H E A D S
above the rest
The Newsletter of The Boutique Search Firm
| OCTOBER 2001
Why this FREE newsletter?
Such is the question we have heard often over the past two or three months as more and more hospitality decision makers worldwide have been added to our e-mailing list by benevolent colleagues. I ran into a distinguished hotelman in Paris four weeks ago who had no idea that Heads Above the Rest and The Boutique Search Firm were one and the same.
"Let me get this right," he said, "You are an executive search firm, and you publish this outstanding newsletter which must takes hundreds of hours of your time; you give it away for free, and, additionally, you do not care if it falls in the hands of our competitors. Do you realize you provide them with a wealth of information they would otherwise pay dearly for? Don¹t you think it hurts your business?"
The reality is that it does not, but why not take this opportunity to let all our readers know exactly who we are and what we do for a living.
With offices in Los Angeles, California and Nyons, France, The Boutique Search Firm has been serving the recruiting needs of luxury hotels, resorts and private estates worldwide.
Satisfied clients include the likes of Inter-Continental Hotels, Hotel Bel-Air, The New York Palace, The St. Regis, Hotel Bora Bora, Amanresorts, Robert Redford's Sundance, Hilton Hotels Corporation, Conrad International Hotels, Outrigger Tahiti, Belle Mare Plage & Shandrani in Mauritius, The Plantation Club, Puente Romano & Marbella Club, Paradiana Resorts, L'Auberge Collection, Orient-Express, Andersen Consulting, Hotel Shilla, Loews Hotels & Resorts, Banyan Tree Resorts, Hotel Montalembert, Lancaster, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Méridien Hotels, Sofitel, The Peabody, Hôtel Ritz Paris, Copthorne & Millennium Hotels, Shangri-La Hotels..... and many others.
A contingency search firm, we earn our fee only if and when a candidate introduced by us has been hired by our client. Our fee then amounts to 30% of the candidate's first year gross salary. WE GUARANTEE ALL OUR PLACEMENTS FOR ONE FULL YEAR. Should a candidate placed by The Boutique Search Firm resign or be terminated for any reason within twelve months of employment, The Boutique Search Firm will conduct a replacement search at no charge to the client.
We carry a constantly updated database of approximately 12,500 candidates representing the "crème de la crème" of hospitality management worldwide. We know (often personally) and have access to the best Financial Controller in Bangladesh, the best Concierge in Bali, the finest Chef in Geneva, the top Food and Beverage Director in Myanmar, the best "boutique" General Manager in London, the "A-Number-One" Director of Sales and Marketing in Napa Valley, the strongest Public Relations Manager in New York, the most stylish Pastry Chef in Cairo, the classiest Executive Housekeeper in Asia, the greatest Front Office Manager in Rio de Janeiro, the most effective Director of Security in Las Vegas, the most inspired Chief Operating Officer in North AmericaŠ. And then some.
Now you have it, and we are counting on you as clients and "premium" candidates, to call upon us for your needs.
And yes, things has been slow since September 11, and we do need your business.
EDITOR'S CORNER:
September Eleven Two Thousand and One
Hell (the real thing) has broken loose in America. The horror is taking time to fully register in our minds. The following is a testimony from a key hotel executive in New York, sent to us a few days after the attack:
"Just when I thought I could get home there has been a bomb threat for Grand Central Station, Penn Station and The Met Life Building. Macy's dept store has also been evacuated. I just ran across the street to Saks and got some more socks and underwear (skivvies as they are called in NY). People are obviously very worried and angry. A lot of people are crying. People¹s lives are completely and utterly upside down, inside out. Some guests have come back to the hotel in the last few days covered in dust, looking like they have been walking on the moon. Muslim employees are dying their hair, changing their names out of fear. Rachid, one of the nicest people in the building wants now to be addressed as Richard. I have not been home since Tuesday, not slept much either, running on adrenaline. I was hoping to get out tonight but as I can only get out via Grand Central so we will wait and see. The trains out of Grand Central run under the hotel so I hope that is just a scare. I thought the note below by a Canadian journalist was inspiring. When I read it I called our Purchasing Manager and got 200 miniature US flags (with stands) and put one on all the tables in the restaurant and public areas in the hotel."
Sadness will stay with all of us for a long, long time.
BUT THEN THERE IS THE FUTURE, WHICH CAN ONLY BE BRIGHT, AS OUR FRIEND AND FORMER CLASSMATE BILL SHOAF, PRESIDENT OF FANDANGO RESORTS STATES:
"Dear Friends and Associates
Two weeks ago today we were all going about our business and lives not knowing that in less that 24 hours we would witness a tragedy of unspeakable dimensions. We saw human carnage, loss of innocent life, senseless hatred. We saw the our country and its citizens laid open - exposed and vulnerable. We saw the worst of mankind. We also bore witness to the depth and strength of the soul and spirit of a great people and their country. We saw the best of humankind. Now we are at a crossroads. Over the weekend my neighbors, still heavy in heart with the events of September 11th, began returning to their lives - the honey do lists, preparing for the upcoming winter, going to the supermarket, watching a ballgame with friends and family, taking a walk with a loved one. It is now Monday and as I write and the Dow is up 349 points. It is time for us to do what we know best and what will serve our country best in this time of adversity. We need to go back to work. Many of us were around in the Gulf War - some during the days of the Ayatollah - we have been here before and we know what needs to be done. We need to help repair whatever damage has been done to the spirit of our employees and customers. That is not done by wondering how far is down but by charting how high is up. We need to remind ourselves and our employees that ours is the business of caring and shelter. Our guest comes to us for relief from the pressures of daily life. They come to us for sanctuary and renewal. At this time we do not have the luxury of self pity or depression. Our is the theater of hospitality and the show must go on.
