Nominations

📒 Laurent Gardinier, Anthony Torkington, and Benoît Juillet lead the Steering Committee overseeing operations. As of September 1st, Sarah Barenne became Director of the Network, Fanny Bellicha took over Sales and Distribution, Anissa Khalifa was named Director of Customer Experience, Lars Seifert became Director of Communication, Jeanine Blachère took charge of Sustainable Development, Natacha Bauer became Director of Human Resources, and Krassi Soudry was appointed Financial Director. Relais & Châteaux will announce sustainability commitments at its annual Congress in Paris, November.

📈 At Driftwood Hospitality Management (DHM) in North Palm Beach, Bryan Postema is appointed Director of Operations, Michael Buddemeyer as Vice President of Operations and Concentration, and Michael Diaz as Director of Strategy. DHM, led by founder and President David Buddemeyer, oversees more than 80 properties. Postema brings 20 years of experience, Buddemeyer has over 20 years in the sector, and Diaz has steered operations since DHM's inception in 1998, managing a global portfolio of over 100 hotels.

🏨 John Luckett was appointed as President of hotel operations for Kessler in Orlando, Florida. He returns to the group with over 30 years of experience, after serving as CEO from 2018-2023 and managing the Grand Bohemian Asheville for 10 years. Luckett will oversee departments including hotel, commercial, marketing, IT, HR, and operations, and will contribute to operational strategy expansion. Mark Kessler, President and COO of Kessler Design and Development, praised Luckett's leadership and commitment to excellence and ethics.

🏦 Jérôme Bourdais was appointed President of the CDRE France National Office during the general assembly at EquipHotel Paris. The Bureau was renewed for two years. Noël Lazarini, outgoing National President, focuses on his role as General Manager at Grand Hôtel La Cloche M Gallery in Dijon while remaining active in CDRE FRANCE. Other key positions include Didier Argence as Vice-President in charge of treasury and Emmanuel Taillandier as Vice-President Secretary General. Regional Presidents and Vice-Presidents were also named for Ile-de-France, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Occitanie, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and the creation of Bretagne & Hauts-de-France regions.

🏨 Tiffany Cooper has been appointed as the Head of Development for the Americas at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. She brings over 30 years of experience in sales, marketing, operations, and development. Cooper's focus will be on strategic market growth in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. Previously, she served as the Chief Development Officer at Aimbridge Hospitality for the Americas and the Caribbean. Her career began at Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in 1995, leading to a key role in North American and Caribbean expansion.

📈 Tiffany Cooper, with 30+ years in sales, marketing, operations, and development, focuses on development and investment initiatives in the US, Canada, and Latin America. Previously, as Aimbridge Hospitality's CDO for America and the Caribbean, she led development teams to drive company growth. Her career started at Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in 1995, and includes significant contributions at Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International. Francesco Cefalu of Mandarin Oriental praises Tiffany's strategic fit for the group's commitment to luxury market presence in America.

📢 Adam McKnight joins Gekko Group, a subsidiary of Accor, as Director of International Growth, directly reporting to CEO Fabrice Perdoncini. Bringing over 15 years of B2B travel industry experience, McKnight aims to accelerate Gekko's international expansion into new markets, specifically Asia-Pacific, the United States, and South America, leveraging his background with TBO/Bookabed, Hotelbeds, and A2B Transfers/Resorthoppa. His role involves market penetration strategies and adapting Gekko's offerings to local markets in collaboration with regional partners.

🚧 Marriott International warns of significant restructuring, potentially laying off hundreds, primarily affecting central office roles. Around 16% of 5,000 headquarters employees in Bethesda, Maryland, may face job cuts, totaling 833 positions. The plan aims to save $80-$90 million annually, with one-time costs estimated at $100 million, mainly for severance packages. Employees will receive severance and job placement support. The company has also listed internal job postings for current employees. The restructuring is expected to be largely implemented by Q1 2025, following the announcement during Marriott's Q3 financial results to support future growth and optimize operations.

🏨 Groupe Barrière targets a doubling of its hotel count, announcing the Maison Barrière Vendôme's opening in January at 17 rue du Mont Thabor. Olivier Fernandez, with over 20 years in luxury hotel management, including as General Manager at Grand Mazarin (July 2022 - November 2024) and Hotel Manager at Kimpton St Honoré Paris (since January 2021), will lead the prestigious establishment. Maison Barrière Vendôme joins a dense cluster of luxury hotels in Paris, such as Hotel Costes, Westin, Ritz Paris, and more.

🏩 Tom Lerouge, aged 35, is the new General Manager of Ducasse Paris, joining Founder Alain Ducasse and President Véronique Lartigue to bring diverse skills and generational perspectives. An engineer graduated from ESTACA with experience in aeronautics and automotive, Lerouge has conducted research at CentraleSupélec and ENS Cachan. He's held project development and management roles at Zodiac Aerospace and Edeis, and founded companies including Tribute and LTFO, focusing on residential real estate and investment in hospitality.