Striving to strengthen its commercial operations, Scandic named Anna Spjuth chief commercial officer and member of the company’s executive committee. Spjuth most recently was senior vice president at Comfort Hotel, part of the Nordic Choice Group, where she managed the company’s commercial strategy, concept development and brand platform. Before this, Spjuth was responsible for concept development for the Brunkebergstorg project in Stockholm, Sweden, that included At Six, Hobo and Tak. She also has several years’ experience as CEO at Yasuragi in Saltsjo-boo, Sweden, and as a general manager within the Scandic Group.
“Market conditions are changing rapidly, which means we need to sharpen our commercial focus to adapt,” said Jens Mathiesen, president and CEO, Scandic Hotels Group. “With [Spjuth] as CCO, we’ll be able to accelerate our pace and improve clarity in the commercial area, allowing us to better capitalize on our full potential in the market.”
Hana-Maui Resort, A Destination Hotel, in Hana, Hawaii, appointed Jon Benson general manager. Benson is a hospitality veteran with more than 34 years of experience. He began his tenure with Hyatt in Southern California, and most recently was area general manager at Hyatt Regency Long Beach in Long Beach, California.
Auberge Resorts Collection made several new hires and appointments across multiple properties and regions. Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection in Telluride, Colorado, appointed Bryan Woody general manager. Prior to joining the company, Woody was chief operating officer of Spring Place in New York City and Beverly Hills, California. Carolyn Rebeck Allen is area director of leisure sales, East Coast, overseeing travel agency partnerships from Texas to the East Coast. Before this appointment, she was the senior sales manager at Lake Austin Resort & Spa in Dallas. Raquel Felix is area director of leisure sales, West Coast, overseeing four properties with a focus on leisure sales on the West Coast and Midwest. She joined the company in March 2019, working in leisure sales overseeing the West and East Coasts. Prior to joining Auberge Resorts Collection, Felix was associate director of sales at Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos, Mexico.
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts appointed Tomago Collins to its board of directors, representing long-term shareholder Cascade Investment. Collins is executive vice president of communications and business development at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment and has more than 25 years of experience in the sports, entertainment, media and real estate investment industries. In his current role, Collins works closely with ownership and leaders across a multibillion-U.S. dollar portfolio of Kroenke-owned global businesses on strategy, communications and development.
InterContinental New York Times Square in New York City named Anthony Del Gaudio head of commercial. Del Gaudio comes to the property with 33 years of hospitality sales, e-commerce and revenue management experience. Before joining InterContinental New York Times Square, Del Gaudio spent 18 years with Loews Hotels & Resorts, where he held senior leadership positions with the corporate sales and marketing division. In his most recent role, he was vice president of sales.
Santiburi Koh Samui in Koh Samui, Thailand, appointed Alexandre Frenkel general manager. The Swiss hotelier has spent the past 16 years in Thailand. He formerly worked with Amari/Onyx Hospitality Group, achieving his first general manager role in 2006. Since then, he has managed properties in Bangkok, including Centara Watergate Pavilion Hotel. During his career, Frenkel has taken part in a takeover, a rebranding, two renovations and the opening of two spas.
Anna Lawrence joined Hawks Cay Resort in Duck Key, Florida, as director of sales. Lawrence began her hospitality career at Hawks Cay Resort as a summer intern in 2011. She rejoined the property from Ocean Properties, where she was regional director of group sales responsible for its Florida Keys portfolio. She has worked in various positions at Florida Keys resorts, including Hyatt Place at Faro Blanco in Marathon, and Islamorada Resort Collection.
Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Funner, California, named Robert Livingston senior vice president of tribal development and general manager. Livingston has been with Caesars Entertainment for more than 29 years, holding eight years of previous experience as assistant general manager of Harrah’s Resort Southern California, followed by time as the senior vice president, general manager of Harrah’s Ak-Chin in Maricopa, Arizona, where he led the team for the past decade. During his last four years at Ak-Chin, he also served as regional president and liaised with tribal governments across the country on behalf of Caesars Entertainment.
PRG Hospitality Group appointed its first group executive chef, Jason Niederkorn. Expanding on his current role as executive chef of PRG’s The Pink Cabana restaurant at Sands Hotel & Spa in Indian Wells, California, Niederkorn will also oversee emerging and future culinary development for the group’s growing portfolio of hotels. Niederkorn has worked at the Hotel Jerome Auberge in Aspen, Colorado; Aubergine in Newport Beach, California; and Michelin-starred Magazin in Salzburg, Austria.
Highgate named Rich Russo, Zach Berger and Matt Gunlock principals. The three will work closely with Mahmood and Mehdi Khimji, co-founders and managing principals. Russo has spent five years with Highgate, during which he has spearheaded the firm’s business development efforts. Prior to Highgate, he was head of development for Morgans Hotel Group. Berger is an eight-year Highgate veteran and most recently led acquisitions and asset management for the company. Berger worked at Citigroup in the real estate and lodging investment banking group prior to joining the company. Gunlock has spent five years as Highgate’s general counsel. Prior to joining Highgate, Gunlock was an attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell, where he focused on commercial real estate transactions, hospitality and private equity.
Leeu Collection promoted Jean van der Walt to the role of area general manager, United Kingdom, based at the group’s Linthwaite House in Windermere. This is in addition to van der Walt’s role as head of brand marketing for the group. Van der Walt was working as reservations and brand manager at the Le Quartier Français in Franschhoek, South Africa, in 2015 when it was bought by the Leeu Collection. She has been with the company since then, initially working as a marketing executive for the Franschhoek properties before being promoted to head of brand marketing and moving to the United Kingdom.
Trump International Beach Resort Miami in Sunny Isles, Florida, named Danny Williams managing director. Williams recently was a consultant for Island Hospitality Advisors in Orlando, Florida. Previously, he held the position of regional vice president of resort operations at Bluegreen Vacations, where he supported long- and short-term strategies for the resort management division. Prior to that, he was general manager for Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive in Orlando.