IHG Hotels & Resorts made several global sales leadership appointments, effective December 1, 2020: Betty Wilson is moving to vice president of global accounts from vice president of Americas sales; Jonathan Kaplan, currently vice president of global sales strategy, will become vice president of Americas sales; and Tamara Laster will transition to vice president, global sales strategy, from head of cooperate travel on the global sales strategy team.
Wilson joined IHG in 2018 as vice president of Americas sales and has helped reshape the company’s Americas sales function, grow revenue and drive customer-focused solutions. She brings expertise in planning and executing multi-brand strategies to increase demand and accelerate share growth to her new role. Before joining IHG, Wilson spent more than 20 years at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, ultimately serving as vice president of global sales.
Kaplan joined IHG more than three years ago and has led numerous strategic initiatives as vice president for global sales strategy. He helped launch IHG’s small- and mid-sized enterprise program, IHG Business Edge. Prior to joining the company, he spent more than 15 years at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, most recently as director of global leisure and luxury sales.
Laster joined IHG in 2011 as director, B2B customer solution design, leading a team responsible for increasing marketshare by developing custom solutions for B2B customers. Laster’s team delivered several programs, including the overhaul and expansion of Corporate Gold chainwide pricing program and the introduction of IHG’s centralized RFP program. In addition to IHG, Laster has held strategy roles at Accenture, North Highland and ADP.
United Arab Emirates developer Nakheel named Naaman Atallah chief executive officer. Atallah has more than 25 years of experience in real estate in the Middle East and India. He has held leadership roles at Dubai Properties Group, Emaar, Qatari Diar and, most recently, Piramal Realty in India.
Belmond El Encanto in Santa Barbara, California, welcomed Janis Clapoff as general manager. Clapoff has experience at other Santa Barbara-area properties, including in leadership positions at the Four Seasons Biltmore Santa Barbara, San Ysidro Ranch, Simpson House Inn and the Ojai Valley Inn. Clappoff managed large-scale resort facilities and dining, and oversaw several reconstructions and renovations, re-branding and marketing efforts and program development.
AC Hotel Orlando Downtown, opening on January 12, 2021, in Orlando, Florida, named Bobby Copeland and Lorin Maggio general manager and director of sales, respectively. Copeland, who comes to the opening team with two decades of experience, moved to Florida in 2010 and became general manager at multiple Extended Stay Hotels within the region. He joined Kolter Hospitality and in 2019, opened the Courtyard by Marriott Delray Beach in Delray Beach, Florida, overseeing all aspects of the property. Maggio has more than 16 years of event and group sales experience and spent the past nine years in the Orlando market. After working for Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas as a convention sales coordinator, followed by a catering and conference services manager role with Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Maggio joined Sheraton Lake Buena Vista Resort in Orlando, most recently serving as director of group sales.
David Cronin is general manager of W Nashville, opening early next year in Nashville, Tennessee. Cronin joined the property from W Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he was GM. He previously served as GM for properties including W Minneapolis − The Foshay, Le Méridien Chambers Minneapolis and Marriott Stanton South Beach in Miami Beach, Florida.
Eugenia Dwyer is general manager of Eden Roc Miami Beach and Nobu Hotel Miami Beach, both in Miami Beach, Florida. Dwyer arrived at the properties following eight years with Highgate Hotels, most recently as complex general manager of The Gates Hotel and 24 North Hotel in Key West, Florida, where she spearheaded the opening of both resorts in 2014. During her post as GM at Nylo NYC in New York City, Dwyer led Highgate’s property conversion and rebrand from On The Ave. She has more than 20 years of hospitality experience in the New York City market and has held executive leadership positions with companies including Waldorf Astoria, Westin, Kimpton and W Hotels.
The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas, named Drew Hayden general manager. Hayden has been with Marriott International for more than 31 years. He most recently was GM of the Houston Marriott West Loop by the Galleria and director of hotel operations at the Houston Marriott Airport, both in Houston. Hayden, who is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and spent several years in restaurants before moving into hospitality leadership, has worked in eight states and at 14 hotels.
Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, named Olivier Lenoir general manager. The Swiss native has spent nearly two decades of his career with Hyatt Hotels Corporation with previous postings at Grand Hyatt Singapore; Grand Hyatt Jakarta in Jakarta, Indonesia; Grand Hyatt Taipei in Taipei, Taiwan; and Grand Hyatt Shenzhen in Shenzhen, China. He most recently was general manager of Andaz Singapore, where he helped open the property in 2017.
Sonesta International Hotels Corp. appointed Vera Manoukian chief operating officer. Manoukian recently served as global head of the Hilton brand and Hilton Worldwide Holdings where she led the strategic direction, vision and growth for nearly 600 properties in 95 countries. Previously, she was senior vice president of operations for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, responsible for its largest geographic region, including seven brands, 68 full-service and luxury properties, and US$3.4 billion in annual revenue.
Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas made multiple executive appointments at properties across Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean and North Africa: Sarah Moya is general manager of Anantara Quy Nhon Villas and sister property Anantara Quy Nhon Resort in Quy Nhon, Vietnam; Pitak Norathepkitti is general manager of Anantara Angkor Resort in Siem Reap, Cambodia; Emanuel Grosch is general manager of Anantara Lawana Samui Resort in Koh Samui, Thailand; Stephan Moonen is general manager of Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort in Tangalle, Sri Lanka; and Jesus Juan Arnedo is general manager of Anantara Tozeur Sahara Resort & Villas in Tozeur, Tunisia. Moya joined Anantara in 2018 as general manager of Anantara Angkor Resort while Norathepkitti joined Anantara Angkor Resort from Sofitel Luang Prabang and 3 Nagas Luang Prabang, Laos, where he rose through the ranks to become cluster general manager. In 2019, Grosch became resort manager of Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort in Bangkok, Thailand, while Moonen arrived at Anantara after spending 10 years with Marriott Hotels in the United Kingdom. Arnedo’s hospitality career spans nearly 30 years. He joined NH Hotel Group in 2012, spending time as cluster general manager and regional operations manager for numerous properties across Spain, Mexico and Cuba.
Dana Orlando is vice president of sales and marketing, Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan. Over her 20 years in hospitality, Orlando has worked with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., Waldorf Astoria Hotels and The Luxury Collection. Most recently, she was opening general manager at Hotel Distil, Autograph Collection, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Nobu Hotel Chicago appointed Zoltan Payerli general manager. A native Chicagoan, Payerli joined the property from Hilton Worldwide where he recently served as director of rooms at Conrad Chicago. He has held a variety of positions at Waldorf Astoria properties in Orlando, Florida; Carefree, Arizona; and La Quinta, California.
Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico, named Juan Peña chef de cuisine of the Reserve’s signature restaurant, COA, and Gary Russell wine director, overseeing the property’s wine cellar, La Cava. A native Puerto Rican, Peña spent more than a decade at Trois Cent Onze in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he was executive chef. From there, he served as chef de cuisine at Fern Restaurant at the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, where he was trained by Jean Georges Vongerichten. He also worked under Daniel Boulud at Daniel in New York City before his most recent position as chef de cuisine at The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta. Russell joined the Reserve from The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida. He also worked at K Restaurant and Wine Bar in Orlando. He is a certified sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers and is studying to become a master sommelier.
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort in Bora Bora, French Polynesia, named Emmanuel Richardet general manager. Richardet’s career began more than 34 years ago as a bellboy in Paris. He grew to become concierge clef d’or before transitioning through multiple hotel departments, including sales and marketing, food and beverage, and operations; he became a general manager in Algarve, Portugal, in 2007. From there, he was general manager at the Westin Paris Vendome in Paris for four years. Most recently, Richardet served as general manager at Westin Turtle Bay in Mauritius.
Daniela Schade, previously managing director of AccorHotels Germany, is now chief commercial and distribution officer at Steigenberger Hotels/Deutsche Hospitality, effective December 1, 2020. In this newly created role, Schade will head franchise, group sales, e-business, revenue management, CRM and loyalty and group marketing. She held a variety of roles at AccorHotels between 2006 and 2010. In addition to her role as managing director, she also acted as senior vice president in charge of the commercial development division for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Prior to joining Accor, Schade worked for Avis Car Rentals, ultimately advancing to director of sales.
Anne Scott is general manager of One&Only Cape Town in Cape Town, South Africa. Raised in Scotland, Scott began her hospitality career in food and beverage before moving to human resources and hotel management. She has more than a decade of experience as a general manager, spanning locations in Asia, including at Le Méridien Chiang Rai Resort in Chiang Rai, Thailand; the Andaman, a Luxury Collection Resort in Langkawi, Malaysia; and the St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort in Sanya, China.
Yedla Management named the executive leadership team for its four forthcoming Walt Disney World Gateway Hotels at Flamingo Crossings Town Center in Orlando, Florida. Jeff Swirsky joined as area general manager and Alexandra Earnhardt is complex director of sales. Inger Oliver is director of revenue management. David Cron is dual general manager of Home2 Suites and Homewood Suites by Hilton, and Tim Whitehead is dual general manager for the Residence Inn and Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott. Formerly, Swirsky was regional director of operations for AD1 Global, where he led a portfolio of 14 hotel brands, while Earnhardt most recently was area account executive for Marriott International in Nashville, Tennessee. Oliver had been vice president of revenue management for McKibbon Hospitality, and Cron was general manager for the Home2 Suites by Hilton Charlotte Uptown in Charlotte, North Carolina. Whitehead was general manager of Hyatt Place Columbus/Worthington in Columbus, Ohio.
Daniele Vastolo is general manager of Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som, opening next year in Khasooma, Qatar. Vastolo has more than two decades of experience in hospitality and joined the resort’s pre-opening team from his previous role as general manager of the Kempinski Summerland Hotel and Resort in Beirut, Lebanon. Before his time in Lebanon, Vastolo spent six years as group director of Nikki Beach Resort and Spa in Greece and Turkey, then joined the pre-opening team of Nikki Beach in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He also has led teams as general manager for groups including Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts and Constance Hotels, and has overseen openings of The Residence Tunis in Tunis, Tunisia, and the first Guerlain Spa in the Seychelles.
United States Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross appointed Ronald Vlasic, chief operating officer of Hostmark Hospitality Group, to a two-year term on the United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. Vlasic will work with the secretary’s office to develop a strategic plan for strengthening the return of travel in the U.S. while also supporting the hospitality industry. Prior to Hostmark Hospitality Group, Vlasic was vice president of operations at Kimpton Hotels & Resorts.