We need to focus our collective minds and wills on shoring up our industry - we need to take every public opportunity to broadcast "wins" - no matter how small - and resist any temptation to "weigh in" on rumors of impending doom. Lastly, we must lead. It is the job we signed up for...
Winston Churchill - a man I greatly respect - was forever eloquent in difficult times. Some thoughts from him:
"Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities ....because it is the quality that guarantees all others. Don't argue about the difficulties. The difficulties will argue for themselves. Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor or good sense."
As a side note, last week my partners and I went on a business trip to the West Coast that was planned well in advance of September 11th. It was - of all things - a development trip. We went - the airports were efficient, the airline staff the best and most courteous I have experienced in the past ten years, the restaurants while not packed were busy and excellent, and most of all we had receptive and positive meetings with all of the business associates we met with. We will not only get through this - we will stand on the shoulders of this tragedy and see new and better horizons. "
Bill
Global Update:
Who's where and doing what
THE AMERICAS
Peter French has been appointed by Rosewood as Managing Director of the Carlyle in New York. He joins with an illustrious international background and most recently served as management consultant for the Doorlaong Lodge in Australia and the Capetonian Hotel in South Africa. French was previously the General Manager of London¹s Grosvenor House. He originally made his name on the international hotel scene as the General Manager of the Mandarin-Oriental Hong Kong.
Still at the Carlyle, Jean-Marie Dubos has been confirmed as Director of Food and Beverage. He was previously Rosewood¹s Corporate Director of Food and Beverage under Vice President Stephen Judge. Jean-Louis Dumonnet has been hired as Executive Chef, after his stint at Jean-Louis Palladin¹s defunct restaurant at New York's Time Hotel. Dumonnet was for many years a co-owner of Troisjean on Manhattan¹s Upper East Side.
At the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach, Executive Chef Roland Scherer is gone, having returned to Singapore where he will be involved in an import-export business. Acting Executive Chef at the hotel is now Jean-Christophe Basseau, while the hotel restaurant receives a new Chef de Cuisine, Matt McDonald, who comes from restaurant 30/30 in Palm Beach.
When Executive Chef Eric Salomon left the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead to take over from Bruno Lopez at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, he was replaced by Eric Chopin, formerly the Executive Chef at the Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner.
New Director of Food and Beverage at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica is David Dresser, replacing Jeff Jackson. The exodus continues at Shutters, and its sister property Casa Del Mar, with the departure of Wendy Bolte, Associate Director of Sales (who follows a few other former colleagues at Brad Korzen¹s Kor Group and will be the Director of Sales for the group¹s newest property, The Viceroy, a total makeover of the dowdy Pacific Shores, due to open in the Spring). Also departing are Sales Managers Heidi Silver (who joins Taj Hotels as West Coast Sales Manager) and Rachel Eskoff (who joins the Beverly Hills Hotel).
Patricia Luc, currently the Corporate Human Resources Director for the Kor group (Avalon, Estrellas Inn, Maison 140) will assume the function of Director of Housekeeping at the Viceroy, once the renovations of the current Pacific Shores in Santa Monica is completed.
Gerald Wolsborn has accepted the position as General Manager for the 1,850-room Adam's Mark Dallas. A long-term Westin General Manager, he was most recently in charge of both the Westin and the Sheraton Palo Alto.
George Blanckensee has left his position of Director of Food and Beverage at the Westin St. Francis after a mere eighteen months to return to his former employer, Newport Beach¹s Sutton Place Hotel. He had previously logged fifteen years at the hotel, formerly known at the Méridien Newport Beach where he started as Room Service Manager. His new position is now as Vice President of Projects for the Grand Hotel Group, owner of Sutton Place Hotels in Newport Beach, Toronto and Vancouver.
New General Manager at the privately owned Lowell in New York (a Relais & Château) is Hieko Kuenstle, previously the Director of Rooms Operations at the Plaza Athénée, also in New York.
Bruce Hamlin has been appointed National Sales Manager for the 1,620-room Wyndham Anatole in Dallas. Prior to that he was the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel and the Sheraton Rittenhouse Square Hotel in Philadelphia. Also at the Anatole, Kevin Owens has been appointed National Accounts Manager. He used to be responsible for the Anatole¹s sales in the Washington D.C. market.
Manhattan East Suite Hotels announced the appointment of three new General Managers who are moving from one Manhattan East property to another. Tom Chamberlain has assumed the position of General Manager at the Dumont Plaza. He was most recently at the Shelburne Murray Hill in the same position. Replacing him as General Manager at the Shelburne is Lori-Ann Hamilton who recently served as General Manager for four years at the company's Lyden Gardens. Victor Freeman has been promoted to General Manager at Plaza Fifty. He previously served as Assistant General Manager at The Benjamin.
Small Luxury Hotels of the World announced that Francis Brennan, owner of Ireland's Park Hotel Kenmare, will serve as Chairman of the International Board of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Brennan succeeds John Cope, the President and Managing Director of The Huntington Hotel in San Francisco.
