Nominations

🏠 Harald Feurstein, with over 20 years of hospitality experience, including leadership roles at Fairmont, Conrad, and Hilton in Asia, and a Cornell University Master's degree in hotel management, is now the General Manager of Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas and Area General Manager for Abu Dhabi & Al Ain at Rotana. Previously, he elevated standards of excellence as the General Manager of Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana. His focus will be on improving customer experience and maintaining service excellence while optimizing performance.

🏡 Isabelle Bouvier, with an ESCI Master 2 (1992) and a BTS from Le Likès Quimper (1989), departed from her General Manager position at Royal Palm Beachcomber, where she's been since 2021. Bouvier boasts a career including Area Director of Sales & Marketing France for Starwood from 1995-2006, Brand Marketing & Strategic Alliances for Concorde Hotels & Resorts (2007-2012), and Director of Sales and Marketing at Peninsula Paris (2013-2017). She transitioned to operations as Hotel Manager of Lutetia – The Set Collection in 2017 for four years. Her successor at Royal Palm Beachcomber in Grand Baie, Mauritius, is Patrice Landrein, a 1992 BTS graduate from Lycée hôtelier Le Paraclet, who recently left Premier Village Phu Quoc Resort Managed by Accor in Cambodia.

🎓 Flor Garcia Cambon, with a Master's degree in Corporate Communication from Barcelona and another in International and Intercultural Management from Université Paris-Dauphine, has joined the Esprit de France hotel collection. Previously, she worked at Sagrada Familia and the National Museum of History of Catalonia, and has experience in translation and marketing for trade shows. Her international and diverse background will contribute to Esprit de France's growth, as per General Manager Jérémie de Fombelle.

🏕 Italian national, Massimo Brancaleoni, with over 25 years of commercial experience, recently held the position of Senior Vice President of Sales and Revenue at Silversea Cruises. He has dedicated 20 years at Costa Crociere, climbing the ranks from Director of Pricing and Revenue Management to Senior Vice President of Global Sales, working in cities including Paris, Genoa, Hong Kong, Madrid, Miami, and Monaco. Brancaleoni studied at the University of Genoa and IESE Business School in Barcelona and, since 2022, serves as a visiting professor at Università degli Studi di Genova.

🌞 Pasan Wijewardana appointed as Director of Sales and Marketing for Sun Siyam Iru Fushi in the Maldives and Sun Siyam Pasikudah in Sri Lanka. With over a decade of luxury hospitality experience in Sri Lanka, Oman, and the Maldives, including a significant role in the growth of Sun Siyam Iru Veli, Wijewardana returns to Sun Siyam Resorts to enhance brand awareness and drive revenue and market presence.

🍷 Paul Robineau, former Chef Sommelier at Les 110 de Taillevent in London, is now leading the Sommellerie of Maisons Taillevent, which includes establishments in Paris, London, Beirut, Tokyo, and Yokohama. His appointment as Executive Head Sommelier is part of the group's development strategy, focusing on wine and gastronomy. Robineau's role will enhance the wine and sommelier expertise of Maisons Taillevent globally, involving exclusive wine events and the internal 'S de Taillevent' program, which offers monthly master classes, estate visits, and more.

🏨 Christie & Co France bolsters its Hotel Real Estate Advisory team with two new hires: Luc Espaillard as Associate Director - Conseil, previously with HVS Canada and educated at Institut Vatel and École Hôtelière de Lausanne, and Sophie Tran as Consultant - Hotels. This expansion signifies Christie & Co's commitment to maintaining its leadership by enhancing advisory services for French and international clients.

🏖 During the summer of 2024, the Grand Est region of France reported a stable overall tourism rate, with a notable 10% increase in international visitors, counterbalancing a 5% decline in domestic tourism. The regional tourism achievements were announced by Cédric Gouth, Vice-President of Tourism, and Henry Lemoine, President of the Regional Tourism Agency (ART GE). Anne Sander replaced Gouth as President of the Regional Tourism Commission after over 20 years in the European Parliament, poised to enhance the region's tourism appeal. Franck Leroy, President of the Grand Est region, praised the new presidency.

🏦 Olivier Dufit became the CEO of The Originals in July 2024, succeeding Philippe Marguet who served for 23 years. Dufit joined the cooperative in 2020 as the Director of Marketing, Communication, E-commerce, and CSR. Previously, he had 15 years of experience in marketing and advertising agencies and 15 years as an entrepreneur. In October 2023, he was appointed Deputy CEO. The cooperative, celebrating 5 years of its brand in 2024, maintained its performance in 2024 despite economic challenges and a politically uncertain environment influenced by the Olympics and a changing tourism market.

🏨 Luc Espaillard joins Christie & Co as Associate Director - Conseil, bringing years of experience in hospitality and hotel real estate consulting. He has previously worked on complex projects in Canada with HVS and is a graduate from Institut Vatel de Bordeaux and École Hôtelière de Lausanne, with a specialization in real estate from the University of British Columbia. His operational understanding of hospitality and real estate consulting aligns with Christie & Co's strategy to strengthen their pan-European team.