The Boutique Search Firm
Heads Above the Rest - July 2023

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

Market update​​​

• In June, employment in leisure and hospitality was little changed (+21,000). This marks the third consecutive month of little employment change for this industry.
• Employment in the industry remains below its February 2020 level by 369,000, or 2.2 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​

• Heather Sanborn has been promoted to Corporate Director of Revenue Management at Meyer Jabara Hotels. She served as senior regional revenue manager for Chartwell Hospitality, a post she held for more than a decade.​​
• Caroline Royster has been appointed as Vice President, Business Development at Peachtree Group. She is responsible for growing its third-party management partnerships by leveraging industry relationships and identifying new management opportunities.
• Daniele Menache has been appointed as EVP Sales and Business Development at The Watergate Hotel. Prior to joining The Watergate Hotel, she built out innovative events and travel experiences for leading firms and organizations for over 30 years.
• Michael Shannon has been appointed as Senior Director, National Accounts at The Watergate Hotel. He teaches Event Management and Event Production courses at Raritan Valley Community College as an Adjunct Professor.
• Henry Sirois takes the helm as General Manager of The Wentworth, NH. He brings more than 25 years of experience in hotels, resorts, and restaurants to his new position.
• Margaritaville Lake Resort announced that Jon Ramirez has been named as the Executive Food & Beverage Director. In his role, he will oversee the six onsite Margaritaville-inspired restaurants and bars.
• John Taube IV has been named as Culinary Director of Private Label Collection in Hawaii and California. He offers a collaborative approach to fine dining and has been instrumental in leading Private Label Collection.
• Corinthia Hotels is pleased to welcome Danilo Zucchetti as Vice President Operations for Baglioni Hotels. Prior to that he was Managing Director of the Villa d’Este on Lake Como, having worked for the group for almost two decades.
• Corinthia Hotels is pleased to welcome Pradeep Raman. He will be responsible for opening Corinthia’s first US hotel in New York City’s Upper East Side.
• Corinthia Hotels is pleased to welcome Edward Leenders. He brings over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry to Corinthia Brussels, which is opening at the former Grand Hotel Astoria currently being entirely rebuilt on Rue Royale.
• Janet Wilbur has been appointed as Senior Director of National Accounts at The Watergate Hotel. Prior to her appointment as Senior Director of National Accounts at The Watergate, she spent five years working in group sales for Belmond, owned by LVMH.
• Ruben Perez named as Regional Sales Director at Velas Resorts. Prior to joining Velas Resorts, he most recently served as Senior Director of Sales & Services for Discover Denton Texas. 
• Michael Dunbar has been appointed as General Manager at Fairlane Hotel Nashville, by Oliver. He brings nearly 25 years of industry experience and a keen eye for raising expectations to achieve luxury standards and five-star qualities.
• Karen Codilla has been appointed as Corporate Director of Commercial Strategy at Prince Waikiki in Honolulu. In this new role, she will be responsible for leading all revenue optimization, distribution, and segment strategies.
• Pradeep Raman has been appointed as Managing Director at Corinthia New York City. His career history began at the Taj Group in India, where he held various positions in operations and management.
• Aly El-Bassuni has been appointed as Divisional President, Enhanced Select Service at Aimbridge Hospitality. He represents the company's continued emphasis on adding top talent to its leadership ranks in order to further focused expertise and superior.
• Mathias Boirie has been appointed as Executive Pastry Chef at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills. He brings over 15 years of pastry expertise and Michelin-starred restaurant experience to the world-class Beverly Hills property. 
• Jon Ruggles has been appointed as Director, Partnerships at Flip.to. His strategic vision will help accelerate the use of the Flip.to platform around the globe.
• Damien Abrams has been appointed as General Manager at The Steward, a Tribute Portfolio Marriott Hotel in Santa Barbara. Prior to joining The Steward, he was the hotel manager of Renaissance Newport Beach.
• Jennifer Byerly has been appointed as Director of Sales at The Steward, a Tribute Portfolio Marriott Hotel in Santa Barbara. She brings more than 18 years of industry experience to her role as director of sales at The Steward, a Tribute Portfolio Marriott Hotel.
• Camelback Resort has named Jameson Cesar as Vice President of Food and Beverage. He will be supervising all operations of the resort’s 19 dining outlets – from food trucks to all-day casual to fine dining culinary concepts.
• Montage Deer Valley is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott Gubrud as Director of Sales & Marketing. Bringing with him nearly three decades of leadership experience in luxury hospitality, he will be responsible for overseeing the resort’s sales and marketing.