Bruno Ménard is the new Chef de Cuisine at the award-winning Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead, replacing Joel Antunes who launched his own restaurant. Ménard previously was part of the opening team at the Ritz-Carlton Osaka. He first was Chef of La Baie, the hotel¹s French restaurant, prior to a promotion to Executive Sous Chef when incumbent Christophe Megel was promoted to Executive Chef at the Ritz-Carlton Millennia Singapore. Prior to joining Ritz-Carlton, Ménard was the Chef de Cuisine at Tatou in Tokyo.
(Ms.) Carter Donovan is opening General Manager at the Sarasota Ritz-Carlton, coming from the same spot at the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas.. Donovan is a 17-year Ritz-Carlton veteran who has worked in seven of the company¹s properties. Also joining Sarasota from another Ritz property is Sous Chef Benjamin Wilkinson, hailing from the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua.
Sam Cole is the General Manager of the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, where the 335 rooms and public spaces will undergo a $6 million renovation beginning October 1, 2001 to be completed by March 2002, when the Academy Awards return to Hollywood at the new Kodak theater. Incidentally, the very first Academy Awards were held in the hotel¹s Blossom Room, in 1929. 2002 will mark the 75th anniversary of the hotel. Cole was previously the General Manager of the boutique Avalon in Beverly Hills.
John Buschman was Named Director of Meeting and Incentive Sales for the Posadas Hotel Group. Buschman¹s extensive sales and marketing career included executive sales and marketing positions with the European TUI Group, Networld, the Veplan Hotel Group in Brazil and Sheraton Hotels in Mexico, Brazil and the Caribbean.
At the lavishly spruced-up Sandy Lane in Barbados, Chief Executive Officer Richard Williams, a well-known personality throughout the Caribbean region, is calling it quits after twelve years.
Randall Baumberger, 35, has been named Senior Vice President, Disneyland Resort Hotels. In his new role, Baumberger is responsible for the Resort's three hotels -- the 500-room Paradise Pier Hotel, the 1,000-room Disneyland Hotel and the 750-room Grand Californian Hotel -- as well as Downtown Disney, the 300,000-square-foot entertainment, dining and retail district located between Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure. He moves to the Disneyland Resort from Disney Regional Entertainment in Burbank, where he was Senior Vice President.
William Gross has been appointed Director of Food and Beverage at Interstate Hotels¹ Laguna Cliffs Marriott in Dana Point. He previously held the same position at Destination Hotels and Resorts¹ Paradise Point Resort in San Diego.
Ken Pilgrim has left his position of General Manager at the Westin Century Plaza in Los Angeles. The long time Westin veteran chose to move in the same position to the smaller but "more peaceful" Westin Long Beach. Next door from the Century Plaza, Henri Birmele is gone as Hotel Manager at the St. Regis Los Angeles. He will not be replaced.
Peter Walterspiel, a former General Manager of the St. Regis Washington DC, who had recently been moved by Starwood to New York to implement the company¹s Six Sigma strategy, is joining the Venetian in Las Vegas as Vice President of Hotel Operations.
Richard Lee has been named General Manager of the Lodge at Stillwater in Park City, Utah. He most recently served as General Manager of Brooks Lake Lodge in Jackson, Wyoming. Prior to that he served as Director of Food and Beverage at the Grand Summit Resort Hotel at The Canyons Ski and Summer Resort in Park City.
Mark Kaiser has joined Adam's Mark as the General Manager of their Mobile hotel. Prior to joining Adam's Mark, he served as Chief Financial Officer for the Diplomat Resort in Hollywood Florida. He also was General Manager at the Marriott in Huntsville, Alabama, two resorts in the Caribbean, and hotels in San Antonio and Sedona, Arizona.
Also at the Adam's Mark Mobile, Terry Fitzpatrick has been named Executive Chef. Prior to joining Adam's Mark, Fitzpatrick, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, was Executive Chef for Davidson Hotels and for Doubletree Hotels in San Antonio.
Holger Frohlich is the Executive Chef at the fabled Brazilian Court in Palm Beach. Most recently he was the Executive Chef at the Horseshoe Casino in Robersonville, Mississippi.
At the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles, Executive Chef Thomas Hanson is gone fifteen months after taking over from Gary Clauson. His replacement has not been announced yet.
Barry Anderson, Vice President of Marketing for Peabody Hotel Group and The Peabody Orlando, has been named Vice President of Sales and Marketing for all of Peabody Hotel Group's properties and services. Anderson originally joined the Peabody Orlando sixteen years ago, prior to its opening.
Yves Giacometti has been put in charge of the soon-to-be-known-as Four Seasons Buenos Aires, formerly known as the Park Hyatt Buenos Aires.Giacometti, a 17-year Four Seasons veteran, was until recently the General Manager at the Four Seasons Caracas.
Bertrand Bouquin is the new Executive Chef at Cincinnati¹s famed Maisonette restaurant. A former Senior Sous Chef at Daniel Boulud¹s eponymous New York restaurant, he was most recently the Chef de Cuisine at Club XIX, the gourmet venue at the Lodge at Pebble Beach.
The Crowne Plaza Dallas Market Center has announced the appointment of André Martin as its new General Manager.
Martin moved to Dallas from New Orleans where he served as Executive Assistant Manager at the Hotel Inter-Continental. Prior to his position in New Orleans, André directed the Food and Beverage operations of the Hotel Inter-Continental Montréal.
Thomas Ryan has joined The Grand America in Salt Lake City as Executive Chef. Ryan joins The Grand America from his most recent position as Executive Chef to the culinary team opening the Omni Interlocken Resort in Boulder, Colorado. Prior to that he served as Executive Chef at Rosewood¹s Little Dix Bay Resort on Virgin Gorda.
