Nominations

🏨 Vantage Capital, Africa's largest mezzanine fund manager, invested $18.4 million in December 2020 into PickAlbatros Hotels, a leading Egyptian hotel owner and operator with 4 and 5-star properties in the Red Sea region at Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada, Sahl Hasheesh, and Marsa Allam. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the funds helped the hotel group cover working capital needs and renovate newly acquired hotels, maintaining smooth operations despite a significant drop in tourism.

🏨 ELAZULI welcomes Séverine HORTEUR as a new Consultant-Trainer, enhancing the company's expertise in the Tourism and Hospitality-Restaurant sectors. HORTEUR brings 25 years of experience in these fields and has been a trainer for a decade. ELAZULI, established in 2017, specializes in offering tailored advice and training for the Leisure, Tourism, and Hospitality industries. Audrey BOUVIER, Director of ELAZULI, is confident that HORTEUR's passion and experience will significantly contribute to the company's growth and future projects.

💻 Ramana Thumu is appointed the new Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Expedia Group, bringing extensive e-commerce experience, including 10 years as Director of Product and Technology at eBay and a decade as CTO of Fanatics. The announcement comes after Expedia's former CTO, Rathi Murthy, was dismissed for violating company policy. Thumu's expertise is expected to drive innovation and AI development, like Expedia's AI personal assistant Romie, unveiled in May at an event in Las Vegas.

📈 Hassan Merchant joined Arabian Travel Market (ATM) as the marketing director, a role he's been appointed to by RX, the event organizer. Merchant, previously with RX since 2020, will report to Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, ATM. As part of his role, he'll manage the marketing strategy for the Dubai-based event, which saw a record attendance of 47,000 visitors last year. He brings 12 years of experience to the team and has worked in Dubai since 2014 after graduating with a commerce degree in India.

Communiqué de presse Paris, le 10 Octobre 2024 – D-EDGE Hospitality Solutions, l’un des principaux fournisseurs de CRS et de connectivité GDS pour des milliers d’hôtels m travers le monde,…

🏨 Eternam and Victoires Haussmann SGP finalized the sale of the majority stake of the Phoenix Club Invest fund in O’Lord hotel residence in September, located in Paris's 8th district. The former office building was renovated into 19 high-end apartments, opening in 2021 after a two-year makeover. The successful hotel business operation demonstrates the asset class's resilience and value creation potential.

📌 Adrian Keating is appointed as the new Regional Sales Director for Northern Europe at WebBeds, a global accommodation and ground services platform for the tourism industry. Keating previously doubled revenue in the region as Commercial Director at PLAY Airlines. He brings extensive experience from high-level commercial roles with brands like Norse Atlantic Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Etihad Airways, and EasyJet. Northern Europe, including the UK, Ireland, and Scandinavian countries, is WebBeds' largest source market in Europe.

🍴 Lionel Lévy, renowned French chef, joins LJ Hôtels & Co as Director of Catering and Events, tasked with growth and innovation. Lévy, trained by Gérard Garrigues and previously worked alongside Yves Camdeborde, Éric Fréchon, and within Alain Ducasse's teams. Opened Une Table au Sud in Marseille in 1999, awarded a Michelin star in 2004, later becoming the Director of Catering at the international group of the InterContinental in Marseille until early 2024, supervising the starred restaurant Alcyone. He will lead Cocci, the new Italian restaurant opening in November.

🏨 Patrice Landrein appointed as General Manager of Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury, effective October 3, 2024, succeeding Isabelle Bouvier. Boasting nearly 30 years of international luxury hospitality experience, Landrein has worked at renowned hotels including Paris' Ritz and Hôtel de Crillon, London's The Savoy, New York's Plaza Athénée, and prestigious establishments in Asia. French national Landrein began his career as an intern receptionist, later managing at 26 years old the five-star Manapany in St Barth, Caribbean, and recently in Asia, notably Vietnam and Thailand.

🍴 Jeffrey Pestana, originaire d'Eure et Loire, began his culinary education at 15 with a CAP cuisine, followed by a BP, alternating training in Tours and apprenticeship at Les Feuillantines in Chartres. He worked at the Michelin-starred restaurant du Grand Monarque, then moved to Eden Rock in Saint Barthelemy, and has now returned to France as the new chef at the restaurant l’Amphitryon at Château Louise de la Vallière at age 30. His cuisine is inspired by French gastronomy from Escoffier, emphasizing locally sourced products.