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People on the move: Kerzner, Starhotels, Rosewood

Kerzner International Holdings Limited, owner of Atlantis Resort and Residences and One&Only Resorts brands, is restructuring its strategic leadership team. Philippe Zuber is the company’s new chief executive officer, taking over for Michael Wale who is joining the board of directors after more than two years as Kerzner International’s CEO. Michel Checoury, who has been chief financial officer since October 2018, added chief administrative officer to his role.

Zuber originally joined Kerzner International in December 2015 as president and COO, One&Only Resorts, where he launched the expansion of One&Only beyond beach resorts to include nature resorts, urban resorts and One&Only Private Homes. Most recently, Zuber was COO for Kerzner International, also overseeing Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort in El Jadida, Morocco, and the Atlantis brand globally. Since becoming CFO, Checoury has driven strong financial results and financial discipline across the business while supporting the expansion of Kerzner’s global footprint. In addition to overseeing finance, Checoury will lead development, technical services, information technology and legal.

“I am incredibly proud of our team for all that has been accomplished at Kerzner International over the last two-and-a-half years,” said Wale. “I am honored to have worked with such amazing people and I know that we are well position for the future.”

From left, clockwise: Philippe Zuber, Cecile Sandral-Lasbordes, Aaron Marcial and Mario Perera
From left, clockwise: Philippe Zuber, Cecile Sandral-Lasbordes, Aaron Marcial and Mario Perera

Starhotels appointed Francesco Brunetti managing director. Brunetti has extensive experience in hospitality, including in prominent managerial roles. Prior to joining Starhotels, he held numerous senior management positions in international hotel chains including Hilton, ITT Sheraton, CIGA and Starwood, overseeing its merger with Marriott International. Among many positions held, Brunetti is a member of the board of directors of Fondazione Fiera Milano and of the General Council of Federturismo Confindustria. He is deputy of the Italian chapter of the European Hotel Managers Association, as well as past president of the Assolombarda Tourism Group and Confindustria Lombardia Turismo.

Jennifer Chiesa is director of public relations at Montage Healdsburg in Healdsburg, California. With more than 18 years of experience in luxury hospitality and travel public relations, including more than 10 years working in California’s wine country, Chiesa will oversee the public relations efforts for the property’s opening this fall. Chiesa most recently was director of public relations at Meadowood Napa Valley in St. Helena, California. Chiesa also led the public relations efforts with Ritz-Carlton hotels in California including The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay and The Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena. She formerly worked as a public relations officer with Singapore Airlines in Los Angeles.

Grand Hyatt Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee, appointed executives to support the hotel’s September opening: Johannes Diele is director of convention services; Chris Gallatin is director of engineering; David Hearst is director of revenue; Allyson Hoyer is director of rooms; Rachelle Iler is associate director of sales; William Leeis director of finance; Gideon Packianathan is director of human resources; Zachary Parks is assistant director of finance; and Evan Zimmer is director of catering.

Michael Kain is general manager of Steigenberger Bad Homburg in Bad Homburg, Germany, and Raoul Hoelzle is general manager of Steigenberger Grandhotel & Spa Petersberg in Königswinter, Germany. Kain has held numerous leadership roles at Steigenberger Hotels during his more than 35 years with the company, including managing the renovation and repositioning programs at the Steigenberger Parkhotel in Düsseldorf, Germany, and Steigenberger Grandhotel & Spa Petersberg. Since 2017, Hoelzle has been hotel manager at the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof in Frankfurt, Germany. Prior to that, he held a series of international roles, including director of rooms at the Peninsula Hong Kong and at the Park Hyatt Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia.

Punta Mita in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico, appointed Aaron Marcial as Club Punta Mita’s public health officer, responsible for ensuring all COVID-19 protocols comply with government regulation. Marcial has a background in human resources and training at Four Seasons Punta Mita, St. Regis Punta Mita and Star Medica, a business providing general medical and surgical hospital services. He is also responsible for the certification of all of Punta Mita’s Beach Clubs in alignment with Cristal International Standards, a global group that provides brand quality, standards and risk management solutions to hoteliers.

GF Hotels & Resorts named Peter Nichols chief investment officer. Nichols has more than 35 years of experience in hospitality operations, management, ownership and brokerage. He served as vice president and national director of the National Hospitality Group, leading a team of more than 100 investment specialist located in 40 offices across the country to nearly 900 hospitality transactions, representing more than US$4.7 billion in sales. During his time as senior vice president of acquisitions and development for a Midwest-based hospitality company, Nichols acquired 20 hotels across North America, and developed relationships with brands including Marriott, Hilton, IHG and Hyatt Hotels.

The Dorchester in London, England, promoted Mario Perera to executive chef. Perera first joined The Dorchester more than 18 years ago and has risen through the ranks, most recently working under his predecessor, Stefan Trepp. Perera recently oversaw the development of an Asian banqueting concept at the property, set to launch towards the end of the year. He originally joined The Dorchester in 1995 to become commis chef. After 15 years, he left the property to be part of the reopening team at Four Seasons Park Lane, also in London. He returned to The Dorchester in 2017 as executive sous chef.

Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in Los Angeles named Jason Ro associate director of sales and Cecile Sandral-Lasbordes director of public relations and marketing, guest experience and quality leader. Ro and Sandral-Lasbordes have both worked at the hotel since 2017. Previously, Ro managed the group sales team and served as interim director of sales and marketing. Ro’s prior sales and marketing management roles were at Le Méridien Delfina Santa Monica in Santa Monica, California, and Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles. Sandral-Lasbordes previously was public relations and marketing manager at Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. Prior to her time at the property, she developed guest experience and marketing initiatives at Sofitel Brussels Le Louise in Brussels, Belgium, and at Accor Odyssey Paris in Paris, France.

Christophe Thomas is general manager of Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris in Paris, France. Thomas most recently was general manager of SLS Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Beverly Hills, California, where he oversaw a comprehensive rooms renovation and opening of acclaimed restaurant, Somni. He has also worked as general manager of other luxury properties in the United States, including at the Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel in San Francisco.

Rosewood Hotel Group welcomed Jay Wetzel back to the company as vice president of food and beverage, Americas. Wetzel, who has more than 25 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, returned to Rosewood following a three-year tenure with Virgin Hotels, where he was vice president of food and beverage. Prior to his time at Virgin Hotels, Wetzel spent six years with Rosewood, joining the company in 2011 as director of culinary operations in the Hong Kong office, ultimately growing to senior corporate director of food and beverage, with a focus on expanding operations in the Americas and Europe.

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