Human Resources

🏨 Emilie Couton, with 24 years at Accor and D-EDGE, has been appointed CEO of Accor Plus, marking a significant moment for the company. Under her leadership, Accor's Asia Pacific network expanded from 250 to 1,200 hotels across 38 brands. Accor Plus, celebrating 30 years, serves over 450,000 members in Asia Pacific. Emilie focuses on personalizing member experiences and strengthening connections with hotel partners. France-based Accor currently has 68 job offers available.

📈 Leeny Oberg will retire from Marriott in March 2026 after significantly boosting shareholder value. Her successors are Jen Mason, who will be CFO, and Shawn Hill, Chief Development Officer, starting in 2026. Mason has 33 years at Marriott, leading finance and strategy, while Hill expanded Marriott's APEC portfolio to over 600 properties with 380 more in development. Marriott plans to continue global growth and expansion, with a strong focus on leadership and innovation.

📑 Joanna Fantozzi, with 7+ years in restaurant journalism, is a Senior Editor at Nation’s Restaurant News since August 2021. She holds degrees in English and arts journalism. Her career highlights include roles at Insider and The Daily Meal. Joanna has moderated industry events like MUFSO and Restaurants Rise. She joined Informa in October 2018 and has also contributed to The New York Times, Forbes, and Vice.

🏨 Ryan Bukstein's career at Ace Hotel started in 1999, when the first Ace Hotel opened in Seattle. Ace, founded by Alex Calderwood, became a cultural icon by blending hospitality with community engagement. By 2000, Ryan, originally from Wisconsin, joined Ace after moving to Seattle for college and studying abroad in Japan. He took on various roles, including PR and marketing, eventually becoming VP of brand. Ace Hotel expanded to Portland and other cities, maintaining its unique cultural integration.

🍴 José Andrés Group appointed Sam Bakhshandehpour as CEO over a year ago. The group operates 45 restaurants and plans to expand in the Western U.S. and the Middle East, particularly in Arizona, Southern California, Nevada, Colorado, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Focus areas include the Bazaar meat concept, Zaytinya, and a new concept. Expansion will emphasize hotel partnerships and licensing the José Andrés name, targeting secondary markets near Las Vegas.

📅 Lucy takes the helm at ExecSpace with over 30 years in hospitality, aiming to create a 5-year growth plan. Collaborating with Emma Little, Lucy focuses on evolving the boutique venue sourcing service while integrating low-touch tech solutions. ExecSpace plans to expand into Life Sciences, Construction, and Energy sectors while navigating cost reductions in the Public Sector. The firm emphasizes sustainability and neurodiversity in events, aiming to enhance the client experience through strategic partnerships and innovation.

🎭 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.

🍳 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.