J.W. Marriott Jr., executive chairman and chairman of the board of Marriott International, plans to transition to the role of chairman emeritus in 2022. In anticipation of that event, the company expects David Marriott — president, U.S. full service, managed by Marriott — to step down from that role and join the company’s board of directors in 2021, becoming chairman in 2022.
Additionally, after 36 years with Marriott, Dave Grissen will step down from his position as group president, the Americas, toward the end of 2020, and plans to retire from Marriott in the first quarter of 2021. Grissen has been leading the company’s Americas business for the past 11 years, overseeing all of the division’s lodging business, spanning more than 5,640 properties and a 160,000-person workforce.
Marriott plans to consolidate its lodging operations under two long-time Marriott leaders after Grissen steps down. Liam Brown will become group president, North America, and Craig Smith will be group president, international. Brown, a 30-year Marriott veteran, currently is group president, Europe, Middle East & Africa. Prior to this role, he was president, Europe — a role he assumed after serving as president, select brands and owner and franchise services, North America. The company’s Canadian operations will remain part of the North American portfolio under Brown.
Smith, a 32-year Marriott veteran, is group president, Asia Pacific. Before his current position, he spent more than two years leading the company’s Caribbean and Latin America regions. His experience spans work on property, in operations and staff roles with an international focus.
Oyo Hotels & Homes appointed Troy Alstead an independent member of its board of directors. Alstead spent 24 years at Starbucks Corp., most recently serving as chief operating officer, responsible for leading global operations. He is founder, president and CEO of Ocean5 and Table 47 in Gig Harbor, Washington. He also sits on the boards of Topgolf Group, Harley-Davidson and Levi Strauss & Co.
Opening early in 2021, Patina Maldives, Fari Islands in Maldives appointed Simone Broekhaar director of sales and marketing and Marco Den Ouden general manager. Prior to this appointment, Broekhaar was director of sales and marketing at Capella Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, where she led a team that oversaw communications and sales strategy for the tented camp retreat. Before that, Broekhaar was regional director of sales and marketing for Como Hotels & Resorts, Bali. Den Ouden has more than 20 years of global experience in luxury hospitality, most recently as general manager of Soneva Jani, Maldives. Prior to his time in the Maldives, Den Ouden spent four years with Alila Hotels and Resorts, leading teams as general manager at properties across Indonesia and China. He was responsible for the opening of Alila Wuzhen in Wuzhen, China, and Alila Anji in Huzhou, China.
Freddie Brooks is assistant general manager of Hammetts Hotel, opening this summer in Newport, Rhode Island. With nearly 20 years of experience working primarily in Rhode Island hotels, including two properties in Newport, Brooks brings abundant regional knowledge to the property. Prior to this role, he was director of rooms at the Hilton in Providence, Rhode Island.
Robin Donovan is managing director of El Capitan, a Joie De Vivre Hotel scheduled to open this fall in Merced, California. Barbara Piagari also joined the property as director of sales and marketing. Donovan most recently was area managing director, Silicon Valley, California, for the former Two Roads Hospitality brand. Donovan was promoted to the position after serving as general manager of two Silicon Valley properties, a responsibility she maintained while simultaneously managing the region. Piagari recently was director of sales and marketing at The Elizabeth in Fort Collins, Colorado. Prior to this, she was a hospitality task force consultant working across multiple properties to evaluate sales and marketing efforts, providing solutions for driving revenue and cost containment.
Oetker Collection named Timo Gruenert chief executive officer, succeeding Frank Marrenbach. Gruenert began his career with the Oetker Group as assistant to the managing partner in 2005 after receiving his PhD in business administration from University of Giessen in Giessen, Germany, with a thesis on mergers and acquisitions in corporate crisis. In 2009, Gruenert co-led the founding of Oetker Collection, and has since served as co-managing director and chief financial officer. Over the past 11 years, Gruenert managed the group’s portfolio as it grew from four Masterpiece Hotels in 2009, to nine in 2020.
MGM Resorts International named Melonie Johnson president of Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Johnson has worked with MGM since 2015, most recently as president and chief operating officer of MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland. She formerly was president and COO of Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica, Mississippi, and has served in executive positions for Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in Charles Town, West Virginia, Hollywood Casino Aurora in Aurora, Illinois, and Caesars Entertainment Corporation. Hugh Turner, former vice president of finance for Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, was promoted to chief financial officer. Prior to his nearly 18 years at Borgata, Turner served as director of finance at various properties, including Harrah’s New Orleans and Harrah’s St. Louis casinos.
Radisson Hotel Group named Nisha Menon general counsel, Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore, Menon sits on Radisson Hotel Group’s Asia Pacific executive committee. Throughout her career as a legal advisor, Menon has completed multiple major deals, including mergers, joint ventures, asset sales, private equity transactions and more. In the hospitality industry, Menon has been part of many projects involving brands such as Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide and InterContinental Hotels Group. She most recently was senior legal counsel for Parkway Pantai in Singapore.
OTO Development named Allison Mitchell general manager and Samira Clarke director of sales for its new Residence Inn by Marriott Long Island Garden City in Garden City, New York. Mitchell comes to the property from SpringHill Suites LaGuardia in Queens, New York, where she was general manager. She has nearly 30 years of experience in hospitality and has worked her way up from a front desk associate to a reservation agent, conference services associate, sales manager and director of sales. Clarke has 15 years of experience in the New York hotel industry, including most recently at OTO Development’s AC Hotel New York Times Square in New York City. Past roles include front office coordinator, sales manager and catering sales manager.
David Taylor joined Lore Group as chief operating officer. Taylor comes to the group with 25 years of hotel experience, most recently as vice president of operations for InterContinental Hotels Group, overseeing the Principal Hotels portfolio following its sale by Starwood Capital. He worked on the opening of Hoxton Hotel, Shoreditch in London, England, and on the launch of London Edition in 2013. For the past two years, Taylor has been a trustee at The Savoy Educational Trust, an independent trust to advance education, learning and skills in the hospitality industry.