Nominations

🏡 Beyond Places has taken over the management of the Courtyard By Marriott Montpellier 4*, owned by EODON. The hotel, located in Port Marianne, has 123 rooms and offers a 278m² event space. It received the Clef Verte label for sustainability in 2025. Beyond Places now operates nine hotels in France, reflecting growth after acquiring three hotels in the South-West last year.

🏠 Magora announced organizational changes with new appointments to support development in managed hosting and real estate services. Johanna Ambil becomes General Manager of Odalys Vacances, overseeing commercial activities and operations. Christian Letienne was appointed as Deputy General Manager of Odalys Vacances and General Manager for Africa, tasked with opening new establishments in Kigali and Abidjan. Aymeric Drujon has been with Magora since 2006 and is now General Manager of Flower Campings, focusing on network expansion and new acquisitions.

🏥 ShaoWei Ong appointed as Chief People & Culture Officer at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group effective March 17, 2025. Reporting to Group Chief Executive Laurent Kleitman, she joins the executive committee with 22+ years of HR experience across hospitality, banking, fintech, music, and engineering. ShaoWei specializes in HR transformation, organizational restructuring, and digital transition. Amanda Hyndman shifts focus to sole COO role. Previously, ShaoWei served as HR Director at Jardines and worked at Livi Bank and Sony as VP of HR.

💳 Christopher Hecht, with over 10 years of experience in international team management across Europe, Vietnam, and China, joins CDS Group (S4BT), a French leader and key European player in business travel reservation and payment solutions. His expertise in B2B payments, fintech, and business travel is set to unify the group's various payment solutions, extend their business travel segments, and leverage AI automation and intelligent payment workflows. Hecht aims to transform expense management in business travel through AI-optimized approval flows, fraud detection, and cost control.

🍺 Gwendoline Théodet named Chief Development Officer at Saguez & Dash to expand the company's presence in the hospitality and restaurant sector in the US and Europe. Théodet, with significant experience in strategic growth and innovation in hotel design, previously held leadership roles in international design agencies. She is also the founding president of NEWH's Paris chapter, aiming to enhance connections within the hotel design industry. Her appointment underscores the firm's commitment to grow creatively and strategically in the global hospitality market.

🏨 Mandarin Oriental appointed ShaoWei Ong as Chief People & Culture Officer, effective March 17, 2025. With over 22 years of HR leadership experience across hospitality, banking, fintech, music, and engineering, Ong's expertise includes HR transformation and digital innovation. Her role under CEO Laurent Kleitman aims to enhance the employee and customer experience. Previously, Ong held HR leadership roles at Jardine Schindler and Livi Bank.

🏨 Ahmed Naufal has been promoted to Director of Business Development at Sun Siyam Resorts, effective immediately. Previously the Director of Sales and Marketing, Naufal's new role involves driving key initiatives for long-term growth, developing innovative strategies, improving operational efficiency, and supporting expansion efforts in the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The promotion reflects his remarkable performance and strategic vision that have significantly contributed to the success of the resorts. CEO Deepak Booneady praised Naufal’s leadership and in-depth industry knowledge.

🏨 Julien Touraine has been appointed as the Sales Director for Francophone countries by The Hotels Network (THN), which collaborates with over 20,000 hotels globally. Based in Paris, Touraine is tasked with boosting THN's growth in France, French-speaking Switzerland, and other Francophone nations. His prior experience includes strategic roles at D-Edge Hospitality Solutions and Booking.com. THN's AI-powered growth solutions aim to provide smooth, personalized booking experiences to increase conversion rates and revenue for hoteliers.

💰 Nikki Beach Hospitality Group announces Richard Johnson as new CFO, leveraging his 30 years of experience at PricewaterhouseCoopers. At PwC, Johnson led the Silicon Valley tax division, advised top tech companies, managed a team of over 360 professionals, and handled complex tax strategies for Fortune 500 clients. His financial leadership and global structuring expertise are expected to be strategic assets for Nikki Beach's worldwide expansion.

🏡 Delphine Jaouen manages 2L Collection, which includes five properties, with four 5-star hotels and one 4-star hotel located in Paris, Versailles, Normandy, and Provence. The brand focuses on wellness of body, mind, and heart for guests and staff, offering unique experiences such as meditation boxes, self-hypnosis machines, and mindful tasting sessions. 2L Collection also plans to open wineries at Château de Fonscolombe in 2027, promoting wine-making and tasting. Jaouen's leadership emphasizes human connections, continuous learning, self-confidence, supportive maternity, and a positive mission aligned with the owner's values. The company's RSE commitment prioritizes environmental and social impacts.