John Blanco has been transferred from the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead to the company¹s new property in Key Biscayne Florida, in his same capacity of Executive Assistant Manager in charge of Food and Beverage. Blanco, who was hotel-educated in Glion, Switzerland, also held the position of Food and Beverage Director at the Four Seasons Wailea on Maui..
Foundry Park Inn & Spa, a boutique property in Athens, Georgia, announced that Mark Sampsell has been named General Manager. Sampsell previously worked for Wyndham Hotels in Detroit, Knoxville and Atlanta.
SRS-Worldhotels has announced the appointment of Brian Zanzucchi as Director, Membership Services, Asia/Pacific. He was previously Revenue Manager for Summit Hotels & Resorts.
With Forest Hills Hotels gone as an entity, Kathleen Triptree has joined in the creation of Bryant and Triptree, a marketing representation company with partner Barbara Bryant.
The Ritz-Carlton Half-Moon Bay in Northern California has a new Director of Finance in Igbar Bashir a transfer from their stepsister property, the Marriott Waikiki and a Director of Conference Services, Elizabeth Ng, who transferred from Singapore¹s Ritz-Carlton Millennia.
Alex Andrade has been appointed General Manager of the Hyatt Cancun Caribe Villas & Resort. Alex previously was with Grupo Posadas where he was General Manager of the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach.
Hannan Zanzuri has been appointed General Manager of the Hyatt Regency Cancun. Hannan has been with Hyatt for 12 years, most recently as Regional Director of Marketing for Mexico & Central America.
Susan Devine joins Grupo Posadas as the General Manager of the Fiesta Americana Grand Chapultepec. Prior to this assignment Susan was a ten-year veteran with Hyatt.
The Pointe South Mountain Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, has appointed Geoffrey Cooke as National Sales Manager. Most recently, he was Director of Sales & Marketing for the Sheraton San Marcos resort in Chandler, Arizona. The Pointe also has appointed Cabrin Kelly-Hale as Director of Destination Services. Kelly-Hale most recently was Director of Catering & Convention Services for The Westin Stonebriar Resort in Frisco, Texas. She also was Director of Catering at the Hotel Crescent Court in Dallas.
Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts announced the appointment of Joseph Reyes to the position of Regional Director of Sales in the company's New York office. Most recently, he was the Director of Corporate Sales for The Holiday Inn Wall Street in New York. He also held similar positions with the Parker Méridien, The Fitzpatrick, and the Regal U.N. Plaza Hotel.
Micarl Hill has been named General Manager of Clayton on the Park, in Clayton, Missouri. Hill is a 24-year veteran of the hospitality industry and most recently served as Vice President of Operations for Woodside Hotels & Resorts in Redwood City, California. He also has served as General Manager of several other distinctive hotels, including The Clift Hotel and the Huntington Hotel in San Francisco, and Seattle¹s Sorrento Hotel.
In Los Angeles, Nathalie Debonnet leaves Leading Hotels of the World to become Director of Sales, North America, for Concorde¹s Hotel de Crillon in Paris and Hotel Martinez in Cannes. She is due to relocate the office to New York in the New Year.
William Becker has accepted a position as Director of Culinary Operations for Harrah¹s Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, a behemoth with 17 restaurants, 33 kitchens and 750 culinary staff. Becker joins from a similar post at the Lake Las Vegas Resort. The 1981 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, previously logged several years in Asia with Shangri-La in Surabaya, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Todd Frappier has been appointed Director of Sales & Marketing for Orlando¹s 1,334-room Rosen Centre. Before joining The Rosen Centre, Frappier served an eight-year tenure as Director of Sales and Marketing at the 800-room Rosen Plaza, also in Orlando.
Pacifica Hotel Company announced that Craig Stevenson has been named Chief Executive Officer. Stevenson originally joined Pacifica in June 1998 as Vice President-Acquisitions. In 2000, Stevenson served as a consultant to Pacifica.
Cornellian Erik Lars Hansen has left the Los Angeles office of Korn/Ferry International after a successful five-year tenure. The search giant has curtailed dozens of key positions throughout the United States.
EUROPE
Prominent Swiss Hotelier, Carmen Bucher Wirth, the popular and highly respected owner of Rome¹s Hassler Villa Medici, passed away at age 88. A member of one of Europe¹s most prominent Swiss hotel families, Mrs. Wirth was educated in New York City and Geneva, Switzerland, where she earned a degree in international law. She received numerous commendations from various hotel and travel associations around the world.. In 1992 she was elected by Hotels Magazine as the first female "Independent Hotelier of the Year".
Roland Pozzo di Borgo, who had founded the restaurant chain Bistro Romain and as such, "invented" theme restaurants in France, has died at age 72. The group he launched in 1982 grew to 63 restaurants located in major French cities. He sold the company one year ago to Groupe Floowners of La Coupole, Brasserie Flo, Hippopotamus and many others.
At the Four Seasons George Cinq in Paris, Director of Food and Beverage Carlo Tragioto left for Egypt after merely a year on the job. He had transferred to the George Cinq from the Four Seasons Istanbul, after originally joining the company in its Milan property. His successor in Paris is Jean-Pierre Trévisan, formerly of the Hotel Inter-Continental Paris. Tragioto will be opening the Four Seasons Sharm El Sheik.
Rob Hancock has been appointed by Six Continents (formerly Bass Hotels and Resorts) as Brand Vice President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. A former Pillsbury marketing man he was previously in charge of selling Green Giant and Old El PasoŠ.
