The Boutique Search Firm
Heads Above the Rest - January 2024

The Newsletter of The Boutique Search Firm, a worldwide retained recruiting firm specializing in hospitality management.

Market update​​​

• Employment in leisure and hospitality changed little in December (+40,000).
• The industry added an average of 39,000 jobs per month in 2023, less than half the average gain of 88,000 jobs per month in 2022.
• Employment in the industry is below its pre-pandemic February 2020 level by 163,000, or 1.0 percent.
• The Boutique Search Firm awarded as one of the top Executive Search Firms in 2023 by Forbes coming in as #38 overall!
  • America's Best Executive Recruiting Firms 2023 (forbes.com)

 
Recent Appointments
 
­­North America

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Europe

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• Alejandro Bernabé has been appointed as General Manager and Regional Vice President at Four Seasons Hotel Madrid. He is working in a destination whose primary language is his own, enabling easy communication toward building trust with the team.
• Altan Buyukgiray named General Manager at The Zetter Clerkenwell in London. His experience includes serving as Operations Manager at Birch Cheshunt and as Food and Beverage Manager at the Good Hotel Group.
• Rosewood London appoints Tessa Gorman as Managing Director. She will take on a new role after having held positions at renowned establishments such as Aman, Bvlgari, and Cheval-Blanc.
• Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor is delighted to announce the appointment of Estreya Gosalbez as General Manager. After years of working and traveling around the world, She has returned to her home country to lead the team.
• Mario Flanagan joins Great Scotland Yard Hotel - The Unbound Collection by Hyatt in London as General Manager. He brings his passion and a wealth of experience in hospitality to the hotel, for the next stage of its journey.
• Hasham Soliman has been appointed as Area General Manager at St Martins Lane and Sanderson London. He brings with him an impressive 30 years' experience in the London luxury hotel industry.
• Rory Slater named Managing Director, London at COMO Hotels & Resorts in London. He brings an extensive wealth of international expertise, having held prominent leadership positions in the United States, United Kingdom, and Asia.
• Stephanie Freeman joins Mollie’s Oxfordshire as General Manager. With over 10 years' experience in hospitality, Her career highlights include positions at renowned establishments such as Elite Hotels, IHG and Hilton, before joining the Mollie's Bristol team in 2021.
• Adrien Poul has been appointed as Director of Food & Beverage at Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest. He will oversee all food and beverage operations, with a strong emphasis on delivering extraordinary culinary experiences to guests.

Asia

• Michael Gnaegi has been appointed as General Manager at Chatrium Grand Bangkok. Chatrium Hospitality's flagship five-star hotel which opened its doors in late 2022 and has already become the destination-of-choice for many global travellers.
• Tony Marshall named Vice President & Managing Director, Asia Pacific at Agilysys in Singapore. He brings extensive experience driving sales and operations for hospitality technology companies in Asia Pacific and the Middle East.
• Vijay Singh joins Ramada Encore By Wyndham Amritsar Airport Road as Hotel Manager. He will be responsible for overseeing the hotel's overall operations, team building & management, employee trainings and impeccable standards of guest services.
• Hein Dames named Vice President of Human Resources for the Middle East, India, Americas & Europe region (MEIA) at Shangri-La Group. His extensive travels and diverse roles, showcase his adaptability and varied experience.
• Bennett Peter has been appointed as General Manager at Hyatt Place Kuala Lumpur Bukit Jalil. The unveiling of Hyatt Place Kuala Lumpur marks a historic milestone as Malaysia's inaugural Hyatt Place and the first international hotel in the thriving Bukit Jalil district.
• Dinesh Kesevalu joins Ramada By Wyndham, Yelahanka as Resort Manager. He will be responsible for Overseeing Daily Operations, Ensuring guest satisfaction, Managing Staff, Implementing Policies, Maximizing profitability, budgeting& Marketing Strartegies.
• Rahul Joshi has been appointed as General Manager at Vivanta New Delhi Dwarka. He brings exceptional leadership skills and in-depth market knowledge that are poised to further enhance the guest experience at this property.
• Fayaz Samsudeen named Director of Food and Beverage at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur and Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur. He has over two decades of experience garnered at esteemed establishments, namely Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, Anantara Hotels & Resorts, and more.
• Emile Otte joins Banyan Tree and Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur as Hotel Manager. He is poised to infuse a dynamic leadership approach, introducing a fresh perspective to ensure both properties remain a sought-after destination for luxury and sophistication.
• Malcolm Zancanaro has been appointed as General Manager at Hilton Sydney. With over 30 years in the industry, his expertise spans managing flagship hotels, overseeing food and beverage operations, and handling conferencing and events.
• Thota Bhaskar named General Manager at The Days suites By Wyndham at Whitefield in Bengaluru. He will be responsible for overseeing the hotel's staff, operations, sales and marketing, etc.
• Christopher Smith has been appointed as General Manager at Courtyard by Marriott Bali Seminyak Resort. He brings a fresh wave of energy, innovation, and two decades of hospitality expertise to the vibrant Seminyak locale. 
• Nimesh Pandav named Front Office Manager at Sofitel Mumbai BKC. He brings with him more than 13 years of Front Office experience, both in India and abroad, overseeing multiple tasks and managing employees effectively.