• Stephen Chavez has been appointed as Director of Sales at Level Hotels & Furnished Suites in Los Angeles. He has over 20 years of experience working in the hotel industry and is looking forward to taking on his new role.
• Charley Morales has been appointed as General Manager at The C. Baldwin Hotel in Houston. He comes from The Laura Hotel in Houston where he served as the general manager, thoughtfully leading the team through the hotel's opening phase.
• Camelback Resort has named Jameson Cesar as Vice President of Food and Beverage. He will be supervising all operations of the resort’s 19 dining outlets – from food trucks to all-day casual to fine dining culinary concepts.
• Sandy Narvaez has been promoted to Market Director, Leisure Sales, Hawai’i & French Polynesia at Marriott International in Waikiki. She brings over 16-years of travel and hospitality experience to this expanded role.
• Ron Lohnes has been appointed as Franchise Development and Assurance & Marketing Program Director for the Southeast Region at Hospitality International Inc. He will be delivering ongoing sales and marketing support and training.
• Ryan King has been appointed as Senior Vice President at Shiji Group, Americas. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his new role.
• Bryan Gatzemeyer has been appointed as Vice President of Business Intelligence at Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG). He brings a unique mix of industry experience and analytics to HVMG.
• Tracy Solly has been appointed as Director of Sales & Marketing at Trump National Doral Miami. She is a seasoned professional known for her vision-driven approach and successful track record.
• Rolf J. Weithofer has been appointed as Executive Chef of Culinary Operations at The Adolphus in Dallas. He brings over 22 years of professional culinary experience to his role at The Adolphus.
• Anna Warren has been appointed as Director of Food & Beverage at The Adolphus in Dallas. She has held various positions in the company, and most recently, Assistant General Manager.
• Marco Calenzo has been appointed as Executive Chef at Lido Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel and Residences at The Surf Club in Surfside. He is now ready to bring his southern European roots to Lido.
• Laura White has been promoted to Director of Revenue Management at Magnuson Hotels. She is now responsible for overseeing the revenue strategy implementation for the group's portfolio.
• Marissa Little has been promoted to Talent Manager at Hotel Equities Group, LLC. In her new role as Talent Manager, she will be responsible for facilitating talent development and retention strategies across HE's expanding portfolio of hotels.
• Michaelanne Colarelli has been promoted to Marketing Manager at Hotel Equities Group, LLC. She will spearhead the development and execution of comprehensive marketing strategies to further enhance HE's brand presence.
• Mark Speck has been appointed as Vice President of Sales and Commercial Development at Cloud5 Communications. In his new role, he will help Cloud5 further position itself as the go-to market leader with deep hospitality expertise. 
• Greta Kipp has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Main Street Hospitality Group. She will implement strategies to support Main Street's rapid growth by ensuring that property teams have the resources need to achieve business goals.
• Brian Smith has been appointed as Regional Director of Operations at Main Street Hospitality Group. He will manage the overall operations continuously optimizing hotel performance while staying true to the brand's core values.
• Suzi Darre has been appointed as Vice President of Human Resources at Main Street Hospitality Group. She brings extensive experience in human resource leadership having director of talent across 11 states.
• Joseph Klam has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Remington Hospitality. He brings almost 40 years of industry experience, will lead efforts out of the company's corporate offices in Dallas and oversee financial planning.
• Chad Perry has been appointed as Executive Vice President and General Counsel at RLJ Lodging Trust. Prior to his appointment, he served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc.
• Heidi Calhoun has been appointed as Director of Sales and Marketing at Canopy by Hilton San Francisco SoMa. She brings a wealth of directorship experience from world-class properties.
• Tracy Solly has been appointed as the new Director of Sales and Marketing at Trump National Doral Miami. With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, she is a seasoned professional known for her vision-driven approach.
• Jeff Ossenkop has been appointed as General Manager at Canopy by Hilton San Francisco SoMa. He brings more than 22 years of hospitality leadership experience to his role.
• Yojainna Otero has been appointed as Director of Catering & Conference Services at Omni La Mansión del Rio and Mokara Hotel & Spa in San Antonio. She will lead her teams towards achieving revenue goals while providing an overall great experience.
