Human Resources

📌 Sabre, a global GDS and travel technology specialist, has appointed Trish O'Leary as the sales and account manager for Ireland. O'Leary, with over 20 years of experience, previously worked at VMware Carbon Black for nearly four years and has a background in sales, account management, and business development within the travel and technology sectors. Her role will address content fragmentation challenges in travel distribution by supporting Irish travel agencies with Sabre Travel Marketplace, which offers efficient access to multi-source content, including NDC, low-cost carriers, lodging, and ground transport. Sabre aims to improve agency efficiency and adaptability to evolving travel distribution strategies.

📢 Adam Seskis appointed as CEO of RMS, effective 6 February 2025, in London. Seskis brings over 25 years of experience with a background in SaaS and technology, having held roles at Epiq and Wolters Kluwer, and advising on M&A and commercial strategy. His focus will be on global market expansion, product development, and enhancing customer experience, leveraging RMS’ 40 years of guest data. RMS, founded in Melbourne, operates across 70 countries, serving over 7,000 properties, and recently received investment from Advent Partners.

💻 Brian Gurley, with over 25 years of financial and operational leadership experience, was announced as the new CEO of Enseo, a company offering hotel TV and entertainment, managed WiFi, smart room controls, and employee safety devices. Gurley, who joined Enseo as CFO in 2022, previously served as CFO at Magnitude Software and was a director at CBIZ Private Equity Advisors. His role will steer Enseo's growth strategy and customer-focused solutions, building on the company's history in the global hospitality market.

📢 RMS appointed Adam Seskis as CEO to spearhead global growth and innovation. Seskis brings over 25 years of experience in SaaS, software, and technology from companies like Epiq and Wolters Kluwer. Under his leadership, RMS aims to accelerate expansion, enhance products, and improve customer experiences, leveraging 40 years of guest data for customer insights. Founder Peter Buttigieg expresses confidence in Seskis' ability to scale the company and continue leading in hospitality technology.

🏨 Mike Deitemeyer joins Rockbridge as EVP, bringing extensive hospitality experience including over $1 billion in investment at Omni. Leonardo Hotels Central Europe restructures, with Lisa Mager as head of convention sales, Maja Ziemann as director of sales, Dan Ogen as chief digital and marketing officer, and Marion Schön as director of communication & marketing. Julian Alden joins The Lowell Hotel as director of sales and marketing. Brian Ehrlich appointed as SVP of business development at Remington Hospitality. Andreas Pade and Maximilian Deickert take leadership roles at Rosewood Schloss Fuschl. Laura McIver becomes managing director at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain. The Leading Hotels of the World adds Pia Djupmark and Crescenzo Gargano to its executive committee. Grand Hyatt Vail appoints Fernando Santana as managing director and Michael Scott as F&B hotel manager. Miiro names Stefan Ludwig as GM of The Mansard. Trump International Beach Resort Miami welcomes Jennifer Hiblum as general manager.

📈 Amal Mohammed Ahmed promoted to Vice President - Global Operations at Dnata Travel Group, managing a team of over 2,000 across global contact centres in UAE, UK, Serbia, Philippines, and India. Dnata, part of the Emirates Group, is executing a global growth strategy to expand in the Middle East and beyond. John Bevan, CEO, states that Ahmed's role will support Operations, driving innovation in customer service. Ahmed's background includes over two decades with Emirates Group and an MBA in Aviation Management from Coventry University, UK. Dnata comprises over 15 international travel brands and recently expanded its retail presence with a new store in Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates.

🏨 Vincent Ramelli appointed as the new CEO of LodgIQ, a Silicon Valley-based AI revenue management platform for hospitality, on February 4th, 2025. Ramelli, with a history of scaling businesses, focuses on global expansion and user-friendly solutions for hoteliers. LodgIQ, already serving over 550 hotels, is set to grow under his leadership, meeting the demand for data-driven management in the dynamically evolving hospitality industry. For more details, visit https://lodgiq.com/.

📖 Michelle O'Brien appointed as Managing Director of Structured Finance at Access Point Financial (APF). Her role focuses on the capital markets community and APF's new mezzanine GAP financing product for hotels. She reports to CIO Dana Tsakanikas. O'Brien holds a BA from William & Mary and an MS in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Virginia Tech. She previously worked with Trilogy Investment and other hospitality leaders. APF's CEO Michael I. Lipson emphasizes the company's commitment to hotel capital solutions.

🏦 Claudia Kozma Kaplan appointed Chief Brand Officer for Raffles and Fairmont Hotels. Kaplan, with experience at Christian Dior and Gucci, oversees Raffles’ 23 hotels and forthcoming openings in London, Boston, and Jaipur. Led “The Butler Did It” campaign enhancing Raffles' brand. Now also guiding Fairmont brand direction for global resonance.