Nominations

🏫 Lison de Caunes, a graduate of the Union centrale des arts décoratifs in 1972, revived her grandfather's marqueterie de paille (straw marquetry) craft, opening her studio in 1978. The resurgence of interest in Art Déco by architects and designers filled her order book. Notable collaborations include Vuitton, Guerlain, and Cheval Blanc in Paris, Bulgari Paris Hotel, the Woodward in Geneva, and renovations for the Hôtel Meurice and Cartier boutiques.

📅 In 2024, the New African's list of the "100 Most Influential Africans" included notable figures like Aliko Dangote, Idris Elba, and King Mohammed VI of Morocco. Founder and President of APO Group, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, was named among these influential individuals for the second consecutive year. New African has been compiling this annual list since 2011, celebrating diverse contributions to Africa and the global community.

🏨 Jos Vranken will become President of the Board of Directors at Hotelschool The Hague from April 1, 2025, succeeding Regine von Stieglitz who has led since 2018. Vranken has over 17 years as General Director of the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC) and contributed to the national vision Perspective 2030. Roeland Vos, Chair of the Supervisory Board, values Vranken's strategic vision and deep industry connections for guiding the institution's future.

🏨 Sébastien Mariette appointed as General Manager of the upcoming Kempinski Hotel Harbour Heights Bahrain, set to open in Manama's port in summer 2025. He will also serve as Vice President of Operations for Kempinski hotels in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the Levant, and Morocco. Mariette, with a tenure at Kempinski since 2007, has managed properties in Bulgaria, Djibouti, China, Jordan, and Dubai. ????

📅 Nathalie Delattre, active in politics since the 1990s as a parliamentary assistant, became a Senator for Gironde in 2017 and Vice-President of the Senate from 2020 to 2023. Formerly Minister in charge of Relations with Parliament in Michel Barnier's government, she succeeds Marina Ferrari as Minister of Tourism and Laurent Hénard as President of the Parti radical valoisien. Delattre also served as a municipal councilor and deputy mayor in Bordeaux. ????️

📢 bnetwork, a global SaaS accommodation management company for large-scale B2B events, has appointed Leonor Lopes Gil as the new General Manager. The company oversees over 150 annual events, representing 1.5 million overnight stays across more than 20 countries and 40 cities. Key upcoming events include MWC Barcelona 2025, the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, the COP 29 in Baku, Web Summit 2024 in Lisbon, ILTM 2024 in Cannes, and Roland Garros in Paris. Lopes Gil reports directly to the Board of Directors.

📌 Amanda Hyndman became Operations Director at Mandarin Oriental Hotel on November 1, 2024, succeeding Christoph Mares. She has a 30-year luxury hotel career and has been with the group for 18 years, also serving as Director of Human Resources—a role she retains. CEO Laurent Kleitman expressed confidence in her ability to lead and achieve future ambitions.

🏨 Kerzner International recently announced strategic appointments and a major reorganization, creating three distinct brand verticals: One&Only, Atlantis, and SIRO/Rare Finds. Mark Kirby, with over 25 years of hospitality experience, takes over as President of One&Only from January 6, 2025. Mattheos Georgiou, previously VP of Global Operations, is promoted to Senior VP of SIRO and Rare Finds, aiming to enhance global operational standards and expand reach while maintaining brand authenticity.

🍴 Maison Bréguet, located in Paris's 11th arrondissement, embraced new chef Adrien Milliand in early December. Milliand, a restaurateur's grandson with a BTS from Médéric school, previously worked at Hôtel Marignan and internationally in Italy and the Caribbean. His culinary style merges tradition with modernity, focusing on simple flavors and seasonality. On the menu: Burger Bréguet Angus, suffocated Pointed Cabbage with smoked butter, and orange biscuit with olive oil for dessert aficionados.

🍴 Chef Ronan Fillatre joined Hôtel de Toiras as Executive Chef on November 18. A native of Rennes with a diverse background, he aims to revitalize George’s restaurant with boldness and authenticity. Fillatre studied at Notre Dame high school and Ferrandi Paris, learning from Alain Dutournier at Carré des Feuillants. He has experience at Chèvre d’Or with starred chefs and earned a Michelin star at Hôtel L’Incomparable before working in Manhattan and Belgium.