Nominations

🏢 Mandarin Oriental promotes three Hotel Managers to Deputy General Manager in 2025 as part of a strategic execution phase. Ferdinand Wachs, with 12 years at the group and experience in London, Miami, and Madrid, moves to Hong Kong. Kremi McCabe, joining in 2022, has worked in London and Dubai. Alex Huels, with the group since 2006, served in Chiang Mai, Singapore, and Bangkok. These leaders will support Area Vice Presidents.

📈 United Hospitality Management (UHM) appoints Olivier Jacquet as Chief Operating Officer – Europe, aiming to expand in Europe. Jacquet, with over 35 years of hospitality experience, has led operations at Groupe Pichet and Louvre Hotels Group. He will oversee strategic properties like Pine Cliffs Resort, Hyatt Regency Lisbon, Sheraton Cascais Resort, and YOTEL Porto. This appointment aligns with UHM's growth phase, enhancing its European presence and standards.

💻 Stephan Thoennissen has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer by NUMA, aiming to bolster their digital business operations across Europe. Previously with Berlin Brands Group, Thoennissen will expand NUMA's presence on major online platforms like Booking.com and establish new local entities in target markets. CEO Christian Gaiser highlights Thoennissen's impressive track record in tech company growth, driving NUMA's international expansion and AI-focused innovation in the hospitality sector.

🌏 Club Med restructures in Asia-Pacific: From May 1, 2025, the group merges three entities into two—"East & South Asia and Pacific" (ESAP) and China—to boost regional presence and market growth. ESAP sees post-pandemic growth, with Japan's Hokkaido resorts booming and Club Med Phuket expanding. Rachael Harding leads ESAP as CEO. China's strategic market hosted 260,000 clients in 2024. Club Med's ambitious plans continue with the upcoming Club Med Borneo opening in late 2025.

🍳 Thomas Vonderscher, vainqueur du trophée Grand de Demain Bretagne 2023 par Gault&Millau, rejoint l’Armancette***** du groupe Almae Collection en Haute Savoie, après avoir restauré une étoile MICHELIN à la Maison Tirel-Guerin. Dès le 30 mai, il apportera son amour pour le terroir et les produits locaux à La Table d’Armante et Le Mont Joly, situés au cœur du pays du Mont Blanc, pour des expériences gastronomiques uniques.

🏨 Stonebridge Companies, a key player in the U.S. hotel industry, appoints Blake Doran as Vice President of Operations. Reporting to Lee Palaschak, Doran brings over 20 years of experience, previously serving as Divisional VP of Operations at Remington Hospitality. Rob Smith, President and CEO of Stonebridge, praises Doran's strategic vision and leadership. This move aims to strengthen Stonebridge's premium and full-service market position.

📄 Remington Hospitality appoints Ben Perelmuter as CEO, replacing Sloan Dean, who has served since 2019. Perelmuter joins with 30 years of experience, previously holding the role of President and COO at TPG Hotels & Resorts and 15 years at Aimbridge Hospitality. The transition will be smooth, with Dean having led a 2023 restructuring. Monty Bennett of Ashford Inc. praises Perelmuter’s energy and performance focus.

📈 La britannique Elegant Hotel Collection, soutenue par HotelREZ, désigne Anita Chan comme CEO pour l’Asie-Pacifique, dans le cadre d'une coentreprise entre Anita Chan (Hong Kong) et Elegant Hotel Collection (Royaume-Uni). Ancienne CEO de Compass Edge, Anita Chan vise à renforcer la présence de la marque en Asie-Pacifique, une région clé pour le commerce mondial. Cette expansion mondiale est axée sur l’authenticité et l’innovation dans le secteur hôtelier de luxe.

🏨 Simon Barnett is the new General Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, bringing over 30 years of luxury hospitality experience from his previous position at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya. 🏙️ The hotel's highlights include innovative wellness offerings, personalized service, and an award-winning culinary program featuring Michelin-recognized Yun House and Bar Trigona, ranked among Asia's top 50 bars for six consecutive years. Barnett emphasizes making every guest feel special, a lesson learned from a past oversight.

📅 Nicolle Martin and Bérangère Authieu officially exchanged presidency roles at Skal Côte d'Azur during an emotional event at Cap Beach Hôtel, Antibes. This event was attended by members and Senator Alexandra Borchio Fontimp. Nicolle Martin enhanced Skal's global visibility, increasing membership significantly. Bérangère Authieu, leader of Your Travel Experience, introduced new leadership to bolster Skal's vision.