• Matt Black has been appointed as Vice President North America at HVS Executive Search in New York. He has over 8 years of experience leading senior and executive-level searches, both internally and externally.
• Amandine Robin has been appointed as Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Travel + Leisure. She will lead the company's brand, communications, and digital marketing programs as the organization executes on the expansion of its multi-brand strategy.
• Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile has announced Daniel Höfler as the property’s Executive Chef. In his new role, he will lead the culinary team in developing innovative, seasonal menu offerings.
• Remington Hospitality welcomed Joseph Klam as Chief Financial Officer. He brings almost 40 years of industry experience.
• HALCYON is delighted to announce the promotion of their new culinary leader, Executive Chef Daniel Young. “Over the past year, Chef Young has been a beacon of positivity,” said Makeready Culinary Director Charles Olalia.
• Jean-Francois (JF) Fortin has been appointed as Director of Food and Beverage at Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile. He brings his strong leadership skills and culinary expertise to Sofitel Chicago's renowned, fine dining venues.
• Denise Florio has been appointed as Director of Sales & Marketing at Park Hyatt New York. She joins the iconic, award-winning property with nearly 20 years of Hyatt experience. 
• Michelle Silverman has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Global Accounts at Shiji Group, Americas. She brings extensive industry experience and a proven track record of success to her new position.
• Acqualina Resort & Residences announces the appointment of Lisa Iaquez to the role of Regional Director of Sales. In this pivotal role, She will spearhead the management of key relationships with travel partners across North America.
• Laura Maldonado has been appointed as General Manager at The Heathman Hotel in Portland. She is set to lead the hotel into an exhilarating new phase of growth and transformation.
• Shou Sugi Ban House announced the appointment of Chris Pulito as General Manager of the acclaimed wellness property. He officially stepped into the newly created role last month, in advance of the Hamptons’ peak summer season.
• Catlin Ptak named as General Manager at Hyatt Place Albany. With 16 years of hospitality experience, she began her career in the hospitality industry as night auditor at the Holiday Inn, Middletown, NY.
• Mina Gagraj has been appointed as Director of Sales and Marketing at Hyatt Place Albany. She most recently was area director of sales with Marriott at Residence Inn and Courtyard in the Albany and Kingston market. 
• Ashfer Biju has been appointed as Executive Chef at Baccarat Hotel New York. In this role, he will oversee all food and beverage operations at the hotel including the Grand Salon, The Bar and Le Jardin, and in-room dining.
• Carrie Murphy has been appointed as Director of Sales at The Hiltons of Chicago. She is uniquely suited to lead the meeting professionals’ team in her new role.
• Adam Gautreaux has been appointed as General Manager at Hotel Paso Del Norte, Autograph Collection in El Paso. His attraction to El Paso and Hotel Paso Del Norte in particular stems from the rich history of the hotel, culture, and community.
• Chad Bustos has been appointed as Chief Marketing Officer at Terranea Resort. In his new position, he is charged with directing all strategy and brand development.
• Mauricio Aceves has been appointed as Director of Sales and Marketing at The Knickerbocker in New York. Prior to joining The Knickerbocker, he served as the Vice President of Business Development at Posadas Group.
• Michael A. Gackstetter has been appointed as Director of Residences at Raffles Boston Residences. He will oversee Raffles' 146 residential homes and 6 spectacular amenity spaces dedicated to the building's residents
• Brian Cho has been appointed as President of PPCI at Peachtree Group. He will be responsible for PPCI's operations and supporting the firm's investment objectives.
• Daniel Savage has been appointed as VP of investments and strategy, PPCI at Peachtree Group. Prior to joining the company, he served as vice president, investor relations for Cohen Investment Group.
• Kyle Freda has been appointed as Managing Director | External Wholesaler (Southeast Region) at Peachtree Group. Before Peachtree, he was vice president, external wholesale, South Atlantic, for CION Investments.
• Ludovic Cayacy has been appointed as Director of Marketing at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center. He will lead the Sales & Marketing division for the 219-room skyscraper property atop of the city's Comcast Technology Center.
• Donna Runnels has been appointed as Dual General Manager at Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites Grand Prairie. She began her career working in full-service hotels in the heart of downtown Dallas.
• Lauren Brown has been appointed as Dual Director of Sales at Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites Grand Prairie. Prior to joining the team, she held progressive sales and operations positions with SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn by Marriott and Holiday Inn. 