Thirty-one year old Claire Guthuix is the new Executive Housekeeper at the Ritz Paris. She comes equipped with substantial experience acquired at the Hotel de Crillon and the Hotel Bristol Paris.
François Thévard has been named Front Office Manager at the Royal Riviera in St. Jean Cap Ferrat. He was previously the Reservations Manager at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris. He also served four years with the Savoy Hotel Group.
Laurence Buggiani has left her position of Executive Housekeeper at the Mandarin-Oriental Hotel du Rhône. She is now in the same capacity at La Réserve, also in Geneva.
André Charpentier left the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay, after nine years to become the Resident Manager at Nice¹s famed Hotel Négresco.
Fréderic Clément is the opening General Manager for the Athens Spata Sofitel. A fifteen-year Accor veteran, he was previously the General Manager of the recently-opened Sofitel Bercy in Paris.
After completing 26 years as Executive Chef of London¹s legendary Connaught, Michel Bourdin will retire at the end of this year. Bourdin joined The Connaught in 1974, becoming only the fifth Executive Chef (all of them French) since the hotel was built in 1897. Bourdin's replacement will be Jérôme Ponchelle, currently Premier Sous Chef at the hotel. Ponchelle first joined The Connaught in 1988 and became the hotel's Executive Sous Chef in 1998.
Jacky Tresch has been promoted by Sofitel to the position of Marketing and Brand Director. Alexis de La Palme has been named Director of International Sales for Sofitel.
At Boscolo, Yannick Paturel has been named General Manager of the Grand Hotel in Lyon. He was previously with the Lucien Barrière Hotel Group, as General Manager of the Hôtel du Golf International in La Baule. Also at Boscolo, Franck Farneti is Director of Sales and Marketing for France. He was previously the Director of Marketing at the Carlton Inter-Continental in Cannes..
Renaud Bachoffner is the new Director of Marketing at Monaco¹s Grimaldi Forum and Convention Center. He was previously with LSO International in Nice.
At the upcoming Park Hyatt Vendôme due to open in Paris in 2002 Michel Jauslin, Regional Vice-President for Southwestern Europe and North Africa, will also be the new hotel¹s General Manager. Maguelone Destang is in charge of public relations for France. Arnaud de Saint-Exupéry was named Director of Marketing for France.
Franck Riboud, 45, and Chief Executive Officer of Danone, is now on the board of directors of Accor. He takes over the former seat of Jean-Marie Fourier, Chief Executive Officer of Thomson.
François Rodolphe is the new Chef at the Ciel de Paris, Paris¹ highest restaurant, where he takes over from Philippe Pentecôte. Rodolphe¹s career included stints as Sous Chef to Alain Ducasse in Monte-Carlo, Chef de Cuisine at Gaddi¹s at the Peninsula Hong Kong, Chef de Cuisine at the two-Michelin starred Auberge des Templiers, and Chef de Cuisine at the Grand Hotel Inter-Continental in Paris.
Simon Casson has been appointed Hotel Manager at Four Seasons London. He has been with Four Seasons for twelve years, with his prior assignments being the opening Executive Assistant Manager at Four Seasons Canary Wharf also in London and Director of Rooms at the Four Seasons Washington DC.
Tony Troy, Managing Director of Principal Hotels, has been promoted to Regional Managing Director UK and Ireland of Nomura¹s Le Méridien and Principal chains. The move has left John Bamsey, Regional Managing Director of Le Méridien UK and Ireland, without a job..
Serge Ragozin has been appointed Executive Senior Vice-President Global Services for Hotels, a structure that brings together computer services, reservations, purchasing, construction and the environment. Ragozin was Group General Manager of the Concorde Hotel Group in the nineties, before joining Accor in 1997, as Area Manager.
W. Joseph Coté assumes responsibilities as Banqueting Manager at Claridge's replacing Sara Porteous who went on to assume the same role at the Four Seasons Dublin. Coté, an American, previously held similar positions at the Swissotel Istanbul, the Kempinski Ciragan Palace (also in Istanbul) the Ritz-Carlton Millennia and the Marina Mandarin, both in Singapore.
Christophe Collin, former Director of Restaurants at the Regent of Wall Street is the new Director of Food and Beverage at the Sofitel Lyon. He partly replaces Jean-Pierre Dousse who has been moved as Director of Operations at the new Sofitel New York.
Roger Marcz is the new Food and Beverage Director at Rosewood¹s Badrutt¹s Palace. He was previously the Director of Food and Beverage at the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, and had before that worked at the Regent of Bangkok with Palace General Manager Roland Fasel and Executive Chef Franz Faeh. Rounding up Fasel¹s "dream team" are Peter Kienst, former Resident Manager at Orient-Express¹ Reid¹s Palace in Madeira and Food and Beverage Operations Manager Angelo Martinelli.
Jean-Marc Michel is the new Director of Operations at Reid¹s Palace. He was recently the Executive Assistant Manager in charge of Food and Beverage at Carénage, now a Rosewood Resort.
Antoine Chevane, son of owner Sylviane Chevane, takes over as General Manager of the Byblos, both in Saint Tropez and Courchevel, replacing Sylvain Ercoli who left the company. Ercoli is the new General Manager at Cannes' Hotel Martinez, succeeding Jean-Louis Bottigliero, recently anointed full-time executive director of Relais & Chateaux.
Peter Kaelli moves from Méridien in the Seychelles (two hotels plus a small cruise ship) to General Manager of the Méridien Budapest. He is replaced in the Seychelles by Abel Damergi who rejoined Méridien in April after a brief hiatus with Accor.
