DAN PEEK TO LEAD JLL IN AMERICAS
Veteran hotel and hospitality brokerage leader Daniel C. Peek has joined JLL as president of its Americas region. Throughout his career, Peek has completed nearly $60 billion in investment sales, debt and structured finance transactions. Based out of JLL’s Tampa’s office, Peek will report to Americas Capital Markets CEO Mark Gibson and partner with Kevin Davis, Americas CEO for JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality group. Davis and Peek will focus on boosting client relationship management, investment sales, financing, tax and asset management strategies.
Prior to joining JLL, Peek served as president and COO at Hodges Ward Elliott, where he led a global team responsible for executing institutional-grade commercial real estate transactions. Before that, he served as senior managing director and head of the hospitality practice group at HFF. Peek also co-founded Regent Street, an affiliate of The Plasencia Group.
“I am incredibly excited to welcome Dan as a partner in leading the Americas Hotels business,” said Davis. “He brings a complimentary skill set to the team and will be a key driver of our investment sales advisory business and client relationship management efforts. We’ve set forth a tremendously aggressive growth plan and I look forward to working with Dan to execute.”
AETHOS NAMES NEW COO
Aethos, the boutique hotel and member club brand, has welcomed Christophe Thomas as the new chief operating officer, effective immediately. Thomas brings in years of international experience and a track record of leading luxury hospitality properties. He will be driving the strategic direction and operational excellence of the Aethos Hotels brand.
Thomas will report directly to Aethos CEO and Co-founder Benjamin Habbel and will provide strategic direction and oversee the daily operations of Aethos.
Prior to joining Aethos, Thomas served as general manager of several properties across the U.S., including the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. Most recently, Thomas curated experiential travel adventures worldwide after serving as the general manager of Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris.
APPOINTMENTS AT ANDAZ PRAGUE, RITZ-CARLTON, BANGKOK
Andaz Prague, the first Hyatt hotel in the Czech Republic, has announced the following appointments:
- Axel Ziegler has been named as general manager. Bringing in more than two decades of experience with the Hyatt brand, Ziegler’s background includes leadership positions at Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf, Hyatt Regency Cologne and Grand Hyatt Berlin. He will helm the hotel’s operations, guest experience and management; as well as drive operational excellence and strategic initiatives.
- Christopher Koleros is the new director of sales and marketing. With experience at the individual hotel and corporate brand levels in Europe and beyond, Koleros most recently served as commercial director at InterContinental Resort Mauritius. In this new role, Koleros will oversee all sales and marketing operations with a focus on optimizing revenue streams, fostering client relationships and introducing guest programming.
The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok has appointed a team of six executives ahead of the hotel’s opening in November. The new team members who will be joining the executive team at the 260-key hotel are:
- Tina Liu as general manager
- Lewis Quinn as hotel manager
- Clement Larre as director of F&B
- Glen Cooper as executive chef
- Evelyne Hahang as director of rooms
- Leon Chan as director of sales and marketing
MORE MOVES
Pendry Washington DC-The Wharf has appointed Amanda Santiago as director of sales and marketing. She will be responsible for implementing strategies to garner business from meetings, events and leisure clientele, while driving growth and more awareness to the hotel.
Santiago joins from the Sagamore Pendry Baltimore, where she served as director of sales and marketing. Before that, she was with the Mandarin Oriental. She brings in more than a decade of experience in group sales and hospitality.
Nicole Di Maio-Kennedy has joined EOS Hospitality as vice president of revenue maximization. She will spearhead the company’s revenue management strategies, drive profitability and market share growth in the group’s portfolio.
Bringing more than 20 years of experience to her new position, Di Maio-Kennedy previously served as vice president of revenue management at Pyramid Global Hospitality, where she served for 17 years.
Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club in Anguilla has promoted Edmund Richardson from resort manager to director of hospitality-Aurora. Richardson has played a crucial role in Aurora’s growth since joining the resort in August 2023. In his new role, he will elevate the resort’s operations and offerings.
Richardson has worked at luxury brands across Australasia, China and EMEA, including at Waldorf Astoria, Shangri-La and Fairmont.
Louis Martin has joined Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs as director of F&B and will helm the 153-room hotel’s culinary program, including its restaurants and bar concepts. He will oversee banquet and catering operations, front and back-of-house management and departmental strategies. He will work along with the executive chef to ensure the delivery of high-quality guest service and F&B offerings.
Martin has more than 23 years hospitality leadership experience and has developed, upgraded and optimized culinary programming and operations at hotels across the U.S. and the Caribbean. Most recently, he served as director of F&B at Tanzerra Resorts (formerly Enchantment Group).
NEW GMs
Hilton has appointed Antonio Bugarin as general manager of Hilton Los Cabos. With around 30 years of experience, Bugarin will lead daily operations across the 264-key hotel. He will oversee all aspects of the resort’s operations, from guest services to strategic planning and introduce new avenues to continue delivering luxury experiences to guests.
In his most recent role, Bugarin served at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills and prior to that, at One&Only Palmilla, where he served as executive director of rooms before moving into roles including hotel manager and general manager.
B Ocean Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. has welcomed Sabrina Graves as the resort’s general manager. Graves will lead the resort’s team and optimize efficiencies and enhance guest experiences. She will be responsible for all aspects of the resort’s operations, staff management and strategic planning.
With more than 15 years of experience, Graves has worked in high-demand markets like Florida, New York City, Seattle and Hawaii. Prior to her new position, she general manager of Grand Naniloa Hotel & Resort by Hilton in Hilo, Hawaii.
Pedro Dias has joined El Encanto, A Belmond Hotel as its new general manager.  Dias will lead all aspects of hotel operations, manage day-to-day staffing and maintain the hotel’s service standards and guest satisfaction levels.
Dias has over 25 years of luxury hospitality experience. Prior to his new role, he co-founded the boutique consulting firm FORTY-ONE NORTH, where he advised hospitality partners on best practices surrounding business strategy, customer experience design, operational optimization and sustainability.
Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Fort Lauderdale has welcomed Mali Carow as general manager, who brings in 20 years of experience to her new role.
Carow joined Four Seasons in 2000 and has worked in the Asia Pacific, Europe and Middle East and Africa regions before returning home to the Americas. She joins from Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans, where she led the opening of the hotel during her first term as general manager.