotel will open in Ferney-Voltaire in 2027, aimed at providing affordable and eco-friendly accommodations near Geneva. Charley Le Peillet, an École Centrale de Lille graduate, joins as a leader with expertise in low-carbon construction. easyHotel's leadership strengthens with Karim Malak as CEO and Edward Jones as CFO, supporting its sustainable growth strategy in France and Belgium.

🏡 Gus Machado joins Lodgify as Chief Product and Design Officer, bringing over 20 years of experience from Intuit and Pipedrive. He previously led product development for the UK's Making Tax Digital initiative and doubled Pipedrive’s annual revenue by enhancing customer experience. Machado aims to advance Lodgify’s platform with AI-powered features, boosting host productivity. His appointment underscores Lodgify's commitment to transformative solutions in the vacation rental market.

🎭 Oak View Group (OVG) appointed Simon Hanna as Senior VP of Operations, leveraging 15+ years of leadership in global hospitality and events. Simon, previously COO at Freemans Event Partners, will work with Rebecca Kane Burton and Michalis Fragkiadakis to enhance fan experience and innovation in OVG’s venues, including those for Formula 1, Paris Olympics 2024, and Rome Ryder Cup 2023. OVG recently partnered with City Football Group and acquired Rhubarb Hospitality Collection in 2023.

Melbourne 25 June 2025 – Leading hospitality platform for hotels, motels, campgrounds, serviced apartments and short-term rentals RMS, has announced the appointment of Chetan Arjun as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) as it…

📈 Christopher Sebes has joined Tillster as Strategic Advisor to drive growth. Sebes, a restaurant-technology leader for 40 years, founded Xpient Solutions and led Xenial, contributing to major restaurant brands. He will aid Tillster’s unified commerce platform, processing millions of orders. Sebes' experience aligns with Tillster's expansion in the digital ordering market, as highlighted in their 2025 Phygital Index Report. The report emphasizes unified customer journeys as key to retaining loyalty.

📈 Chris Stevens, with 25 years in hospitality, joins Virgin Hotels Collection from Ashford Inc. to boost operations and growth. Rayhan Arif becomes CCFO, leveraging his Virgin Mobile and Virgin Orbit experience for financial leadership. CEO James Bermingham highlights their roles in global expansion and brand enhancement. Virgin Hotels plans to open in Shoreditch, London in August 2024, and expands its Virgin Limited Edition through strategic partnerships, integrating into the Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ Legend Collection.

🗺 Emerging Travel Group appointed Astrid Kastberg as Managing Director of RateHawk. 🌍 Based in Dubai, she will lead the B2B division supporting 110,000 retail and 1,100 API partners. 📈 In 2024, the group hit a $3.7 billion gross transaction value with RateHawk's net booking value rising 1.8 times and a 67% global booking growth. 🏢 The group employs 3,600+ people in 80 countries with offices in Dubai, Wilmington, Singapore, London, Berlin, Lisbon, Warsaw, and Limassol.

🍳 Chef Badara Gueye, a 40-year-old from Senegal, has spent nearly five years at La Cantine, Château de Candie in Chambéry. Post-pandemic, he merged African roots with French refinement using local, seasonal ingredients. Formerly a dishwasher in Dakar, his culinary and artistic pursuits have gained global recognition. Signature dishes include veal rump with blackcurrant jus and omble chevalier with sauce kaldou. Passionate about creativity, Badara’s experiences span continents, influencing his globally inspired cuisine and artistic work.

🏠 June 2025, Brad Berry and Philip Leighton will join Mandarin Oriental's Development team. Berry, with 25+ years in branded residential development, becomes Head of Residences & Homes. Leighton, with 20+ years in luxury travel, becomes Head of Mandarin Oriental Exceptional Homes. Their roles aim to expand luxury home offerings. Berry reports to the Chief Development Officer, while Leighton reports to Berry. This move aligns with Mandarin Oriental's strategy to enhance its presence in luxury living.