Nominations

🏨 Vantage Capital, Africa's largest mezzanine fund manager, invested $18.4 million in December 2020 into PickAlbatros Hotels, a leading Egyptian hotel owner and operator with 4 and 5-star properties in the Red Sea region at Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada, Sahl Hasheesh, and Marsa Allam. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the funds helped the hotel group cover working capital needs and renovate newly acquired hotels, maintaining smooth operations despite a significant drop in tourism.

🏨 Philip Barnes, CEO of Rotana Hotels, appointed Larisa Uskar as Corporate Director of Brand Marketing. Uskar, with extensive experience at Jumeirah, Fairmont, Raffles Hotels, Accor, and IHG, will oversee the brand enhancement and development of innovative marketing strategies. Her role also furthers Rotana's commitment to women's empowerment, aiming to transform and position Rotana as a global hospitality leader with a renewed avant-garde brand image reflecting excellence and innovation.

🏨 ELAZULI welcomes Séverine HORTEUR as a new Consultant-Trainer, enhancing the company's expertise in the Tourism and Hospitality-Restaurant sectors. HORTEUR brings 25 years of experience in these fields and has been a trainer for a decade. ELAZULI, established in 2017, specializes in offering tailored advice and training for the Leisure, Tourism, and Hospitality industries. Audrey BOUVIER, Director of ELAZULI, is confident that HORTEUR's passion and experience will significantly contribute to the company's growth and future projects.

🏨 Kiyohito Iinuma, with over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, is appointed by ANA to co-venture and director of IHG ANA Hotels Holdings Co, while also serving as the director of operations for Japan. Abhijay Sandilya, CEO of IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan, commends Iinuma's proven track record, confident in his ability to lead and expand IHG's operations in the Japanese market. Previously, Iinuma held roles at ANA Hotel Tokyo, revenue management in Tokyo, and as general manager at IHG hotels across Japan.

🏦 Dario Pithard, with 25 years in luxury hospitality for brands like W, The Ritz-Carlton, and The St. Regis, hails from Germany and has international experience in China, Indonesia, and Germany. Leading The St. Regis Bangkok, a 228-key luxury hotel poised for a bright future, Pithard aims to redefine luxury standards in Bangkok's Ratchadamri Avenue, overlooking the city and Royal Bangkok Sports Club. Rex Nijhof, a Florida International University graduate, joined Marriott in 1991, worked in 17 hotels across countries, and is set to be General Manager at the Luxembourg Marriott Hotel Alfa.

💻 Ramana Thumu is appointed the new Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Expedia Group, bringing extensive e-commerce experience, including 10 years as Director of Product and Technology at eBay and a decade as CTO of Fanatics. The announcement comes after Expedia's former CTO, Rathi Murthy, was dismissed for violating company policy. Thumu's expertise is expected to drive innovation and AI development, like Expedia's AI personal assistant Romie, unveiled in May at an event in Las Vegas.

📌 Sage Hospitality Group, led by Walter Isenberg, has promoted Cornell University graduate Jessica Werner to Director of Creation. Werner, with nearly a decade at Sage, previously served as Director of Feasibility, New Ventures & Transitions for Sage Restaurant Concepts, and launched Sage Studio overseeing creative strategy, brand development, renovations, hotel and restaurant repositioning, as well as end-to-end development.

💜 Ulla Schneider, 65, the senior vice-president of Warwick International, passed away on Thursday, October 17th. Renowned for her professionalism, she had a significant career after joining Warwick, having been recruited by Ernst Mülhe during his tenure from 1981-2003. Her loyalty to the group, founded by Richard Chiu, led to her senior position. Her sudden death shocked the Parisian hotelier community, who remember her for mentoring several generations.

💸 Hervé Deligny appointed as CFO of Bob W, bringing over 15 years of experience from roles at AccorHotels and other renowned hotel brands like Generator, Safestay, and Onefinestay. CEO Niko Karstikko believes Deligny's expertise will be pivotal in driving financial growth and international expansion for Bob W, aiming to become the favorite brand for modern travelers.

📈 Hassan Merchant joined Arabian Travel Market (ATM) as the marketing director, a role he's been appointed to by RX, the event organizer. Merchant, previously with RX since 2020, will report to Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, ATM. As part of his role, he'll manage the marketing strategy for the Dubai-based event, which saw a record attendance of 47,000 visitors last year. He brings 12 years of experience to the team and has worked in Dubai since 2014 after graduating with a commerce degree in India.