Human Resources

🏨 Marcus Hanna, with 25 years of experience, appointed COO of La Vie Hotels & Resorts, previously with Accor for 20 years. Duane Schroder promoted to Chief Growth Officer at Waterford Hotel Group, with 20 years at the company. Sandy Shen becomes VP at The Lux Collective, with 20+ years of experience. Joseph Zuziak named Director of Sales and Marketing at Hyatt Regency Irvine, with over 10 years in the industry. Ninoska Batista joins Outrigger Hospitality Group as Project Manager, bringing a decade of experience. Scenic Group opens APAC office in Singapore, appointing Constance Seck, Ally Grueter, and Quoc Huy To. George Vlachopoulos takes on GM role at Park Hyatt St. Kitts following a 20-year career. Mauricio Quezada Reyes becomes GM at Marquis Los Cabos after 15 years in the industry. Stephan Kapek joins Shangri-La Singapore as VP Operations and GM, with 30 years of experience, nearly 20 with Shangri-La Group.

📈 JLL's Hotels & Hospitality group added Carolina Bernal as senior director and Mackenzie Melikian as senior associate in NYC, focusing on hotel investment sales advisory. Bernal also joins the global hotel desk. Frasers Hospitality appointed Chew Hang Song as COO post-Mark Chan's retirement on September 30 and Ian Loe as managing director, technology and innovation. Outrigger Hospitality Group named Crystal Ho as EVP and CFO, succeeding Avery Aoki, and Craig A. Waterman as GM of Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort. Other hospitality appointments include Tori McLaughlin at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara, Frederic Vidal at Oetkar Collection, Jeff David at Six Senses La Sagesse, and Amit Kumar Prasad at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. Additionally, Adnan B. Virani joined HRI Hospitality as SVP of capital markets and investor relations.

🏨 Jennifer Clay, Vice President of Hotel Operations at Appellation, discusses hiring practices for General Managers on Oct. 3, 2024. Highlights include interview questions, key traits for success, and the value of downtime for recharging. Key interview insights are shared at 01:28 and 03:15, with a focus on the importance of disconnection at 04:14. Clay recommends sharing episodes for turning ideas into action within hospitality teams.

💰 Splendid Hospitality Group appoints Rachel Bulford as Chief Commercial Officer, joining its leadership team and Board of Directors. Bulford, with her experience as Director of Retail at Gatwick Airport and senior roles at Homebase and Burberry, aims to enhance commercial strategies for the company's hotels, restaurants, and care homes. She holds an MA from Cambridge and an MBA from Bayes Business School, and chaired the UK Travel Retail Forum from 2021 to 2023.

📆 Rob Rain joins OTO Development as CEO, replacing the late Corry Oakes and recently retired Todd Turner. Rain, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Bronze Star recipient, will drive growth and efficiency from Spartanburg, S.C. headquarters. Bill Ryan is now BWH Hotels' SVP and CTO, contributing 15 years of retail brand experience, reporting to President and CEO Larry Cuculic. Brent LeBlanc becomes EVP of Peachtree Group, bringing nearly 30 years of hospitality real estate experience. Margaritaville Beach Resort Nassau adds four sales team members: Antonecia Sweeting-Monroe, Beverley Maycock, Felicia Joseph, and Sabrina Stubbs. Nina Hospitality appoints Julian Ding as Group Director of Finance and Michelle Chung as Group Head of Internal Control and Compliance. Other key appointments include Abigail Seanez at Caption by Hyatt Nashville, David Kopasz as Chief Hospitality Officer at Delaware North, Laurent Ebzant promoted within Park Hyatt New York, and Juliette Granon as Director of Communications at Rosewood São Paulo. New GMs announced: Ana Gorjão Henriques for Nekajui, Naowarat Arunkong for NH Bangkok Sukhumvit Boulevard, Rod Lapasin for Hotel Westland at Railspur, Brian Koenitzer for Hilton Richmond Downtown, Aaron Osborne for Hyatt Centric French Quarter, Brian Kent for Caption by Hyatt Nashville, and Liz Martinez

📢 Artistry Restaurants, with 29 Southeast locations and five brands, appoints Bryan Lockwood as CEO to drive expansion, including a sixth brand in 2023. Lockwood, a veteran with CEO roles at Stonefire Grill and Real Mex Restaurants, brings a multi-disciplinary approach to growth. He succeeds Jason Brooks, now COO and partner, formerly of Uncle Julio’s and Bloomin’ Brands. Artistry brands include Boca, Shrimp Basket, Oak & Stone, Atlantic Beer and Oyster, and Sandbar Amelia Island.

🏨 Daniel C. Peek has joined JLL as president of its Americas region, boasting nearly $60 billion in career transactions. Based in Tampa, he'll collaborate with CEO Mark Gibson and Kevin Davis to enhance client relations and financial strategies. Christophe Thomas is Aethos' new COO, aiming to refine the brand's strategic direction and operations. Andaz Prague makes two key appointments with Axel Ziegler as GM and Christopher Koleros as Director of Sales and Marketing. The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok gears up for its November opening with six executive hires, including Tina Liu as GM. Pendry Washington DC-The Wharf names Amanda Santiago as Director of Sales and Marketing. Nicole Di Maio-Kennedy joins EOS Hospitality as VP of Revenue Maximization, bringing over two decades of experience. Edmund Richardson advances at Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club, aiming to enhance the resort's operations. Hilton appoints Antonio Bugarin as GM of Hilton Los Cabos, and Sabrina Graves takes the helm as GM at B Ocean Resort in Fort Lauderdale. Pedro Dias becomes GM of El Encanto, A Belmond Hotel, and Mali Carow is announced as GM at Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Fort Lauderdale.

📖 Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor at Informa's Restaurant & Food Group since August 2021, has over seven years of specialized experience in restaurant and hospitality industry journalism. She holds a bachelor's degree from The College of New Jersey and a master's from CUNY's Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. Her past roles include Associate and Assistant Editor at Informa (July 2019-August 2021), Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter, and positions at Insider and The Daily Meal. Joanna is also known for her contributions to The New York Times, Forbes, and Vice.

🎭 Ewan Venters, former CEO of Fortnum & Mason, left Artfarm amid concerns the Groucho Club is 'going corporate'. The Soho-based club, acquired by Artfarm in 2022, sparked member concerns over cultural 'destruction'. Artfarm, run by Swiss investors Iwan and Manuela Wirth since Venters joined in 2021, expanded with a Yorkshire sister site and several other hospitality ventures. Venters will exit by January next year, pending a replacement. Recent expansions include Da Costa in Bruton, following the Audley Public House and Fish Shop in Ballater.