Nominations

🏩 Frédéric Savoye, holding a Master in Finance, Marketing, and Business Administration from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (1997), was designated as Vice President of Brand Performance and Sales at Rotana Hotel Management Corporation since 2022. Now he steps into a new role as Hospitality Director – Sales & Marketing for Modon. Savoye's career in the UAE began in 2014 with Fairmont as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Middle East, Africa, India & the Indian Ocean, followed by a term as President of Hospitality Business at Al Hamra Real Estate Development, and then as Head of Hospitality Asset Management for Miral.

📌 Christopher Tatum, with 40 years of experience in the hospitality sector, is now the President – Full Service at Aimbridge Hospitality. His role includes overseeing Full Service, Evolution Lifestyle, Luxury, and Resort properties across the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. Tatum has a track record of generating over $500 million in sales and achieving record profits while working at Marriott International for 37 years. He also held a leadership role with the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

🏨 James Goodwin was appointed as the second director of Accommodation Australia (AA) after the retirement of former General Manager Michael Johnson in June. AA was established in July 2023 following the merger of Tourism Accommodation Australia and the Accommodation Association of Australia. Based in Canberra, Goodwin will advocate for the industry ahead of federal elections and address skill shortages and tourism recovery challenges.

🍕 New chef Vincenzo Tuccillo, 33, originally from Italy, joined AC Hotel Nice's summer restaurant Farago on the Roof in August, bringing Mediterranean flavors to the menu. With experience from working with Alain Ducasse at Meurice (2014-2015) as 1st commis, Chef de partie at Mandarin Oriental (2015-2017) under Thierry Marx, and Sous-chef at George V (March 2018 - May 2023), Tuccillo now enhances the culinary offerings with dishes like low-temperature Quasi de veau and Ceviche de dorade, plus desserts such as Tiramisu and Tarte au citron for guests and events at the hotel.

🏨 Jason Nuell, following Sean Hunt's retirement, has moved from Marriott's Singapore HQ to oversee the financial performance of 64 ANZP region properties (44 operational hotels and 20 in development) in Sydney. Nuell began with Marriott in 2003, has held leadership positions across Southeast Asia, China, India, the US and Europe, and was awarded Marriott International's Global General Manager of the Year in 2011. Neeraj Govil, APEC COO, commended Jason's appointment.

🎰 Paul G. V. Baker, an experienced casino executive, will succeed Timothy Kelly as President of Atlantis Resorts Dubai. Timothy Kelly has moved to lead City of Dreams in Macao. Baker's extensive background includes positions as Vice President for Caesars Entertainment Corporation, Vice President in Macao for Wynn Macao, and most recently, President of the Grand Lisboa Palace in Macao. Baker's appointment signals Dubai's ambition to become a Middle Eastern gambling hub.

📌 Laurent Garrido, with a background from Cornell-Essec and experience in Mauritius, Tahiti, Evian, Montreux, Marrakech, and La Baule, has been appointed as the General Manager of the InterContinental Marseille–Hotel Dieu. He previously managed resort transformations and development projects in the hospitality and health sectors before taking over the helm at InterContinental Marseille.

📈 Mandarin Oriental International Limited nominates Cristina Diezhandino and Fabrice Megarbane as independent non-executive directors starting August 1, 2024. Diezhandino, with 18+ years at Diageo, has been Chief Marketing Officer since July 2020, recognized by Forbes World's most influential CMOs list, and named Global Marketer of the Year 2022. Megarbane, L'Oréal's Chief Global Growth Officer, has overseen projects exceeding 10 billion euros in revenue and led a 20,000-strong team during his 24-year tenure.

📈 Mandarin Oriental International appoints Cristina Diezhandino and Fabrice Megarbane as independent board members starting from August 1, 2024, to bolster its new "customer and brand" strategy. Diezhandino, after over 18 years at Diageo, recognized as Forbes' influential CMO since 2021 and "Global Marketer of the Year" in 2022, brings expertise in marketing, innovation, and digital transformation. Megarbane contributes 24 years of expertise from L’Oréal, where he serves as Chief Global Growth Officer and is a member of the executive committee.

🏡 Candice Barwell Nassar appointed General Manager of the new L'Arev St Tropez, opened March 2023 on the Côte d'Azur. Boasting over 30 years of luxury hospitality experience, Nassar began her career at 17 and has previously worked with Hôtel du Palais, Biarritz; Shangri-La Villingili, Maldives; Société des Bains de Mer, Monaco; Rosewood Abu Dhabi; and The Ritz, London.