­­
­­Carribean​

• Viorica Coman has been appointed as Spa Director at Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. She will oversee operations, the development of new offerings and partnerships and training for the award-winning, five-acre sanctuary.

Middle East​

• Karim El Berkchi has been appointed as Director of Sales & Marketing at Kempinski Hotel Muscat. He will use his expertise and diverse experience in business development, hotel operations, and property development towards the continued success of the hotel.
• Bireswar Das named Director of Finance at Rixos Bab Al Bahr in Ras al Khaimah. He will be responsible for ensuring the successful delivery of performance objectives and hotel initiatives, aligning with the strategic business plan.
• Zeynep Peker Prakatur Joins Raffles The Palm Dubai as Area Commercial Director. With a 23-year career in the UAE luxury hospitality sector, the hotel says she is known for stakeholder management and inspirational leadership.
• Raffles The Palm Dubai is delighted to announce the appointment of Sioux Lees as Director of Spa. She aspires to elevate Raffles Spa into the premier wellness destination in Dubai by infusing the offering with immersive experiences.
• Trevor Allan Macleod has been appointed as Director of Culinary at Raffles The Palm Dubai. His career spans more than two decades across North America, the Middle East, China, and South East Asia and has a background Japanese, Mediterranean and modern Chinese.
• Samith James named Executive Pastry Chef at Raffles The Palm Dubai. His experience includes setting up pastry and bakery operations in luxury establishments around the world.
• Khumar Askerova joins JA Resorts & Hotels, Indian Ocean region as Director of Sales & Marketing. She brings with her an impressive 25 years of experience in sales and marketing within the hospitality industry, and a key appointment to the regional team.
• Waleid Elsahi has been promoted as Director of Front Office at Amwaj Rotana-Jumeirah Beach in Dubai. He will play a crucial role in enhancing guest satisfaction, overseeing upselling initiatives, and managing the hotel's recreation facilities.
• Sarah Hammond has been appointed as Director of Sales and Marketing at Anantara Mina al Arab Ras Al Khaimah Resort. With over two decades of expertise in the high-end hospitality industry, she is recognized as a dynamic and accomplished leader.
• Ramsey Saarany named General Manager at Anantara Mina al Arab Ras Al Khaimah Resort. Starting his career in hospitality in 2004, he initially joined Jumeirah Group as a management trainee.
• Jeremy B. Kerschen joins Atlantis Dubai as Account Director of Luxury Consortia Sales. He will manage and develop new business, strategically focusing on luxury sales for Atlantis Dubai Resorts.
• Mustafa Kemal has been promoted as Director of Food & Beverage at Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites in Dubai. Bringing nearly two decades of hospitality experience, his promotion to director of F&B is a testament to his consistently exceptional performance.
• Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites promotes Barkin Kartal as Director of Operations. With nearly five years at the hotel, his career progression reflects his dedication and approachable leadership style.
• Birles Bizhkenov has been promoted as Director of Rooms at Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites in Dubai. He will lead a team of over 170 individuals across multiple departments, continuing his valuable contributions to the prestigious Rixos brand.
• Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites promotes Ibtissam Doubaj as Cluster Director of Sales. She aims to see both Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites and Rixos Premium Dubai become leaders in their respective competition sets.
• Mirza Ibracevic has been promoted as Director of Recreation at Marriott Hotels Dubai. He will now oversee an expanded portfolio of responsibilities, transitioning from Natural Elements Gym & Spa at Le Meridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre.
• Robert Souter has been appointed as Associate Food & Beverage Director at Shimmers, at Jumeirah Mina A’Salam in Dubai. His background includes overseeing hotel openings, managing multiple outlets, and handling both volume and high-end businesses.
• Maya Hoteit named Director of Sales & Marketing at Fairmont Riyadh. She will be tasked with cultivating and fortifying relationships to drive revenue, achieve property-wide objectives, and implement strategies for developing campaigns and promotions across Riyadh.
• Govind Mundra joins Wyndham Hotels & Resorts as Head of Development - Middle East & Africa. He is tasked with spearheading the expansion of Wyndham's portfolio across the Middle East and Africa.