Nominations

🏡 Beyond Places has taken over the management of the Courtyard By Marriott Montpellier 4*, owned by EODON. The hotel, located in Port Marianne, has 123 rooms and offers a 278m² event space. It received the Clef Verte label for sustainability in 2025. Beyond Places now operates nine hotels in France, reflecting growth after acquiring three hotels in the South-West last year.

🏠 Magora announced organizational changes with new appointments to support development in managed hosting and real estate services. Johanna Ambil becomes General Manager of Odalys Vacances, overseeing commercial activities and operations. Christian Letienne was appointed as Deputy General Manager of Odalys Vacances and General Manager for Africa, tasked with opening new establishments in Kigali and Abidjan. Aymeric Drujon has been with Magora since 2006 and is now General Manager of Flower Campings, focusing on network expansion and new acquisitions.

📌 Nicolas Kipper will officially start as the general manager of Corinthia Grand Hotel Astoria Brussels on March 24, 2025. With French nationality, Kipper's career began at Hyatt International and progressed through key leadership roles including general manager positions at Ritz-Carlton Budapest, Ritz-Carlton Istanbul, and Fairmont Quasar Istanbul, accruing expertise in luxury hotel management. Kipper holds a degree in hotel management and a master's in hotel and restaurant management from École hôtelière de Strasbourg and the University of Strasbourg.

🏢 MAGORA announces strategic appointments, including Johanna AMBIL as the new General Manager of Odalys Vacances, tasked with overseeing commercial activities and operations of 105 European establishments, reflecting the company's goal to solidify its leading position in managed hosting and real estate services globally. AMBIL, with 20 years of experience and a master's degree from Sciences Po Paris, takes on this role to drive rapid expansion. Laurent DUSOLLIER, General Manager of MAGORA, emphasizes these changes as pivotal for growth.

📍 Starting May 1, Pinnacle's current hotel portfolio and development pipeline integrates with Hotel Equities' management platform. The portfolio includes establishments from brands like Marriott, Hilton, and IHG. The partnership strengthens the growth and expansion efforts of both companies and is a continuation of an existing collaboration with HE managing Pinnacle's AC Hotel by Marriott Kansas City Downtown. Pinnacle's founders, Chet Patel, Rocky Govind, Shawn Govind, and Nayan Nagin, have developed a strong reputation through effective hotel management and strategic market development.

🏖️ Léon Pink appointed as General Manager of VOMO Island Resort starting March 2025, replacing Justin and Mel King after their impressive 6-year tenure. Pink, with over 20 years of experience in luxury tourism across seven countries and a passion for authentic Fijian hospitality, aims to continue offering unforgettable experiences and promoting leadership development within his team. His holistic and empathetic leadership style is known for inspiring loyalty and achieving outstanding results.

🏨 Elie Khoury, with over 30 years in the hospitality industry, brings expertise in asset management, engineering, and brand partnerships. A notable figure, he built his career leading operations for major hotel brands. He served in various general management roles at Interstate Hotels & Resorts, now part of Aimbridge's portfolio, supervising complex establishments across the U.S. As Executive Vice President of Operations at Aimbridge, Khoury managed North American and international activities, honing skills in customer relations, brand partnerships, and executive leadership. Further asset management expertise was gained at Preston Hollow Community Capital and Murphy Asset Management. Khoury chairs the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association's board, the largest state hotel association in the U.S., and serves on the board of California State University, East Bay. His appointment marks a new phase in Crescent Hotels & Resorts' commitment to innovation and operational excellence.

🏥 ShaoWei Ong appointed as Chief People & Culture Officer at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group effective March 17, 2025. Reporting to Group Chief Executive Laurent Kleitman, she joins the executive committee with 22+ years of HR experience across hospitality, banking, fintech, music, and engineering. ShaoWei specializes in HR transformation, organizational restructuring, and digital transition. Amanda Hyndman shifts focus to sole COO role. Previously, ShaoWei served as HR Director at Jardines and worked at Livi Bank and Sony as VP of HR.

🏨 Hilton appoints Alessandro Redaelli as Vice President of Operations for North Africa and the Levant, based in Cairo. Responsible for overseeing 35 hotels across seven brands and the upcoming launch of nearly 50 new establishments. Redaelli brings over 30 years of industry experience, including a recent role as General Manager at Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers. His leadership aims to enhance Hilton's operations and support its growth in key markets.

💳 Christopher Hecht, with over 10 years of experience in international team management across Europe, Vietnam, and China, joins CDS Group (S4BT), a French leader and key European player in business travel reservation and payment solutions. His expertise in B2B payments, fintech, and business travel is set to unify the group's various payment solutions, extend their business travel segments, and leverage AI automation and intelligent payment workflows. Hecht aims to transform expense management in business travel through AI-optimized approval flows, fraud detection, and cost control.