FOUR SEASONS’ NEW TECH CHIEF
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has appointed Sudhakar Veluru as the company’s new executive vice president and chief information technology officer. He will join the Four Seasons Executive Leadership Team and report to Four Seasons President and CEO Alejandro Reynal.
Veluru will be based at the company’s corporate office in Miami.
With a career spanning more than 20 years, Veluru has experience in leading digital and information technology transformation initiatives in the hospitality and technology sectors.
“Sudhakar’s experience in technology and IT innovation will be instrumental in shaping our digital-first future, further enhancing the guest, resident and employee experience across our growing global portfolio of luxury properties,” Reynal said.
Before his new role at Four Seasons, Veluru held the position of chief technology officer at MGM Resorts International. Prior to this, he held senior leadership roles at The Walt Disney Co.
ANDREW MIELE TO LEAD PROPER HOSPITALITY’S GROWTH
Proper Hospitality has welcomed Andrew Miele as the new chief development officer and will be in charge of leading the growth of the luxury lifestyle hospitality portfolio under the Proper and The Collective brands.
With more than 15 years of experience in hospitality, he will spearhead Proper Hospitality’s expansion into new markets.
Previously, he played a crucial role in growing the presence of many other hospitality brands and served as director for development, Americas for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, head of development, Americas for Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas and most recently, the CEO of NĂ´made People.
APPOINTMENTS AT ASHER ADAMS
Asher Adams, the Autograph Collection hotel currently being developed by The Athens Group with its partner Hatteras Sky in downtown Salt Lake City has appointed Niels Vuijsters as the hotel’s general manager. Most recently, Vuijsters served as vice president of operations at the Lodge & Spa at Bush Creek Ranch in Wyoming.
Asher Adams has also announced the appointment of Nancy Clayton as the director of sales and marketing. With more than 25 years of experience in leading sales and marketing teams at hotels, she was the director of sales and marketing for The Camby, Autograph Collection Hotel in Phoenix.
Managed and operated by Pivot, the lifestyle operating division of Davidson Hospitality Group, Asher Adams is slated to open this fall.
NEW GMs
InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa has appointed Pascale Selwan as the hotel’s general manager, with over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Selwan most recently held senior operational and commercial positions in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E.
Selwan is a member of the Dominica Hotel & Tourism Association and the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association.
Marlon Abeyakoon has been appointed as general manager of NH Collection Maldives Havodda. With more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Abeyakoon has held senior positions in luxury resorts, including at the Sheraton Fiji Resort & Golf Club, Reethi Beach Resort in the Maldives and Hilton Colombo Residences in Sri Lanka.
Abeyakoon joined Minor Hotels in early 2020 as the general manager designate for Avani+ Fares Resort before moving to the position of general manager at Minor’s Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate hotel in Dubai.
NEW DIRECTORS
Peter Falke has joined Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal as the resort’s new director of sales and marketing. Falke will be in charge of all sales, marketing and public relations for the hotel.
Falke has about two decades of experience in the luxury hospitality sector and most recently served as the director of sales and marketing for Rosewood Miramar Beach. Prior to this, he was with Four Seasons Hotel & Resorts for nearly 15 years.
MORE MOVES
Crestline Hotels & Resorts has appointed Leah McFarland to senior vice president of revenue strategy. Most recently, McFarland held the position of vice president of revenue management & e-commerce at MCR Hotels.
In her new role at Crestline, she will work with executive management and will lead the team which identifies revenue strategies and e-commerce initiatives to maximize profit with available demand.
LuxUrban Hotels has appointed Kimberly K. Schaefer to the company’s board of directors. Schaefer was the CEO of Two Bit Circus from 2020 to earlier this year and previously served as president from 2017 to 2019 and as a consultant in 2016.
Schaefer has served as the CEO and a director of Great Wolf Resorts from 2009 until it was acquired by Centerbridge Partners LP in 2015. She currently serves on the board of Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Co. and United Parks & Resorts Inc.