MINOR HOTELS NAMES NEW EUROPE & AMERICAS CEO
Minor Hotels has appointed Gonzalo Aguilar as its Europe & Americas CEO, effective January 1, 2025. He will replace Ramón Aragonés, who will retire as CEO at the end of this year. Aragonés will continue to be a member of its board of directors and serve as the non-executive vice chairman.
Aguilar will join Minor Hotels on October 1. He brings more than 30 years of experience to Minor House, joining from Marriott International where he served as the CEO for EMEA. He served as general manager of several Marriott hotels across the Americas before moving into executive positions in Europe.
“Gonzalo’s deep understanding of the hospitality industry and his proven leadership will be instrumental in guiding and executing Minor Hotels Europe & Americas’ strategic business plan. His invaluable insights into the multi-brand and asset-light hotel space in Europe and the Americas will set Minor Hotels on the path of continued success,” said Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels and president of Minor Hotels Europe & Americas.
AIK HONG TAN’S NEW ROLE AT HOTEL EQUITIES
Hotel Equities has named Aik Hong Tan as chief investment officer. Tan serves as a principal for Greenwood Hospitality, which joined Hotel Equities through a strategic partnership in 2022. In his new role, Tan will be in charge of investment strategies and partner with Hotel Equities’ Chief Development Officer, Joe Reardon and capitalize on new opportunities to enhance the group’s portfolio. He will lead strategic investments, feasibility, acquisitions and financial planning.
“Aik’s leadership and strategic vision have been instrumental in HE’s success from day one of our strategic partnership with Greenwood,” said Brad Rahinsky, president and CEO of HE. “His expertise will be invaluable as we continue to grow, innovate and identify ways we can better serve our clients. We are immensely thankful to have him lead in this new capacity where he will undoubtedly elevate our capabilities and offerings.”
APPOINTMENTS AT THE CHANCERY ROSEWOOD
The Chancery Rosewood has announced three appointments to its leadership team:
- Stephanie Clarke as director of sales and marketing
- Sophie Rough as director of talent and culture
- Alice Jónsdóttir as director of communications.
These three appointments come ahead of the debut of the hotel, which will open in Mayfair, London in 2025. Developed by real estate developer Qatari Diar Europe LLP, the Grade II-listed building is being reimagined as a Rosewood Hotels & Resorts luxury hotel.
“We are delighted to have Stephanie, Sophie and Alice join our commercial team at The Chancery Rosewood. I am confident that their respective divisions will flourish under their leadership. Each bring a wealth of international experience and insight in the luxury hotel industry, in addition to a notable track record of managing high-performing teams,” said Michael Bonsor, The Chancery Rosewood’s managing director.
CONCORD HOSPITALITY PROMOTES KRISTIE BYRD
Concord Hospitality has promoted Kristie Byrd to divisional vice president of sales and marketing. A 13-year veteran at Concord Hospitality, Byrd has previously worked in brands such as Marriott, Hilton, Choice, Hyatt and IHG, all of which she will continue to assist and oversee in her new position.
Byrd has more than 29 years of experience in sales strategy and leadership. In her new role, she will collaborate with general managers of each hotel to implement divisional sales and marketing strategies at the property level to maximize revenue of each property. She will lead and manage different teams across multiple hotels, ensuring they meet or surpass sales targets while working with other departments such as operations, finance, and human resources to ensure alignment and support for various initiatives.
“Kristie’s promotion is a testament to her outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to her various assets and team members,” said Mark Laport, president and CEO of Concord Hospitality. “Her strategic vision and deep industry knowledge have been pivotal in driving our growth.”
APPOINTMENTS AT GRAND HYATT DEER VALLEY
Grand Hyatt Deer Valley has announced the following appointments to its team ahead of its opening in November:
- Anthony Duggan as general manager
- Christina Richardson as director of sales, marketing and events
“The additions of Anthony and Christina to the highly anticipated Grand Hyatt Deer Valley demonstrates a commitment to excellence that will undoubtedly resonate with discerning travelers who are seeking both a differentiated experience in a world class destination and an exceptional mountain escape,” said Mark Hickey, senior vice president of field operations at Hyatt Hotels Corp.
NEW GMs
UMusic Hotels has named Iñigo Sánchez-Crespo as general manager of UMusic Hotel Madrid. He will be reinforcing the company’s culture, strengthening core values and enhancing leadership development and team cohesion in all levels of the organization. In his most recent position, Sánchez-Crespo was the general manager at Hotel Montera Madrid, Curio Collection by Hilton. He has worked in several global markets, including across Europe, the Caribbean Islands and the U.S.
Dieter Schmitz has joined Sofitel New York as general manager. The appointment brings Schmitz back to NYC, where he will be focus on revitalizing the luxury hotel located in midtown Manhattan.
The Gabriel South Beach, the hotel located on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach and managed by Highgate, has named Ryan Rauscher as general manager. Previously, he has worked with hospitality groups such as Davidson Hospitality Group and HEI Hotels. Rauscher has also held senior positions at hotels, including Playa Largo Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection in the Florida Keys and The Resort at Longboat Key Club in Sarasota.
TFE Hotels has announced several general manager appointments across its Adina, Vibe and Travelodge network in Australia and New Zealand. The newly appointed team members include:
- Shaarn Letele: General manager, Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Darling Harbour
- Frances Ryall: General manager, Vibe North Sydney
- Arthur Rojas: Cluster general manager, Travelodge Hotel Melbourne Docklands and Adina Melbourne Southbank
- Suznne Pentecost: General manager, Adina Apartment Hotel Auckland Britomart
- Annabell Javinez: General manager, Travelodge Hotel Auckland Wynyard Quarter
Steve Dodaro has joined Burton House Beverly Hills, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel as general manager. He will lead hotel operations, spearhead the management team and lead efforts to curate guest experiences through new programming and activations. Prior to his new role, Dodaro served as the opening complex general manager at H Hotel-Homewood Suites Dual Brand at LAX and oversaw operations at The Courtyard LAX.
OTHER MOVES
Red Roof has promoted Lisa Jordan to vice president of marketing. She will be creating and executing the company’s marketing and digital strategies. With nearly 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Jordan joined Red Roof in 2021 to spearhead an integrated digital marketing team. She has played a key role in upgrading the company’s website and has worked along with the communication, sales, revenue management and operations teams to develop an improved customer experience and boost revenue.
Limelight Hotels has named Angela Blackstock as director of sales and marketing of its new hotel, Limelight Boulder which will open in 2025 on the campus of the University of Colorado Boulder. Blackstock has more than three decades of experience in the hotel industry, especially in the sales, marketing and catering departments. In her most recent position at Sage Hospitality, she served as director of sales and marketing at Embassy Suites Boulder and Hilton Garden Inn Boulder in Boulder, Colo. for over seven years.