AIRBNB WELCOMES JIM ALDERMAN
Airbnb has welcomed Jim Alderman as head of residential development. He will work along with global head of real estate, Jesse Stein.
Bringing 35 years of experience in hospitality and branded residential real estate, he will grow Airbnb’s partnership roster in the new for-sale development space. This work will build on the success of the existing partnership models with developers behind buildings such as the West Eleventh Residences and District 225 in Miami.
Prior to joining Airbnb, Alderman was a principal in his own consulting company and previously served as CEO at Radisson Hotel Group Americas. Throughout his career, Alderman has been directly involved in more than $15 billion of real estate transactions and projects on a global basis and has assisted in the strategy and branding of several hotel projects, from independent boutiques through ultra-luxury.
ERIC MARTINO JOINS HARD ROCK INTERNATIONAL
Hard Rock International has appointed Eric Martino as president of the Hard Rock Cafe Division, overseeing operations of the company’s roughly 200 eateries around the world. Additionally, Martino will helm Hard Rock’s retail division on a global scale. He reports to Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming.
“We’re excited to welcome Eric, whose extensive background in culinary arts, marketing and operations will further elevate the already outstanding Hard Rock dining and retail experience,” said Allen.
Martino brings nearly 30 years of hospitality experience in ownership and management roles where he honed his skills in both culinary arts and business management. In his previous position, he served as president of MINA Group, Chef Michael Mina’s restaurant management company. Prior to that, Martino was the COO at José Andrés Group.
TRINITY EXPANDS EUROPEAN LEADERSHIP TEAM
Trinity Investments, the U.S.-based hospitality-focused real estate investor, has expanded its leadership team in London and welcomed four new members to its senior leadership team.
- Mai Kawashima has joined as a vice president of acquisitions. She joins from Savills, where she helmed complex cross border hotel transactions and served as the sole pan-European hotel broker for the business.
- George Austin has joined as a director of strategic operations. In his most recent role, he worked in strategic operations at KSL Capital Partners.
- Elia Antonioudaki has joined as vice president of development. She joins from L&R Hotels, where she worked as project director, leading capital expenditure programs across the U.K., Europe and the Caribbean.
- Andrea Hendrick has joined as vice president of finance. Prior to her new position, she served as vice president-fund accounting and operations at Oaktree Capital Management.
“We added a dedicated presence in Europe less than one year ago, and already we’ve been able to make substantial traction in this market, both in asset acquisitions and team building,” said Ryan Donn, managing partner of Trinity Investments and head of the London office. “I’m thrilled to bring on these seasoned team members to advance our efforts and look forward to working on the extensive opportunity set in front of us.”
CENTARA ADDS TO EXECUTIVE TEAM
Centara Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of the following professionals to its executive team:
- Ron Cusiter as executive vice president – commercial. He joins from Kempinski Hotels where he served as vice president – global sales & the Americas.
- Percy P. Muncherji as vice president – design and technical services. The former vice president – technical services for Oakwood Asia Pacific has three decades of experience in leading projects across hotels, luxury condominiums and serviced apartments.
NEW HIRES AT WAIKIKI BEACH MARRIOTT RESORT & SPA
Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa has announced the hire of Chad Bevan to food and beverage director and Derrick Williams to director of human resources.
Bevan has 24 years of experience at Marriott Hotels, where he has held several roles across the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean. In his most recent position, he served as the director of food and beverage at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua.
Williams has around 21 years of experience in the human resources department within Marriott Hotels. Prior to the new role, he served as the market director of human resources for the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center and Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Detroit.
CORENDON EXPANDS LEADERSHIP TEAM
Corendon Hotels & Resorts, the Amsterdam-based hospitality group, has appointed four industry executives to key leadership positions.
Atacan Uslu has been promoted to managing director and will work alongside Niels Brugman, who has joined the team as sales director, overseeing all brand operations.
Imre Heijboer has been named cluster general manager and will lead teams at The College Hotel, Autograph Collection as well as Corendon Amsterdam New-West, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel.
Evgeny Vreijling has been appointed as general manager of Corendon Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel.
MORE MOVES
Coury Hospitality has promoted Jennifer Burgess-Wright to senior vice president, marketing and digital strategy. Known as the brand’s first ‘Experience Curator,’ she will help shape the brand’s marketing and digital strategy.
“Jennifer has been an integral part of our company for nearly two decades, and her efforts in marketing and promoting our growing portfolio are evident in the awards we’ve received and the engaged communities she’s curated both on social media and among guests and locals at our properties,” said Tom Santora, chief growth and strategy officer at Coury Hospitality.
In her earlier role as vice president, marketing and digital strategy, Burgess-Wright led Coury Hospitality’s recent brand refresh, revitalizing the company’s image and strengthening its market presence. She joined the company in 2007 as marketing associate at Colcord Hotel.
Thompson Zihuatanejo, the beach resort by Hyatt in Mexico’s La Playa Ropa, has appointed Larry Tsoumas as director of sales and marketing. With more than 25 years in luxury markets, the new role marks Tsoumas’s return to Hyatt, where he will oversee hotel performance and commercial strategy through marketing, sales, revenue management, events and communication.
Tsoumas has held director-level positions in sales and marketing in many hotels and hospitality groups, including Kerzner International and the One & Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico; The Peninsula Hotels; Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group; and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Most recently, he worked as director of sales and marketing at the Hutton Hotel in Nashville, Tenn.
NEW GMs
Shangri-La Muscat has named Philippe Kronberg as the new resort general manager for Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah and Shangri-La Al Husn hotels. A French-Australian dual citizen, Kronberg will be in charge of the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the resorts’ 640 rooms and suites spread across three hotels along the shores of the Gulf of Oman.
Joining from Shangri-La Sydney, Philippe is starting his third general manager position within the Shangri-La Group. He has more than three decades’ experience in luxury hospitality, with his earlier positions based in the Asia Pacific region, Europe and the U.K.
Hāna-Maui Resort, A Destination by Hyatt has appointed Ryan Parker as general manager. Parker will lead the daily functions of the resort, including supervising in-house staff, managing monthly and yearly budgets, implementing marketing strategies and beyond.
Parker joins the resort from The Shay, another Destination by Hyatt in Culver City, Calif., where he served as the general manager for the last five years. Prior to Hyatt, Parker spent most of his 18-year career at Kimpton Hotels in Cambridge, Massa. and Chicago, Ill., before moving to California in 2014.
Marcus Hotels & Resorts, the division of The Marcus Corp., has promoted Aaron Slattery to general manager of the Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington. With around 20 years of experience, Slattery has spent majority of his career at the Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington, where he previously served as director of operations.
Slattery assumes his new position following Jim Waldvogel’s promotion to general manager of the recently acquired Loews Minneapolis Hotel, which has been rebranded as The Lofton Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton. Marcus Hotels & Resorts is manager and part owner of The Lofton Hotel.
The Royal Sonesta New Orleans has named David Bilbe as general manager. He will oversee the 483-room hotel’s daily operations, management training and guest satisfaction.
With more than 20 years of experience in managing and operating hotels in the U.S., Bilbe joins from the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel where he served as general manager for the past seven years. Prior to this, Bilbe led operations at Westin New Orleans Canal Place Hotel, Loews New Orleans Hotel, Historic Courtyard by Marriott Downtown and International House New Orleans; and held over a decade of sales and marketing positions.