Serge Gouloumes, 44, is the new Executive Chef at the 20-room ultra-luxury Mas Candille in Mougins, France. He was previously at the Miramar Beach Hôtel de Théoule-sur-Mer. A former resident of Los Angeles, Gouloumes had been the opening chef for the now-defunct Ma Maison Sofitel.
Juergen Bartels, Chief Executive Office of the "new, improved" Le Méridien, has been cleaning house and bringing in his own people: Richard Mahoney has been named Executive Vice President Operations, after an honorable career with Westin. Susan Clark is the chain¹s new Vice President Marketing. From the old guard, gone are Michel Noblet, former Area Vice President Middle East /Indian Ocean, a well-respected executive, who has been replaced by Sami Zogbi. Jacques Mottet, Le Méridien¹s former Vice President Europe, has left the company and moved to Mauritius. His position was taken over by Malcom Ross, a former Disney man.
At the exquisite Chateau de Bagnols outside Lyon, France, Philippe Labbé is the new chef, taking over from Thierry Bonfante, a former Troisgros man, who barely stayed fifteen months. Labbé comes from the Plaza-Athénée Paris where he was Senior Sous Chef to Eric Briffard prior to Alain Ducasse¹s arrival. Also in Bagnols there is new Restaurant Director, Michael Chalançon a former employee, of Georges Blanc and Marc Meneau¹s L'Espérance.
Christian Henkemeier has been appointed General Manager of the soon-to-open Hilton Cologne, in Germany. He was previously the Director of Operations at the Berlin Hilton.
ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
François Richli, General Manager of Amanjiwo, has been named Best General Manager in the world by Gallivanter's Guide.
Jean-Luc Chartier is Chief Engineer at the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort, coming from Les Villas du Lagon on Reunion Island. He replaces Pascal Carrion who left the island after almost three years.
Vikram Sood has been appointed Executive Assistant Manager in charge of Rooms Operations at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua. Sood comes from L¹Auberge Del Mar, where he assumed the position of Director of Operations. He also recently performed the opening of the ill-fated Regent of Las Vegas.
Brian Czechowski has been appointed General Manager Renaissance Sydney Hotel, the newest step in a thus-far-23-year career with Marriott. Recent positions included Area Director of Operations for Central and Southern Asia, Director of Operations at the Dallas Marriott Quorum and Director of Food and Beverage at the 1,290 room New Orleans Marriott Hotel. In Sydney he replaces Rod Lowe who has transferred to the Renaissance Seoul Hotel.
Marc Hediger has joined Shangri-La, with a special job, in charge of projects, renovations and the development of a new look for the group. His official title is director of renovation projects. He joins Shangri-La after a two year stint as Corporate Director of Food and Beverage Operations for Movenpick.
Carlson Hotels Worldwide announced the appointment of Francis Killory as Director of Development for Asia-Pacific. Carlson Hotels Worldwide has targeted Asia-Pacific as a top development priority for the continuing globalization of the organization. Killory most recently served as Vice President Development Asia Pacific for Méridien Hotels & Resorts.
Ryan Adrian recently was appointed General Manager for Raddin Sanur Bali. The former Resident Manager of the resort Adrian joined Raddin Sanur Bali in 1998.
Anne Arrowsmith has left the Regent of Jakarta after a mere four months to transfer in the same capacity of Director of Sales and Marketing, to the Regent of Bangkok. A bit a musical chairs there, since Arrowsmith is replaced in Jakarta by Debbie Theo, who comes from the Regent of Bangkok.
Meanwhile, still in Jakarta, Deborah English has been named Director of Sales and Marketing at the Park Lane. English joins from the Méridien Sydney, which she opened. She has also been the Director of Marketing at the Regent of Kuala Lumpur.
The Inn at Temple Street, Singapore, has named Bobby Chang as the Hotel Manager. He is a 20-year veteran of the hospitality industry.
Henk Meyknecht, after having worked for the past 5 years for Bass Hotels & Resorts in China, is now the General Manager of the 400-room Grand Pacific Hotel in Bangkok. A Dutchman, Meyknecht was most recently the General Manager of the Holiday Inn Downtown Shanghai.
At the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Shawn Jervis has been promoted to the position of Director of Food and Beverage. He was previously the Assistant Director of Food and Beverage under Executive Assistant Manager Tobias Mattstedt until the latter left for the MGM Grand Las Vegas.
Francois Cnockaert is the General Manager of the 1,500-room Hotel Lotte Seoul. A Frenchman and a Lausanne graduate, Cnockaert previously spent over eight years with Ritz-Carlton. His last position there was as opening General Manager of the Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia, which was granted a Five-Diamond Rating within five months of opening.
Sedona Hotels International has appointed Paul-André Guidat as the new General Manager for the Sedona Makassar, a 230-room property in Indonesia. He replaces Jean Keijdener, who transferred to the Sedona Suites Hanoi. Guidat joins Sedona after six years with the Mandarin-Oriental Hotel Group.
Andreas Muller has been appointed Director of Food and Beverage for the Amari Atrium in Bangkok. The 39-year-old German was previously working in the same capacity for the 256-room Sonesta Cairo.
At Raffles in Singapore it was not only Executive Chef Jan Gundlach who moved to Australia (he was replaced by Jean-Paul Naquin, previously of the Ritz-Carlton Seoul) but also Executive Pastry Chef Anthony Osborne. Osborne, a Scotsman, had joined Raffles from the Nagoya Hilton three years ago.
