SENIOR LEADERSHIP APPOINTMENT AT ADINA HOTELS
Adina Hotels, owned and operated by Australia’s International Hotel Group, TFE Hotels, has announced the appointment of Asli Kutlucan as the new CEO for Europe. Kutlucan brings more than 30 years of experience in the hotel industry to her new role.
“With Asli’s appointment, we are solidifying our strong leadership base in Europe,” said TFE Hotels CEO Antony Ritch. “And I am confident that her skill set and experience, together with the combined expertise of the current Adina team, will build solid foundations for future growth.”
Kutlucan, with a background in her family-owned hotel, began her international career in 1999 at Vanderbilt Hall in Rhode Island, USA. She managed London hotels for Frasers Hospitality, independent country hotels in Warwickshire and was a hospitality and entrepreneurship lecturer in Rwanda. As of 2011, she joined Cycas Hospitality, overseeing portfolio growth in the UK and continental Europe.
REMINGTON HOSPITALITY’S TWO LEADERSHIP PROMOTIONS
Remington Hospitality has announced two leadership promotions: Jason Reader to chief operating officer and Jale Hashimi to senior vice president of operations.
Reader will report directly to chief executive officer Sloan Dean and succeed Stan Kennedy, who will transition into the role of managing director until his retirement on April 5 of this year. Before his promotion, Reader served as executive vice president of operations and senior vice president of operations at Remington. Throughout his career, he occupied similar roles at Magna Hospitality and Pyramid Hotel Group, among others.
As senior vice president of operations, Jale Hashimi will be responsible for elevating Remington’s lifestyle portfolio. Hashimi served for seven years as general manager at Remington before working at Crestline Hotels & Resorts. After that, she would return for another twelve years with Remington before this latest promotion.
MORE MOVES
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has appointed Christian Glauser Benz as its new head of development for the Americas region.
Glauser Benz joins Mandarin Oriental from Hyatt, where he served as vice president of development for the Americas region, focusing on the Luxury and Lifestyle segments. Before that, he was senior vice president, development & acquisitions, The Americas at Dream Hotel Group. He also served as vice president for JLL’s Hospitality Group, overseeing hotel investments and advisory for hotel developers, brands and operators in the Western US and Hawaii regions.
Viceroy Hotel Group has appointed Mark Keiser as president, development. Keiser has an extensive background in luxury and lifestyle hotel and resort development and joins Viceroy Hotel Group following Viceroy being acquired by Principals of Highgate earlier last year.
Before joining Viceroy, Keiser served as president and chief development officer at EOS Hospitality, where he led the efforts to build its third-party management vertical. Before EOS, Keiser was the chief development officer at SH Group.
Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG), an Atlanta-based, privately-owned third-party hotel operator and investor, has named Mike Woodward executive vice president and chief growth officer. In his new role as a member of HVMG’s executive team, Woodward will lead the organization’s growth and investment team and be responsible for strategies that lead to both third-party management agreements and property acquisitions.
Before joining HVMG, Woodward was senior vice president of franchise development for Focus Brands, a developer of global food service brands such as Schlotzsky’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, Moe’s Southwest Grill, McAlister’s Deli and Auntie Anne’s. He was senior vice president of franchise development for Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and held sales management positions with Pfizer and Phoenix Life Insurance Company.
Valencia Hotel Collection (VHC) has promoted Roy Kretschmer to chief operating officer. This move comes in light of Kretschmer’s two-decade tenure with the brand, which includes roles as vice president of operations and executive vice president of operations. Before VHC, Kretschmer served in several roles at Four Seasons Hotel Austin.