Nominations

📣 Kempinski Hotels appoints Barbara Biffi as Chief Brand Officer to enhance brand identity in luxury hospitality. With 20+ years of experience, Biffi previously held senior roles at Silversea Cruises and MSC Cruises. She holds an economics degree from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and a digital strategy certification from Columbia Business School. Biffi will oversee global brand strategy, marketing, and customer experience, ensuring brand expression consistency and digital initiative enhancement.

Future Hospitality Summit Africa (FHS Africa), anciennement connue sous le nom d’Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) est la principale conférence annuelle sur l’investissement hôtelier du continent DUBAI, Émirats Arabes Unis,…

🏨 Jens, 29, and his husband took over the Boutique Hotel Hubertus in Filzmoos, Austria, in January 2025. The hotel improved its Booking rating from 8.9 to 9.3, occupancy rates increased by 20%, and revenue grew by 24% within a year. They revamped room categorization, pricing strategy, and shifted to a bed & breakfast model, drawing a younger clientele. Booking.com accounts for 60-70% of summer reservations, aiding visibility while encouraging direct bookings.

📈 Damien Touboulic will become the new director general of Terra Botanica in early November, succeeding Pierre Watrelot, who held the position since 2020. Touboulic, a native of Mauges (49), has been with the park since 2012. His objective is to maintain the park's recent success and preserve its unique focus on plant and biodiversity immersion. Watrelot will join a private group managing six tourist sites near Poitiers.

📰 Xiamen Air sets the record for the longest non-stop flight, covering 19 hours 20 minutes between New York-JFK and Fuzhou, surpassing the previous record by Singapore Airlines. Airalo updates its app, now serving over 20 million users with unlimited data plans across 84 destinations, aiming for 130 by the end of 2025. Qatar Airways partners with Klarna for flexible payments in 17 European countries. Interhome appoints Carina Grühser as CTO to lead tech-based operations.

📈 Adrien Olivereau joins Transaxio Hôtel as Chargé de Mission Hôtellerie for Paris and Île-de-France. With a background from EDHEC Business School and ESAN Graduate School, and 4+ years in M&A at Natixis Partners, he brings expertise in financial analysis and strategy. His role focuses on supporting institutional clients with financial strategies. This addition aims to enhance Transaxio Hôtel’s personalized service and market presence.

💻 Carina Grühser has been appointed as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Interhome, a European vacation rental specialist with the largest network of local agencies. Previously, Grühser was the interim CTO at Solaris SE, leading over 130 engineers. She aims to advance Interhome's transformation into a technology-driven rental management company by enhancing local service quality with modern technology for improved solutions and enriched traveler experiences. CEO Jörg Hermann welcomed her leadership and expertise.

🏨 Depuis plus d’un an, Rotana est sous la direction d’un nouveau PDG externe, après ses précédentes expériences chez Four Seasons, Fairmont et Shangri-La. Sa mission, dictée par le conseil d’administration, est de combiner l’héritage local de Rotana avec une vision internationale. L’accent est mis sur la qualité de l’hospitalité émiratie, centrée sur le parcours client, l’expérience collaborateur, et l’authenticité de l’accueil, plutôt que sur les marges ou la croissance.

🏨 Christophe Rouillaux Consultant Hôtellerie & Management offers expert hotel consultancy services in Poueyferré, France, leveraging 31 years of experience. The firm specializes in investment security, performance optimization, and hotel management, including strategies for commercial success and technology solutions. Located at 4 bis place de la Mairie, they can be reached at +33 (0)6 03 88 65 66 for inquiries.

💼 Adagio, a leader in European aparthotels, announces Marc Lemarchand as the new Administrative and Financial Director, joining the Executive Committee. Marc, an ESCP graduate, has over 10 years of experience with KFC France, Domino's Pizza, and Galileo Global Education France, specializing in financial processes, operational leadership, and organizational transformation. His appointment supports Adagio's "FIRST 2030" initiative, aiming to enhance the finance function's role.