Still at Raffles, top Food and Beverage man Louis Sailer moved on to become the General Manager at the Swissôtel Dalian (which is part of Raffles Swissôtel).
David Wong, Director of Food and Beverage at Bangkok¹s Dusit Thani, has been hired by Raffles International in the capacity of Director of Food & Beverage, to do the handover with the Westin Singapore. The Westin Stamford will be rebranded Swissôtel and the Westin Plaza will be renamed Raffles The Plaza, where Wong will be based.
Spaniard Alfonso Romero is the new General Manager of Meliá Hanoi in Vietnam. His extensive experience in Asia includes that of being General Manager for the Meliá Hua Hin in Thailand and before that Meliá Benoa in Indonesia. Prior to his appointment at the Meliá Hanoi, Romero was assigned as Sol Melia's Project Manager for China where he assisted with project consultancy and new business development.
Mark Lettenbichler has been transferred to the much coveted position of General Manager of the Ritz-Carlton Millennia Singapore. He previously held the same position at the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong.
In Hawaii, both the Executive Chef and the Food and Beverage Director of the Orchid at Mauna Lani hopped islands to Maui to join KSL¹s Grand Wailea Resort. Executive Chef Eric Faivre was with Hilton International prior to joining the Orchid; as for Food and Beverage Director Kevin McDonough, he had joined the Orchid one year ago after a stint at the Vail Cascades Resort with Destination Hotels and Resorts. McDonough has a long work history on the Big Island of Hawaii where he was, many years ago, the assistant Food and Beverage Director at the Mauna Lani Resort, prior to being snapped up by M.V.Puri when the latter was the opening Executive Assistant Manager in charge of Food and Beverage at the defunct Ritz-Carlton Mauna Lani...now the Orchid at Mauna Lani. New Executive Chef at The Orchid is Jim Babian, who was promoted internally.
Tracy Mercer has been promoted to General Manager of the new Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Maranouchi, slated to open in July, 2002. Mercer has been with Four Seasons for over ten years and his broad experience includes assignments at the Regent Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles, and Four Seasons in Boston and Chicago. In 1994 he moved to Tokyo as Hotel Manager for two years prior to joining The Four Seasons Singapore.
Bill Barnett has been named Chief Operating officer of Millennium & Copthorne. He previously was Vice President of Operations for Century International Hotels in Hong Kong.
Mark Bradford has been appointed Resident Manager at the Oriental Bangkok from Food and Beverage at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit. He had previously been assistant to M.V. Puri in Food and Beverage at Raffles in Singapore. After he left Raffles, Bradford was at The Beaufort Singapore for two years. It is like homecoming to the Oriental where over nine years ago Bradford, fresh from Lausanne, was an Assistant Food and Beverage Manager for three years.
Dorian Landers of Hostasia Corporation is now directly assuming the pre-opening and opening function of General Manager for the 20-pavilion luxe boutique resort The Bale in Nusa Dua, Bali. Marcel Huser, previously at Hayman Island Resort, is the Chef de Cuisine at The Bale and Deon Joseph, from Hostasia the Operations Manager.
Stéphane Laguette is the new Director of Sales and Marketing for Méridien Resorts of Thailand. The 38-year-old Frenchman previously spent three years in a similar capacity to launch the Méridien Cancun, a Leading Hotel of the World. He also previously served with Méridien in the Middle East and the Caribbean.
At Orient-Express, Bernard Sarmes replaces Miguel de Almeida at the helm of the Bora Bora Lagoon Resort, coming from Sonesta in Egypt. Sandro Fabris leaves his post as General Manager of Quinta do Lago to take over in the same position at the Lapa Palace in Lisbon.
Jean-Paul Lucy is the new Executive Chef at Orient-Express¹ Bora Bora Lagoon Resort, taking over from Eric Brunel. Lucy is coming home to Bora Bora since he had been the Executive Chef at the Hotel Bora Bora from 1988 to 1990. Also at the Bora Bora Lagoon, Kristin Tennant is the new Director of Sales in Marketing, based out of Los Angeles. A former outrigger canoe racer, Tennant was recently with Thomas Hannah & Associates.
Michael Glennie, who until recently was Senior Vice President of Resort Operations for Boca Resorts and President of the Boca Raton Resort & Club, has accepted the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Ripplewood Lodging and will relocate to Tokyo, Japan where the company is based. Glennie¹s replacement at Boca is David Feder, 54. Feder joins from the Arizona Biltmore, a property which was until recently part of Boca Resorts. He is most familiar with the Boca Raton Resort and Club where he used to be the Vice President and General Manager. A strong Sales and Marketing specialist, Feder held senior positions with the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco, The Plaza in New York City and The Breakers in Palm Beach.
John Rees will be joining Shangri-La¹s China World Hotel in Beijing as Executive Chef at the beginning of the year. He is currently the Executive Chef at Sol Kerzner¹s Ocean Club in the Bahamas. He previously held the same position at the Peninsula New York.
Stéphane Audran has left his position of Executive Chef at the Hotel Borobudur in Jakarta to launch his own restaurant, the 34-seat Java Bleu Batik Bistro also in Jakarta.
Keith Blott has been named Vice President Global Sales by Raffles international.
Robert Rogers has been named Director of Food and Beverage in Thailand by Century Park International. Rogers, a Brit, was previously Operations Director for China Premium Corporation. He also served as Executive Chef of Shangri-La¹s China World Hotel in Beijing from November 1998 to November 1999.