• Kimberly Johnson has been promoted to Event Manager at Margaritaville Lake Resort in Montgomery. She will be responsible for events hosted in any of the resort's 72,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting spaces.
• David Salcfas has been appointed as General Manager at Hard Rock Hotel New York.  He brings extraordinary vision and expertise to this position, as he leads the 446-key Midtown Manhattan star towards new heights of distinction.
• Matthew Levy has been appointed as Executive Chef at The Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia.  He brings his expertise and innovative approach to elevate the dining experience at Omni Montelucia.
• Baccarat Hotel New York, the Forbes Five Star AAA Five Diamond hotel, names Ashfer Biju as Executive Chef. In this role, he will oversee all food and beverage operations at the hotel including the Grand Salon, The Bar and Le Jardin, and in-room dining.
• Braden Nicholes has been appointed as General Manager at The Advenire, Autograph Collection in St. George. He will oversee all aspects of day-to-day hotel operations, leading the team in delivering operational excellence and innovative guest experiences.
• Tiffany Zimmer-Penton has been appointed as General Manager at The Biltmore Los Angeles. She is responsible for all operations of the 683-room property, including sales and marketing, guest rooms, food and beverage, meetings and events facilities.
• John Bianco has been appointed as Senior Project Director of Development at Noble Investment Group. In this new role, he will help execute the development of Noble's midscale extended-stay hotel strategies.
• Anne Frye has been appointed as President, the Americas at InnSpire INC.  In her new role, she will be responsible for day-to-day operations of all InnSpire solutions and services within North and South America.
• Max Paulin has been appointed as Director of Revenue at Fairmont Dallas. Reporting to the General Manager, he will be responsible for overseeing all revenue management operations.
• Dan Block has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Operations at Hotel Equities Group, LLC. In this expanded role, he will oversee a diverse, multi-branded portfolio of hotels across the United States.
• Alvin Dela Cruz has been appointed as Executive Chef at Four Seasons Resort Lanai. He will be overseeing the resort's culinary program, including the American-Hawaiin steakhouse and seafood restaurant.
• EOS Hospitality is pleased to announce the appointment of Simon Mais as Chief Executive Officer and Mark Keiser as President & Chief Development Officer. They will continue to define EOS Hospitality’s strategic direction, manage overall operations.
• Baccarat Hotel New York, the Forbes Five Star AAA Five Diamond hotel, names Ashfer Biju as Executive Chef. In this role, he will oversee all food and beverage operations at the hotel including the Grand Salon, The Bar and Le Jardin, and in-room dining.
• Viceroy Hotels & Resorts and Pebblebrook Hotel Trust are pleased to announce the appointment of Sietse Nabben as Area General Manager of Viceroy Santa Monica and Le Meridien Delfina Santa Monica. He brings almost 25 years of global hotel management experience.
• Dimension Hospitality announced the appointment of Joe Viglietta as Chief Operating Officer (COO). He is responsible for the company’s portfolio of nearly 80 all-suite, full and select-service hotels. 
• Matthew Raines has been promoted to Support Manager – AC Support and Customer Projects at M3. He initially joined as a Staff Accountant in the Professional Services department. 
• Fairmont Dallas is proud to introduce James Phillips as the hotel’s new Executive Chef. He has a wealth of culinary management experience from over twenty-five years in the industry 
• Karen Earp has been appointed as General Manager at Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Surrey University in hotel, restaurant and tourism management.
• Osa Mallo has been appointed as Spa Director at Hotel Effie in Miramar Beach. She is a results-oriented director with more than three decades of experience in the luxury wellness and hospitality industry.
• Carlos A. Batista has been appointed as Director of Food and Beverage at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Carlsbad. Batista will lead the culinary team in delivering exceptional dining experiences for guests.
• Thomas Lloyd has been appointed as General Manager of Clayton Hotel & Members Club in Denver, Colorado. With more 15 years of experience in hospitality, he brings a wealth of talent and expertise to the position.
• The Laura Hotel, Autograph Collection is pleased to announce that Chef Tiago Almeida has been appointed as Executive Chef to the culinary team. He brings over 20 years of culinary expertise to his role.
• The Londoner has announced the appointment of Becky Casey to the role of Vice President of Sales for North America. Her wealth of experience brings a deep understanding of the current customer requirements and trends within the North American market.

