Nominations

🏨 Viceroy at Ombria Algarve, set to open on October 1, 2024, announced key leadership appointments: Duarte Gonçalves da Cunha as General Manager, Pedro Pinto as Executive Chef, and Gonçalo Mendes as Head Sommelier. The new team will oversee all operational aspects of the resort in Portugal. Duarte brings over 20 years of luxury hospitality experience, previously working at four Aman Resorts, Finca Cortesin, and as General Manager at Discovery Hotel Management's Octant Douro for four years. He holds degrees from Les Roches School of Hotel Management in hospitality management and strategic marketing.

🏨 Martin Rinck, former Executive Vice President – Chief Brand Officer at Hilton (2018-2021) and President in Asia-Pacific (2008-2018), with an MBA from Brunel University London (1995), has held executive positions at Radisson Hotel Group in Brussels, Mövenpick Gastronomy International in Zurich (1998-2003), and is now the CEO of Cervo Advisory AG in Switzerland. He serves on the boards of Small Luxury Hotels of the World and the NGO Room to Read. Rinck has been appointed CEO of Lindner Hotel Group, following Arno Schwalie, who will leave on August 31, 2024.

🏢 In Oslo, Karoline Hoff succeeds Torunn Tronsvang as CEO of Up Norway, a company founded by Tronsvang in 2016. Tronsvang, with past roles in Anantara (2004-2006, Thailand and Maldives), Madinat Jumeirah (2007-2008), and Aman Resorts (2008-2010, Bhutan), now becomes Chief Experience Officer (CXO). Hoff, not originally from the tourism industry, has a background in financial management from the Norwegian School of Economics and holds experience in strategy, business development, and digital transformation, recently serving as the Director of Strategy and Business Development for Møller Mobility Group.

🏦 Jeff Toscano boasts three decades of experience in the luxury market, excelling in asset creation, management, and evolution. He collaborated with hotel management teams, ownership groups, and developers to innovate and execute unique premium hospitality concepts and experiences. An alumnus of Cornell University's General Manager Program and holder of a B.S. in Hospitality from Purdue University, Toscano has a track record of transforming organizations and establishing properties as top-tier brands with exceptional customer experiences and strong operational performance. Most recently, he was the Executive Vice President of Luxury and Lifestyle Hotels at Highgate, overseeing strategy and operations for 31 hotels with over 8,000 rooms, generating approximately $1 billion in annual revenue. Toscano has held leadership roles at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Davidson Hotels & Resorts, Two Roads Hospitality, Denihan Hospitality Group, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts, managing major projects like The Surrey NYC, The Beekman NYC, Ventana Big Sur, and Carmel Valley Ranch.

🏨 New York native Randall Williams began his hospitality career at Greenbrier Resort, West Virginia, in 1999. By 2006, he became a general manager. Williams has managed various hotels across the U.S., including Wyndham, Hyatt, and 21c Museum Hotel brands. In 2022, he joined the Fairmont Vancouver Airport as General Manager, maintaining its rank as North America's number one airport hotel for nine consecutive years. Williams now joins Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver, after over two decades in the industry and leadership roles in Accor's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee from 2020-2022. He holds a degree from the University of Nevada.

📝 Marie Di Genova has been appointed to the board of the Foundation of the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ). With over 30 years in the agri-food industry and holding a sociology degree from the Université du Québec à Montréal and a marketing program from HEC, she's also the Vice-president of sales and industrial marketing at Groupe Première Moisson Inc since 2020. Di Genova contributes her extensive business experience to ITHQ Foundation's board, aiming to achieve its objectives.

📢 Cloudbeds, a hospitality management technology leader, announced Linda Vallner as Vice President for EMEA. Vallner previously held leadership roles at Oracle and Protel, including as Director of OPERA product suite. Cloudbeds aims to strengthen its presence in the EMEA region, with Vallner's expertise expected to set new standards in the industry and enhance hotel operations and guest experiences. Cloudbeds' CEO, Adam Harris, recognizes Vallner as a pioneer in Property Management Systems (PMS).

🏨 Christian Clerc, with over 30 years of hotel industry experience, is set to become the President and CEO of Auberge Resorts Collection on September 1, 2024, succeeding Craig Reid. Clerc previously managed 127 hotels, 51 residential properties, over 50 properties in development, and 50,000 employees in 47 countries as the Global CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts for 6 years. Auberge Resorts Collection currently has 27 hotels and resorts, including Domaine des Étangs in Massignac, Charente.

🏨 Victor Clavell has over 30 years of luxury hotel management experience and spent 28 years with Marriott International's luxury portfolio. While his Marriott career was mostly in Europe, in 2010 he moved to Asia as the Vice President for Asia-Pacific, overseeing The Ritz-Carlton, Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, and EDITION, as well as 27 properties in development. In 2020, Clavell was appointed COO of AMAALA, a luxury resort owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Operations for Rosewood Europe, Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. Urban Resort Concepts, which he leads, has a portfolio including PuLi Hotel & Spa in Shanghai, RuMa Hotel & Residences in Kuala Lumpur, and PuXuan.

🍴 Romain Henry takes over at Domaine de Verchant, Relais & Château in Castelnau-Le-Lez, Hérault, managing Marcelle, La Plage, pool offerings, room service, breakfast, wine cellar, and sommellerie. Former Assistant Director and Head Sommelier at Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme's starred restaurant, and Michelin-starred Hisbiscus (2*) and Maze Restaurant (1*) by Gordon Ramsay in London. Trained at Purple Campus Béziers, Henry was a finalist in the "Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, Maître d’hôtel du service et des arts de la table" contest in 2022.