Nominations

🏛 Romain Le Rol, renowned hotelier, will take charge of the RockyPop Marseille on March 17, 2025. The hotel, set to open in the summer of 2025, is described as bold and disruptive. Prior to this, Le Rol successfully launched and established Mama Shelter Rennes. His career includes experience with Starwood, Hilton, Accor, and innovative dining concepts in various locations including Paris, Marrakech, and Lomé. Romain Le Rol graduated from EPMT in 1998.

🏠 HomeExchange, the global leader in home swapping, appoints Alice Lorenz as Chief Product Officer (CPO) and Aurore Saint-Maurice as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) to drive expansion and make home exchanging a mainstream travel alternative. Alice Lorenz, with the company since 2015, previously with Lafarge, aims to enhance user experience and support a near 40% annual growth by improving new member onboarding for seamless home swaps.

🏡 Julien Mattei joins a&o Hostels as Chief Investment Officer, bringing 15 years of experience from Social Hub and Norges Bank Investment Management. Tasked with steering a&o's investment strategy, Mattei's arrival coincides with the company's growth phase, adding four new properties. A&o now operates 42 hostels in 11 European countries, owning 19 properties (45% of portfolio), and has secured approximately €500 million for further expansion, backed by StepStone Group and Proprium Capital Partners.

📌 HomeExchange, the global leader in house swapping, proudly announces the appointment of Alice Lorenz as Chief Product Officer (CPO) and Aurore Saint-Maurice as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). The strategy aims at growth and innovation, focusing on product and marketing to make travel more accessible and expand the platform. Alice Lorenz brings a decade of experience from within HomeExchange and a background in customer service, marketing, and complex project management, having joined after the first funding round in 2015.

🏨 Maximilian Abele appointed as Brand Director for B&B Hotels Central & Northern Europe to lead strategic development, manage brand consistency across channels, and lead a 13-person team in brand, marketing, and communication. Reporting to Chief Commercial Officer Frank Seedorff, Abele brings extensive hospitality and entertainment sector experience, including VP roles at Lindner Hotel Group and past work with Me and All Hotels, Tomorrowland, Pentahotels, and Bundesliga's Mainz 05 football club. His goal: to bolster B&B Hotels as a top value-for-money hospitality brand and enhance customer experience.

📈 Benjamin Vuchot became CEO of Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, owner of The Peninsula Hotels, on March 3, 2024, succeeding Clement King Man Kwok who led for decades and will continue as Executive Director until the 2025 Annual General Meeting. Vuchot, with 30+ years in luxury, held leadership roles at Richemont and LVMH, and joins the Executive Committee, Finance Committee, and Management Board, bringing expertise in innovation and global expansion.

🏨 Palladium Hotel Group restructures into two strategic units: Lifestyle Brands and High Energy & All-Inclusive. With a 12% increase, revenue hits €1.2 billion in 2024. The Spanish company operates 40 hotels across eight countries, optimizing brand management for growth. Juan Serra leads Lifestyle Brands, focusing on sustainable growth and customer experience, while Ana Morillo heads the High Energy & All-Inclusive unit. Six new openings and €650 million investment planned by 2026, targeting the French market, which constitutes 6% of European activity.

🏡 Weeks after acquiring New York-based DASH design, Saguez & Partners announced Gwendoline Theodet as Chief Development Officer (CDO) to boost the group's hospitality market growth in the United States and Europe. With over 20 years of international commercial development experience, Theodet, a seasoned hospitality design authority, has held leadership roles at Campbell House, Wilson Associates, and directed APRIM Interior Design in Singapore. Founder of Selection Gourmet, an e-commerce platform, she's also the president of the Paris chapter of NEWH.

🏨 Olivier Bonard, with over 20 years of luxury hospitality experience, is now the General Manager & Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations at Atlantis The Royal in Dubai. A graduate of the École Hôtelière de Lausanne, Bonard has worked with top brands like Hyatt International and Wynn Resorts. He recently served as Senior Vice President – Hotel Operations at Wynn Palace in Macao for almost seven years and prior as Vice President – Food and Beverage at Wynn Macau for around six years. His achievements include Forbes and Michelin recognitions, and he has held key positions in Europe and Asia.

🏨 Alboran expanded its portfolio by managing Hilton Garden Inn Massy since December 9, 2024, and DoubleTree by Hilton Bougival since January 1, 2025, in partnership with LRO Hospitality. The former offers 152 rooms near Massy TGV station, while the latter, located by the Seine, provides 180 recently renovated rooms, targeting business and leisure travelers, as well as MICE clientele.