Europe​

• Jon Cannon named as Senior Vice President, Asset Management at JLL, Thailand and Vietnam. Based in Bangkok, he will focus on expanding JLL Hotel & Hospitality Group's asset management platform in Thailand and Vietnam.
• Danilo Zucchetti has been appointed as Managing Director at Corinthia Rome. He most recently was Vice President Operations for Baglioni Hotels. 
• Paul Danabie has been appointed as Executive Chef at The Guardsman, a five-star boutique hotel. He will oversee all the hotel’s food and beverage offerings, including dining Room & Bar, in-room dining, and Afternoon Tea.
• Shiji is pleased to announce the appointment of Wietse Bijzeit as Vice President Global Solutions Architect to accelerate the growth of the Shiji Enterprise Platform. He brings over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry.
• Edward Leenders has been appointed as Managing Director at Corinthia Brussels. He brings over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry.
• Doğuş Hospitality & Retail Group is delighted to announce a new appointment of Romeo as General Manager. He brings with him more than 30 years of hospitality experience, a passion for excellence and unquestionable enthusiasm for the luxury hospitality industry. 
• Arnoud Vink has been appointed as Head of Development at Choice Hotels EMEA. With over 15 years' experience in the hotel industry his mission is to steer the Group's growth strategy in the EMEA region.
• Ulrich Schwer has been appointed as General Manager at Hotel de Rome, a Rocco Forte Hotel in Berlin. He returns to the city where he began his distinguished career in hospitality more than 20 years ago, as an apprentice at the Hotel Adlon.
• Tineke de Wit has been appointed as General Manager at DoubleTree by Hilton Brussels City. Previously, she held the position of general manager of Park Inn Leuven and Park Inn Brussels Airport.
• Brian Gore has been appointed as Commercial Director at Birch Hotels Ltd. in Cheshunt. He will oversee the sales, marketing, branding and revenue & distribution of the lifestyle brand's business.
• André Julseth has been appointed as General Manager at Sommerro in Oslo. For the past three years, he has been working as General Manager of The Well Spa & Hotel, on the outskirts of Oslo, playing a key role in the launch of the on-site hotel in 2021.

Asia

• Alan Christie has been appointed as Area General Manager, Sri Lanka at La Vie Hotels & Resorts in Colombo. He will be focused on driving the strategic performance of the Radisson portfolio in Sri Lanka.
• Suthiroj Sathitpornkitti (Chris) joined La Vie Hotels & Resorts as Director of Growth and       Business Development. His key focus will be strategically expanding La Vie Hotels & Resorts portfolio across the South & South East Asia regions.
• Danielle Stanley has been appointed as Resident Marine Biologist at OUTRIGGER Maldives Maafushivaru. She and her colleagues will implement a wide-ranging variety of conservation initiatives that guests can join.
• Rosewood Hotel Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin Yung as Chief Financial Officer. He has profound knowledge of the financial sector and also of the Rosewood ecosystem of brands, having spent the past two years at the helm of Rosewood.
• Sebastian Scheeg has been promoted to Corporate Director of Operations at Centara Hotels & Resorts, Middle East & Maldives. He maintains his GM role at the Dubai Islands family resort but is now in charge of five other hotels in the region.
• Laia Ferrer has been appointed as Chef de Cuisine at INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit. She has moved to Bangkok to become the Spanish chef de cuisine at Thailand's first INNSiDE by Meliá hotel.
• Matt Bailey has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Castle Hospitality Group. With more than 40 years of hospitality and travel industry experience, he joined Castle in 1999 as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
• Ryan South has been appointed as General Manager at InterContinental Auckland. He will lead the group's second InterContinental hotel in New Zealand.
• Giles Selves has been appointed as Senior Vice President of Luxury Hotels at Minor Hotels Europe. He is responsible for driving the strategic and commercial direction of the luxury brands.
• Theo Ocks has been appointed as Commercial General Manager at Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford.  His range of specialties will undoubtedly contribute to the success.
• Pieter Willem Teune has been appointed as Hotel Manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. He will be part of the hotel's executive team, and he will oversee the food and beverage division.
• Linda Reddy has been appointed as Hotel Manager at Hilton Singapore Orchard. She has over 25 years of hospitality experience, will work with General Manager Cedric Nubul to lead the team in all aspects of hotel operations.
• Jean-Baptiste Robert has been appointed as Regional Director Food & Beverage at Pro-invest Group. A key focus of his new role will be implementing strategies to ensure each venue provides guests with a truly unique F&B experience and the highest quality service.
• Nithil Baskar has been appointed as Director of Operations at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar. he will be responsible for overseeing the hotel's operations across all functions and achieving high levels of guest satisfaction and operational excellence.
• Pimalai Resort & Spa announced the appointment of Olivier Pauchard as its new Food & Beverage Manager. As a French culinary expert and former head chef, he has extensive knowledge of the hospitality industry.
• Mikio Akiyama has been appointed as General Manager at Zentis Osaka. He brings with him more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including a decade with owning company Palace Hotel Co., Ltd.
• Paula Vatunicoko has been appointed as Resort Manager at OUTRIGGER’s Castaway Island in Qalito Island.  He had spent more than fifteen years at the exclusive 7-star Lalucala Island Resort where he held various roles.
• Michael Janssen has been appointed as General Manager at ANA InterContinental Tokyo. He has over 25 years of experience with IHG Hotels & Resorts across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia.
• Greg Liddell has been appointed as GM & and Area Vice President at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. He began his career with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group in 2009 as General Manager.
• Manish Yadav has been appointed as General Manager at Wyndham Chandigarh Mohali. He is a native of Rajasthan and a 2007 graduate of Institute of Hotel Management in Varanasi.
• Sherpa Hospitality Group has announced the appointment of Mr Pradyot Rana as General Manager for the 29-suite all-inclusive Shinta Mani Mustang – A Bensley Collection. He has strong background in luxury hospitality and vast knowledge of the region.

