Nominations

💜 Ulla Schneider, 65, the senior vice-president of Warwick International, passed away on Thursday, October 17th. Renowned for her professionalism, she had a significant career after joining Warwick, having been recruited by Ernst Mülhe during his tenure from 1981-2003. Her loyalty to the group, founded by Richard Chiu, led to her senior position. Her sudden death shocked the Parisian hotelier community, who remember her for mentoring several generations.

💸 Hervé Deligny appointed as CFO of Bob W, bringing over 15 years of experience from roles at AccorHotels and other renowned hotel brands like Generator, Safestay, and Onefinestay. CEO Niko Karstikko believes Deligny's expertise will be pivotal in driving financial growth and international expansion for Bob W, aiming to become the favorite brand for modern travelers.

📈 Hassan Merchant joined Arabian Travel Market (ATM) as the marketing director, a role he's been appointed to by RX, the event organizer. Merchant, previously with RX since 2020, will report to Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, ATM. As part of his role, he'll manage the marketing strategy for the Dubai-based event, which saw a record attendance of 47,000 visitors last year. He brings 12 years of experience to the team and has worked in Dubai since 2014 after graduating with a commerce degree in India.

🏨 Ninoska Batista joins OUTRIGGER Hospitality Group to manage planning, programming, and construction programs, bringing over a decade of industry experience. Recently, she acted as a project manager for a $10 billion industrial project at THOST Projektmanagement. Previously at Gensler, she administered over a dozen interior design projects. Batista holds WELL AP, FITWEL Ambassador, LEED AP BD+C certifications, and is working towards CIDQ and ARE qualifications. Her accolades include recognition for her master's thesis, the AIA-AIAS Trust scholarship, CH2M HILL's Leadership and Mentoring Award, and winning Florida International University's Solar Decathlon design contest.

🏡 The Bazin family, owners of the iconic 11-room "La Maison du Bassin" hotel in Cap Ferret, reportedly sold their establishment to a collective led by Laurent de Gourcuff, according to "L’informé".

🏦 Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited, owner of The Peninsula Hotels, announces the appointment of Frenchman Benjamin Vuchot as Executive Director and General Manager starting March 3, 2025. Preceding CEO Clement King Man Kwok will step down on October 31, 2024. Vuchot will also join Executive, Financial, and Management Committees and be an Administrator of various group entities. He expresses commitment to uphold the company's 150-year reputation in luxury hospitality.

📈 In Paris, on October 10, 2024, D-EDGE Hospitality Solutions revealed a study indicating that GDS bookings outperform other channels in key areas like average daily rate (ADR), length of stay, and cancellation rates. Commission rates on GDS bookings range between 18% and 20%, lower than OTAs which can be up to 28%. D-EDGE serves over 17,000 hotels in 150 countries, offering a suite of Cloud-based e-commerce solutions and has 500 experts across 25 countries. It is part of Accor, a hospitality leader with more than 5,500 hotels.

🏨 Eternam and Victoires Haussmann SGP finalized the sale of the majority stake of the Phoenix Club Invest fund in O’Lord hotel residence in September, located in Paris's 8th district. The former office building was renovated into 19 high-end apartments, opening in 2021 after a two-year makeover. The successful hotel business operation demonstrates the asset class's resilience and value creation potential.

🏨 Peter Haaber's company, Core Hospitality, partners with Marriott International to rebrand 14 Zleep Hotels in Denmark to Four Points Flex by Sheraton, majority by December 2023 and the rest by early 2025. The mid-range hotels will emphasize reliable, simple, value-for-money experiences with free breakfast and Wi-Fi for practical, budget-conscious travelers. The rebranding aims to unlock new value potential by leveraging Marriott Bonvoy's established brand recognition.

📌 Frédéric Vidal, a seasoned professional with over 30 years in the luxury hotel industry across five continents, is appointed the General Manager of Jumby Bay Island, part of Oetker Collection. Vidal, with over a decade at Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, served as General Manager of Las Ventanas al Paraíso in South America since 2014, overseeing 61 suites, 15 villas, and 74 private residences. In 2019, he expanded his role to Regional Vice President, managing five properties across the continent. In 2022, while still General Manager, he was named Vice-President of Operations for the Americas, supervising 14 properties in five countries. Previously, Vidal managed MAIA Luxury Resort & Spa in Seychelles for seven years and was the General Manager at Thermes Marins de Monte-Carlo in Monaco for three years.