Nominations

🍴 Yannick Branchereau, managing director of Tour d'Argent since 2018, announces his departure. Previously with Hédiard (1992-1997), he moved to Castorama (1997-2002), then entered the wine and spirits sector with his BTS Technico-commercial focused on those products. He co-founded Lavinia in 2002, rose to lead its holding company "Lavinia Seleccion" in 2014, before his last role at Tour d'Argent. Co-founder Thierry Servant passed away on December 28, 2015.

🏖️ Guillaume Brun, 40, appointed as Operations Director at French holiday specialist Azureva on June 1, 2024. Brun, with family ties to hospitality and a passion for skiing, managed Residence Le Belvédère aux Orres at 22 in 2005, and oversaw five tourism residences as Regional Director of Alpes du Sud at Noemys in 2008. He joined Indevho in 2011, handling 30 hotels nationwide. Now based in Aix-en-Provence, he ensures quality and performance for 14 holiday villages.

🍴 Chef François Gagnaire was elected president during the General Assembly of the Auvergne brand at Vulcania Park, Puy-de-Dôme. Known for his first gastronomic restaurant in Puy-en-Velay, awarded a Michelin star in 2006, Gagnaire opened ANICIA with his wife Isabelle in Paris's 6th arrondissement in 2015, focusing on bistronomic seasonal cuisine featuring Auvergne products. He emphasizes the brand's objective to showcase the region's assets and potential.

🍴 La Table des Climats in Dijon welcomed new head chef Jean-Bruno Gosse, former chef at Michelin-starred Loiseau des Ducs, succeeding Kevin Julien, under the guidance of triple-starred chef Eric Pras since May 2022. Gosse, 35, entrusted by Groupe Epicure, aims to enhance the "vinostronomic" experience. Born in 1989 in Baie de Somme, Gosse's career includes working with two-star Michelin chefs Yannick Franques and Philippe Augé and opening a brewery in Dijon for Georges Blanc in 2017.

🎲 The Groupe Honotel announced the acquisition of the Theater Hotel in Antwerp, Belgium, featuring 127 rooms. The investment was made through the FPCI Cap Hospitality IV fund managed by Hôtel Investissement Capital. The hotel will be rebranded under the HappyCulture name. Honotel's portfolio now includes 48 hotel assets. Planned renovations include common areas and a full floor of rooms and bathrooms.

🏆 Phil Cordell, after a lifetime career at Hilton, is retiring. Starting as a bellhop in high school, he became the general manager of the second-ever Hampton hotel in 1983. For over 20 years, he led various Hilton brands and, since 2018, served as Senior Vice President and Global Head of Lifestyle Brands/New Brand Development. Under his watch, lifestyle brands like Canopy, Curio Collection, Tapestry Collection, Tempo, and Motto have grown. His successor, Kevin Osterhaus, joined Hilton in May and is now President of Global Lifestyle Brands.

📢 Anna Fedou was appointed as the brand and marketing director of Beaumier, which operates 10 hotels across France, Ibiza, and Switzerland, as announced in early July. A graduate of ESSEC, Fedou has experience with Sofitel, Sources de Caudalie, and has consulted for LVHM since 2012. Over the last three years, she's been instrumental in integrating new properties into Beaumier's portfolio and will focus on tailored marketing plans, web and visual identity, and digital marketing initiatives. Fedou emphasizes the importance of on-the-ground work and aims to bolster the group's marketing strategy.

🏨 B&B HOTELS Western Europe expands its executive committee with Marie Bocquillon as HR Director and Olivier Lucas as Operations Director, targeting growth and performance. Bocquillon brings expertise from roles at ArcelorMittal, CGI, AXA, and Louvre Hotels Group, while Lucas offers 30 years of management experience from Renault, Saint Gobain Abrasives, Lapeyre, and Sonepar France. B&B HOTELS, founded in Brest in 1990, operates 770 hotels in 17 countries and plans further expansion after opening 170+ hotels since 2022.

📌 The Social Hub, a leader in hybrid hospitality, appoints Victor Myslinski and Thomas Willebrouck as General Managers for The Social Hub Paris and Toulouse respectively. With 18 hotels in 17 European cities and 5 hubs in development, The Social Hub offers diverse spaces for learning, staying, working, and entertainment. Gönül Uyanik, Regional Operations Director, highlights their roles in growth and innovation in France, aiming to transform the hubs into social and cultural centers. Thomas Willebrouck brings over 15 years of experience from the hospitality sector, including Club Med.

🏨 Donovan Sumner joins Hotel Co 51 as Regional Operations Director in the UK, overseeing 17 Marriott International hotels, including 15 Moxy hotels. He brings 20 years of hospitality experience, including the 2016 launch of Moxy Aberdeen Airport. Sumner returns after a vice-presidency at Cycas Hospitality, succeeding Wayne Androliakos, who became CEO in June 2024. He will manage five general managers across England and Scotland.