Nominations

🏨 Beth McMahon, with over 20 years in association management, notably increased the Canadian Institute of Planners' membership by over 40%. Previously Vice-President at the Canadian Vinters Association (now Wine Growers Canada), she's now President and CEO of the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC), confirmed by the Board's Chair, Tony Cohen. McMahon joins at a pivotal time, aiming to strengthen the hotel industry's integral role in Canada's economy and culture.

🍺 On August 31 and September 1, the bar-restaurant Chez Justine in Moncheux (Moselle) expects over 300 guests for its annual event, preserving the memory of a hunting cafe and the couple who ran it from 1962 to 2014. Jacqueline Lelorrain, 66, reminisces about her parents' dedication to the social hub, which has been unaltered since their deaths in 2014. The venue, which must open yearly to maintain its liquor license, saw 210 reservations and over 300 visitors last year, with all profits going to a local association.

💸 Peninsula Hotels, led by CEO Clement Kwok, announced a loss of 52 million euros for the first half of the year, following the post-pandemic rebound. Kwok, resigning in October 2024 after 22 years, hasn't named a successor. The group's economic woes are attributed to renovation costs for Peninsula New York and unsettled figures from new hotels in London and Istanbul. Additionally, the Peninsula Hong Kong's room occupancy dropped to 38%, a 6-point decrease from the previous year.

🍴 Sébastien Billard, 40, is appointed as the National Restaurant Manager for Azureva, a French vacation specialist. With a BTS in culinary engineering from Vienne's Lycée Bellerive in 2002, his career started in 2005 at a semi-gourmet hotel restaurant, and in 2009, he joined the Michelin-starred Auberge du Vieux Marais and Domaine de Clairefontaine. In 2011, he began teaching culinary technology and technique at the Lycée Hôtelier de Vienne. Azureva aims to continually improve service quality, focusing on authentic, local cuisine.

🏕 José Luis Avila, 38, appointed as CGO (Chief Growth Officer) of Kampaoh, European glamping leader, effective July 1, 2024, to foster brand's ambitious expansion. Experienced in luxury brands, Avila's career began in 2007, held roles at iAdvize, Guest Suite, and Campings.com, culminating as International Sales Manager. Kampaoh's strategic move coincides with its European launch success. Avila graduated with a Finance Master from the International University of Cuernavaca and Ecole Internationale Tunon, Paris.

🏦 The Southern African Development Community (SADC), consisting of 45 states, will meet in Madagascar in 2023. The international hotel in Ivato, opened in 2008 and state-operated since 2021, is central to hosting the event and is looking for a private operator since 2009. A budget of $700,000 is estimated for refurbishing the 24-story hotel, which includes 220 rooms and 60 suites. Minister of Tourism, Joël Randriamandranto, confirmed a tender and announced the new operator is expected to be known by September 2024.

🏡 Christian Clerc, a hotel industry veteran with over 30 years of experience, was appointed President and CEO of Auberge Resorts Collection. He will take the helm on September 1, 2024, succeeding Craig Reid who retires after a decade. Clerc previously led Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts as President, overseeing 127 hotels and 51 residential properties globally. Auberge Resorts Collection recently added Domaine des Etangs in France and plans to expand with properties in Florence by March 2024 and London by the end of 2025.

🏨 Christian Clerc, former president of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, is now CEO of Auberge Resorts Collection, succeeding Craig Reid. Clerc, with a Bachelor in Hospitality Administration/Management from EHL, led Four Seasons for 22 years, operating in 47 countries. Previously, he was president of the EMEA region from 2014 to 2016 and managed the George V hotel in Paris. Dan Friedkin, chairman of Auberge Resorts Collection, prides Clerc's luxury hospitality vision and leadership.

🏨 In Denmark, Zleep Hotels A/S and Core Hospitality A/S merged, making Core Hospitality one of the country's largest hotel operators and the fourth largest overall. Post-split from Germany's Deutsche Hospitality, the latter now owns 100% of Zleep Hotels, while Core Hospitality retains all Danish Zleep operations, totaling 14 hotels. The merged Core Hospitality now manages 19 hotels across five brands, including two Moxy in Norway, a Fairfield by Marriott, a Residence Inn by Marriott in Copenhagen, and Kirk Suites in Vejle. The merger enhances Core Hospitality's scale, negotiation leverage, commercial reach, talent pool, and provides real estate investors with better opportunities to optimize returns.

🏨 Whitbread PLC appoints Emma O'Shiel as Project and Programme Manager to advance its goal of 5,000 Premier Inn rooms in Ireland. Currently, Whitbread operates six hotels in Dublin and Cork with over 1,000 rooms and another 1,000 in development. O'Shiel, with over 15 years of experience, will oversee construction and work under Matt Gent, head of development for Ireland, to evaluate further opportunities.