Nominations

🏨 Steve Wahrlich, with decades of hospitality experience and over 40 years with BWH Hotels, is now President, having previously been the Vice President of the Board. Viral Patel and Rajesh Patel were elected as Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer, respectively. Wahrlich, a Denver native with a real estate management and finance degree from the University of Colorado, currently resides in Billings, Montana, with his wife and six grandchildren. He also serves as VP of RiverStone Health, Montana's largest community health center, and is active on several boards including the Montana Lodging & Hospitality Association. Larry Cuculic, CEO of BWH Hotels, commends Wahrlich's appointment.

🏠 Auberge Resorts Collection will manage The Woodward, Switzerland's renowned luxury hotel and epicurean hotspot, starting February 1, 2025. Key expansions include Collegio alla Querce in Florence and Cambridge House in the heart of Mayfair, London, set to open in March 2025, joining their existing European properties in France and Santorini, Greece. The Woodward, featuring a 1901 Belle Époque facade, offers 26 unique suites with panoramic views, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and a Guerlain spa.

📌 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.

🏛 IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan partners with BHR Okinawa Management GK, 100% subsidiary of Berjaya Land Berhad, to rebrand ANA Crowne Plaza in Okinawa. The ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Okinawa Uruma Hills, with 123 rooms, will join IHG system in early 2025 and undergo a renovation. The rebranded resort, ANSA Okinawa Resort, marks the first hotel agreement between IHG and Berjaya in Japan, building on their successful partnership in Vietnam. Abhijay Sandilya, CEO of IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan, aims to double IHG's portfolio in Japan.

🏨 Mario Mendis, an experienced international hotelier with over 25 years in the industry, is now the General Manager of the newly opened Fusion Resort & Villas Da Nang, which welcomed guests this summer. The resort, nestled between Da Nang city and UNESCO World Heritage site Hoi An, features 85 private villas, a 157-room hotel, proximity to Marble Mountains, Ba Na Hills, and two internationally-renowned golf courses. Mendis, with a tourism degree from Australia (2001), has led prestigious properties, including Sofitel Saigon Plaza.

📍 Experienced industry leader Hervé Mazella promoted to Area Vice President Luxury Asia Pacific at Hyatt after over 12 years with the company. Concurrently holds the position of Managing Director at Andaz Bali and Hyatt Regency Bali since December 2022. Previously served nearly seven years as General Manager of Park Hyatt Tokyo, which is undergoing renovations and set to reopen in October 2025. Mazella's hospitality career began post-2000 from Lycée d'Hôtellerie et de Tourisme Paul Augier, Nice, with roles at Michelin-starred establishments like Waterside Inn and Château du Domaine Saint Martin.

🖤 Tobias Emmer, with international expertise in customer experience, team development, and leadership, promises to enhance the offerings at a resort known as the "jewel of the Andaman Sea." Emmer, coming from a hospitality-passionate family, worked in a kitchen as a teen and completed an apprenticeship at a luxury hotel in Munich. He holds a degree in tourism and gained experience in London before a pivotal move to Shanghai to open a five-star hotel. He spent 12 years in Asia-Pacific, joining Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa in 2015.

🏨 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.

🏦 Marco Selva appointed as Senior Vice President at Stonebridge, will focus on luxury, lifestyle, and resort portfolio development in the South-East US, the Caribbean, and Latin America. To support growth strategy in these markets, Selva will open a Miami office, leveraging his expertise to target high-end projects in the region. Stonebridge is actively working on five Caribbean projects and recently got approved by Marriott as a JW Marriott franchise operator for an upcoming Atlanta project. Selva's previous experience includes leadership roles at SH Hotels & Resorts.