Belgian Anne-Lyse Dufour is leaving her position of Executive Housekeeper at Sun International¹s Le Saint Géran, in Mauritius, to become the Corporate Director of Housekeeping for Shangri-la Hotels & Resorts. Based in Hong Kong, she will be reporting to Shangri-La Chief Operating Officer John Segreti, her former boss with whom she opened the Shangri-La Jakarta some six years ago.
Gilles Cretallaz has been named General Manager of the Sofitel Silom Bangkok. A graduate of the Hotel Management School of Lausanne, Cretallaz was previously the General Manager of the Novotel Atlantis Shanghai....
Lionel Moinard has been named General Manager for the Novotel Garden Plaza Saigon. He was previously the General Manager of the Ibis Arcadia in Jakarta.
Roger Mair has been named General Manager of the Novotel Hefei in China. He previously was the Resident Manager of the Novotel Ambassador Kangnam in Seoul.
Robert Rippon has been appointed General Manager of the Novotel Atlantis Shanghai. He was previously the General Manager of the Sofitel Zhengzhou and has 10 years experience working with Accor.
Scott Mawhinney has left his position as General Manager at Amanresorts' Hotel Bora Bora. He is the sixth General Manager to do so since 1998.
Peter Wynne is leaving Begawan Giri in Bali after two years as General Manager. He previously did a four-year stint as General Manager for Amanresorts in Bora Bora and Malaysia. He is planning on getting married within the year to his long-time girlfriend.
Sebastian Noat, a Lausanne graduate, is assistant Food and Beverage Manager at the Oriental in Bangkok. He was previously the manager of Ritz-Carlton's experimental Jer-Né Restaurant at their Marina Del Rey property.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
Six Continents General Manager Robert Zogbi is back in the Red Sea region, but this time to open the new Sharm El Sheikh Inter-Continental with the added responsibility of Regional Director of Operations for the brand¹s six resort properties in the area. He was formerly the General Manager at the Inter-Continental Hurghada and spent the past two years as General Manager for the Inter-Continental Bahrain.
Jean-Michel Evrad has left his position of Pastry Chef at Amanjena, in Marakkech, Morocco, to return, in the same capacity, to the Hyatt Regency Casablanca.
Alejandro Bernabe took over from Guy de Vries as Food and Beverage Director at Kempinski¹s Ciragan Palace in Istanbul. He used to be the Food and Beverage Director at the Kempinski Resort Hotel Estepona in Spain, which he had left for a very short stint at the Hyatt Cancun Caribe.
Michael Gnaegi was just appointed the Assistant Food and Beverage Manager for the Emirates Tower Hotel in Dubai, part of Jumeirah International. He was formerly at the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale, and before that the Four Seasons Berlin and Chicago. The 32-year-old Gnaegi is a Lausanne graduate.
Peter Eyssens was named Vice President International Operations by Hostmark. Currently he oversees the operation of the Hostmark Oriental Resort in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt as well as the construction of four other Hostmark hotels and resorts currently under development in the Middle East.
Pascal Prigent has been named Resident Manager at the Beau Rivage Resort in Mauritius. He was previously in a similar capacity at Le Paradis Resort also on Mauritius.
Benoit Pépin has left his position of Executive Chef at The Residence in Mauritius to become the Corporate Chef for Constance Hotels and Resorts, operating in Mauritius and the Seychelles.
Thomas Crowley has been appointed Managing Director for Le Royal in Amman, Jordan and Le Royal in Beirut, Lebanon. Both are sister properties to Le Royal Luxembourg. Crowley was previously the General Manager of the Hotel Conrad International London at Chelsea Harbour...
Peter Birchall is General Manager at Sun City's Palace of the lost City. Most recently he was the Managing Director of Marbella Club Resorts and Hotels in Marbella, Spain.
Atieh Hamarneh takes charge of operations for all Holiday Inn properties in Saudi Arabia, in addition to his role as General Manager of the Holiday Inn Riyadh Minhal. Nabil Hijazi has been appointed General Manager of the Holiday Inn Al Khobar, due to open in October.
Kevork Deldelian, who previously held senior positions at Crowne Plaza Hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as the former Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi, has been appointed General Manager of the 150-room Holiday Inn Hofuf, in Saudi Arabia.
Mohamed Yasine becomes General Manager of the Holiday Inn Hafr Al Batin opening in September also in Saudi Arabia.
Ashraf Khalil becomes the General Manager of the Holiday Inn Resort Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt.
Also in Egypt, Maurice de Rooij, has been appointed General Manager of the Holiday Inn Resort Safaga Palace. De Rooij previously held three General Manager spots with Accor in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Ahmad Maher takes charge of the Holiday Inn Amphoras Resort, in Sharm El Sheikh, which opens in August.
General Manager Philippe Bonnot has transferred from Le Méridien Kao Shing to Le Méridien Heliopolis Cairo. He was the Hotel Manager of Le Méridien Bora Bora from 1998 to 2000.
In Mauritius, Rudy Oretti joins Sun International as General Manager of La Pirogue Hotel & Casino, after four years as Resident Manager at the Peninsula Manila. Prior to The Peninsula Manila, Oretti was at the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong as Resident Manager. At La Pirogue, he will be replacing Christian Antoine, now General Manager of The Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai.
Do you have news for us? Please do not hesitate to send us an e-mail at benoit@boutiquesearchfirm.com
Edited by Benoit Gateau-Cumin
President
The Boutique Search Firm
http://www.boutiquesearchfirm.com
benoit@boutiquesearchfirm.com