­­South America​

• Genaro Noe Morantes has been appointed as Timeshare General Manager at AC Hotel San José Escazú and Residence Inn San José Escazú. His career in the hospitality industry has led him to various leadership roles.
• Daniel Ozzán has been appointed as General Manager at Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa in Valle Sagrado. He has more than 20 years of experience in leadership positions in leading companies in the tourism and hospitality sector.

Carribean​

• InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa is pleased to announce the appointment of Eva Ruiz as the resort’s new Cluster Director of Sales & Marketing. She brings a dynamic, results-driven approach and bilingual expertise to lead the sales and marketing team at the resort.
• Gamal El Fakih Rodriguez has been appointed as Vice President of Operations for Marriott. He moved from Qatar where he spent 5 years overseeing operations for a Marriott portfolio of 50 hotels in Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman and Lebanon.

­­Middle East​

• Doris Greif has been appointed as VP Operations Luxury&Lifestyle Hotels MEA at IHG in Dubai. Previously, Greif held the position of managing director for Langham Hospitality, managing its renowned London property.
• Hani Akkari has been appointed as General Manager at The Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort in Doha. With over 17 years of experience in the luxury hotel industry, he has established an impeccable reputation that will serve him well in his new role.
• Thomas Kinsperger has been appointed as General Manager at Mandarin Oriental, Doha. He comes with an impressive background encompassing more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
• Mohamad Haidar has been appointed as Executive Chef at Kempinski Hotel Muscat. He brings with him more than 15 years of extensive pastry chef experience.
• Manal Al Omari has been appointed as Assistant Director of Marketing & E-Commerce at Kempinski Hotel Muscat. She brings with her more than 10 years of experience in e-commerce and marketing.
• Karolina Paliszewska has been appointed as Multi-Property General Manager at Delta Hotels by Marriott Jumeriah Beach, Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road, and Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai.
• Mohamad Albalkhi has been appointed as Executive Chef at Mövenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach in Dubai. He has over two decades of expertise in the culinary industry.
• Niamh O’Connell named as Vice President of Wellbeing at Jumeirah Group. She has primarily spent her near-two-decade career across Asia.
• Marc Reissinger has been appointed as General Manager at InterContinental Durrat Al Riyadh. He brings more than three decades of experience to the role, which puts him in charge of one of IHG's most luxurious hotels in the area.
• Vassil Lazarov has been appointed as Food & Beverage Manager at Grand Millennium Dubai. Having worked in diverse hospitality establishments in Malta, Scotland and Dubai, he brings a wealth of experience.
• Cem Akşahin has been promoted to Executive Assistant Manager at Raffles Doha. He has been part of the hotel during its pre-opening phase, serving as director of F&B since November 2021.
• Wojtek Orlewicz has been appointed as Complex Director of Rooms at Le Meridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre. He will also be expected to develop and train more than 340 staff reporting into him. 
• Lucille Georget has been promoted to Director of Marketing & Communications at Alwadi Hotel Doha – Mgallery. She was previously the marketing, e-commerce and social media manager at The Ritz-Carlton Doha. 
• Justin Jacob has been appointed as Revenue Director at Sheraton Oman Hotel in Muscat. His first role was with Oberoi in Bengaluru as front office assistant. His first role was with Oberoi in Bengaluru as front office assistant.