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People on the move: Oyo, Tru, Fairmont

Oyo Hotels named Kasra Moshkani head of business in the United States. Moshkani, who has overseen Oyo’s Eastern U.S. business as region head since October 2019, will lead the U.S. business with support from Abhinav Sinha, who will focus on his role as global chief operating officer of Oyo Hotels & Homes.

“The U.S. holds immense strategic importance with respect to Oyo’s global presence,” said Sinha. “[Moshkani] has played a valuable role in making Oyo a trusted brand offering quality accommodation in the Southeast U.S. and we are confident that under his leadership, we will continue to strengthen Oyo’s value proposition across the country while developing it as the preferred choice for guests and for hotel partners alike.”

With more than 15 years’ experience building companies, Moshkani has market expertise in general management, operations, strategic planning, corporate finance and investing. He has worked for Uber Technologies, Grail Partners & Advisors and MyClean. He also co-founded HireBrite, a human resources tech startup. 

From left, clockwise: Kasra Moshkani (Oyo Hotels), Olga Zielinski (Steigenberger Hotel Stadt Lörrach), Angela Lustig (Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia) and Morgan Larsson (The Ballantyne, A Luxury Collection Hotel)
From left, clockwise: Kasra Moshkani (Oyo Hotels), Olga Zielinski (Steigenberger Hotel Stadt Lörrach), Angela Lustig (Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia) and Morgan Larsson (The Ballantyne, A Luxury Collection Hotel)

Franck Arnold is managing director and regional vice president of The Savoy, a Fairmont Managed Hotel in London, effective September 21. Arnold has 30 years of luxury hospitality experience with IHG, Four Seasons, Rocco Forte, Ritz-Carlton and independent hotels in Europe and North America. In addition to his role at The Savoy, Arnold will oversee operations at Sofitel London St. James, Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Fairmont Windsor Park, opening in Windsor, England, in spring 2021.

The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida, appointed Colin Burke general manager of Knife & Spoon, the property’s new signature restaurant by Chef John Tesar. Burke most recently was general manager at Jojo in New York City. Prior to that, he held positions as both general manager and wine director at Mercer Street Hospitality’s Bistro Leo, Butterfly and A60, all in the Sixty Soho Hotel in New York City.

GF Hotels & Resorts promoted Scott Crunk to senior vice president of operations from vice president of operations, and Andy Taymans to senior vice president, asset management, from vice president, asset and revenue management. Crunk, who joined GF Hotels & Resorts in early 2018, started his career at Marriott International where he eventually held a vice president of operations role within the hotel management field. Taymans joined GF Hotels & Resorts in 1994 after spending 14 years gaining industry experience. He began his hospitality career in food and beverage management and went on to work with brands including InterContinental Hotels Group, Radisson Hotel Group, Hilton, Marriott and Wyndham, as well as independent properties.

Nathalie Debonnet is commercial director, Conrad Bora Bora Nui in Bora Bora, French Polynesia. Debonnet recently spent five years as cluster director of sales and marketing for St. Regis Bora Bora and Le Méridien Bora Bora. Prior to that, she was regional director of leisure sales West Coast for Leading Hotels of the World, responsible for the overall management of both West Coast travel industry sales and the regional sales office.

The Tru by Hilton Spokane Valley in Spokane Valley, Washington, named Stacie Harper and Madisen Kellogg opening general manager and sales manager, respectively. Harper has worked with brands including Hilton, Choice Hotels, Stay Alfred, and was most recently vice president of sales and marketing at RimRock Consulting. She also held an executive role at the Spokane Club in Spokane, Washington. Kellogg previously worked for Hilton Garden Inn, and most recently at the Oxford Suites Spokane Valley. She graduated from Eastern Washington University in 2018.

American Hotel Income Properties (AHIP) named Jonathan Korol chief executive officer. Korol came to the role from SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts, where he had been president since February 2017. At SilverBirch, Korol oversaw a portfolio of close to 5,000 guestrooms. Before becoming president, he led the company’s investment and portfolio management team as senior vice president. Prior to his time at SilverBirch, Korol co-founded Amadeus Property Partners, a private real estate investment fund focused on investing in select-service hotels, retail and multi-family properties. He also spent time at Apollo Real Estate Advisors (now Ares Management) where he was vice president focusing on equity and debt investing.

Michael Koth is general manager of Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and area vice president of operations, overseeing Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai, and the forthcoming Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai, both in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Earlier, Koth held senior leadership positions at the InterContinental Hotel Group, including general manager of the InterContinental, Doha, Qatar, and InterContinental, Cairo, Egypt. He then moved to the company’s corporate office in Dubai as general manager, operations support, eventually accepting a director of operations position at Levant, overseeing 13 hotels. He spent two years as director of IHG’s luxury and lifestyle resorts for Southeast Asia, before returning to the Middle East to join Mandarin Oriental.

Morgan Larsson is executive pastry chef at The Ballantyne, A Luxury Collection Hotel in Ballantyne, North Carolina. Formerly, Larsson was global culinary director of CSM Bakery Solutions in Atlanta, providing baked goods products to more than 100 countries. Prior to that, he was executive pastry chef at several hotels in New York City, including Four Seasons, Pierre Hotel, Essex House and St. Regis Hotel. Larsson founded Larsson Pastries, a pastry consultancy to a New York City restaurant group.

Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia, opening early 2021, appointed Angela Lustig director of sales. Lustig formerly was director of sales and marketing at the Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District. She began her hospitality career in 2000 as convention services manager at the Hilton Philadelphia Cherry Hill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, before advancing to roles at the Marriott Mount Laurel in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and the Crowne Plaza Philadelphia-Cherry Hill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. In 2010, Lustig became the director of sales and marketing at Wyndham Philadelphia Mount Laurel, where she managed all aspects of marketing, including print, web and social media.

Marin Management appointed Pat Mitchell president following founder John Manderfeld’s retirement at the end of August. Mitchell previously was the company’s executive vice president. She joined the company more than 15 years ago as regional manager and rose through the ranks to serve as director of revenue, group vice president and senior vice president. In her career in hospitality, she has held roles in sales and marketing, public relations and communications.

Gregor Resch is regional vice president and general manager, Fairmont Banff Springs in Banff, Canada. As regional vice president, he oversees Fairmont’s Canada’s western mountain region. Resch brings almost 30 years of experience to the position, having worked in Europe, the United States and Canada. Resch joined Fairmont in 1994 as assistant front office manager at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver in Vancouver, Canada. He went on to hold leadership positions at the company, including most recently as general manager, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Lake Louise, Canada.

Amy Riley is director of group sales, Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas. Riley joined from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), where she was senior director of business development. Prior to her time at the LVCVA, Riley was director of sales for both Caesars Palace and Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. She is engaged in several industry organizations, including Meeting Professionals International, Society for Incentive Travel Excellence, American Society of Association Excellence and more. She sits on the board of the SITE Foundation, which supports research, education and advocacy projects on behalf of the incentive travel industry.

Anees Shinnara is general manager of IntercityHotel Nizwa in Nizwa, Oman. Shinnara has worked for Deutsche Hospitality since 2016, and is area general manager, responsible for the IntercityHotel brand’s two properties in Nizwa and Salalah, Oman. Shinnara previously held leadership positions at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Six Senses Hotels, Kempinski Hotels and AccorHotels.

Olga Zielinski is general manager at Steigenberger Hotel Stadt Lörrach in Lörrach, Germany, operated by the RIMC Hotels & Resorts Group. Zielinski has worked for RIMC for several years, recently completing a stint as hotel director at the Yard in Berlin, Germany.

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