Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard in London appointed Kurt Macher general manager. Macher moved to London after securing multiple awards and accolades for The Temple House in Chengdu, China. During his time in China, Macher was a board member of the British Chamber of Commerce in Southwest China and a finalist for General Manager of the Year at the 2018 China Hotelier Awards.
During his 28 years of experience in luxury hospitality, Macher has held general manager and senior management roles at brands including Wharf Hotels, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and The Peninsula Group. He has led hotel teams in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and in some of the fastest-growing markets across Asia, including Hong Kong and Singapore.
Also: Frank Marrenbach, managing director of the Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa in Baden-Baden, Germany, will step down from that position in January 2020 to concentrate fully on his other role as chief executive officer of Oetker Collection. Henning Matthiesen, manager of the Excelsior Hotel Ernst in Cologne, Germany, for the past seven years, succeeds Marrenbach as managing director of Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa.
Husband-and-wife team Ana Amaya and Adrian Del Angel are executive chef and executive sous chef, respectively, of Radio Milano and Milano Bar in Hotel Sorella CityCentre, Houston. The couple joined the property in 2016 as sous chefs.
Carté Hotel San Diego Downtown, Curio Collection by Hilton, opening this summer in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood, appointed Henri Birmele general manager, Chans Rock director of food and beverage, and MarQuies Willis director of sales and marketing. Before joining Carté Hotel, Birmele was general manager of The Landing Resort & Spa, South Lake Tahoe, California. Rock served as general manager of Hotel Erwin in Venice, California, while Willis was associate director of sales for Kimpton Solamar Hotel in San Diego.
Erin Brown is public relations manager at Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego. Prior to joining the property, Brown was hospitality group manager at Crowe PR, a San Diego-based public relations agency, where she managed more than a dozen hospitality industry clients.
The Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto, Canada, named Patrick Cappa general manager. Cappa most recently was vice president, resort operations for Casino Rama Resort in Rama, Canada.
Thompson Chicago in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood appointed Paul Cardona general manager. Cardona has served as general manager with properties including Le Méridien Chicago and Virgin Hotels Chicago.
Jon Craven is general manager of AC Hotel by Marriott Houston Downtown, opening in late July. Craven spent the past 11 years in Houston hospitality, most recently as Houston area general manager for Holiday Inn.
Teneo Hospitality Group added two directors of sales in its Washington, D.C., office. Helena Dechant most recently was director of global accounts at Conference Direct and has held sales leadership positions with Starwood and Hilton. Kyla Knudson was director of sales and marketing at Business Events Canada, overseeing a multimillion-dollar sales and marketing platform.
Hall Arts Hotel, opening this fall in Dallas, appointed Eric Dreyer executive chef of Ellie’s, the property’s restaurant. The hotel also named Bhuvanesh Khanna food and beverage general manager. Dreyer had been executive chef of Promised Land, Oprah Winfrey’s estate in Montecito, California. Khanna’s former role was director of food and beverage at Bobby Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.
Aaron Fisch is task force director of sales for Stonebridge Companies in Denver. Fisch has more than 20 years’ experience in hospitality sales, including full-service, modern essential, convention and resort hotels. Stonebridge Companies also named Josh Jacobs real estate analyst. Jacobs recently graduated from Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania.
Tucker’s Point in Hamilton Parish, Bermuda, appointed Buddy Fleming director of real estate sales and marketing. Fleming has been part of the Rosewood Bermuda management team for 13 years, most recently serving as general manager of the Golf Villas Residence Club at Rosewood Bermuda, also in Hamilton Parish.
Virgin Hotels named Mary Giuliano managing director of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, soon to be rebranded as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Giuliano, a long-time Las Vegas resident, previously was general manager for the city’s Vdara Hotel & Spa.
The Kimberly Hotel in New York City hired Kimberly Harvey as assistant general manager. She transitioned into the role from a sales position at Doral Arrowwood Benchmark Hospitality.
Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa in Moab, Utah, appointed Keith Hill general manager and David Corke national sales manager. Prior to joining the resort, Hill was general manager of Timber Cove Inn in Jenner, California, before purchasing his own boutique hotel and restaurant in Wisconsin. Corke had been director of travel industry sales at JG Blackbook, where he represented a portfolio of 10 partner hotels, resorts and tourism boards in New York City.
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council named John James president and chief executive officer of Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, effective August 12. James currently serves as chief operating officer for Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon, California.
Nancy Johns is vice president of digital strategy at Crescent Hotels & Resorts. Prior to joining Crescent, Johns was corporate director of e-commerce for Pyramid Hotel Group.
The Kimpton Hotel Allegro in Chicago named Iris Junge general manager. This is a promotion for Junge, who was the property’s assistant general manager.
Vikas Kapai is general manager of Sofitel Mumbai BKC in Mumbai, India. Kapai’s experience includes working with brands such as Hilton, Marriott and Oakwood Asia Pacific, often in a key leadership role.
BroughtonHotels appointed Wayne Leming regional director of operations for the company’s four Chicago properties: Ivy Hotel, Willows Hotel, Majestic Hotel and City Suites Hotel. Prior to this appointment, Leming was general manager of Raffaello Hotel Chicago.
Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, appointed Rosa Luke senior sales manager, overseeing the Midwest and Western United States regions. Luke most recently was national sales director at Discover Puerto Rico.
The PuLi Hotel and Spa in Shanghai, China, welcomed Pierrick Maire as executive chef. Hailing from Marseille, France, Maire has accrued culinary experience in Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide.
Troutbeck, a Design Hotel in Amenia, New York, appointed Gabe McMackin executive chef of the estate’s culinary program. McMackin, owner and chef of Michelin-starred The Finch in New York City, was raised in nearby Litchfield County, Connecticut.
Thompson Zihuatanejo in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, named Danyelle Montgomery director of sales and marketing. Prior to joining the property, Montgomery was area director of national accounts at Ritz-Carlton Hotels of the Caribbean and Mexico.
Mauna Kea Resort in Kohala Coast, Hawaii, appointed Todd Oldham director of food and beverage, overseeing the eight bars and restaurants across both Hawaii properties. Oldham had been director of food and beverage at the Kahala Hotel and Resort on Oahu and Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea, Hawaii.
The Wigwam in Litchfield Park, Arizona, appointed Katy Powers managing director and general manager. Powers originally joined the property in 2013 as director of food and beverage before being promoted to resort manager. She returns after working as general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn Seattle Downtown Hotel.
David Sheets is general manager of Westin Tampa Bay in Tampa Bay, Florida, recently acquired by real estate development group Castlerock Asset Management. Sheets had been general manager of The Westshore Grand, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Tampa, Florida.
Prism Hotels & Resorts promoted Otton Suarez to general manager of El Conquistador, a Hilton resort in Tucson, Arizona. Suarez spent three years as the property’s hotel manager.
McKibbon Hospitality appointed Joe Taggart chief financial officer. Prior to joining McKibbon, Taggart spent 12 years at Valley National Bank and its predecessor, USAmeriBank in Tampa, Florida. While there, he was senior vice president, Florida CRE manager and stakeholder, overseeing a team of relationship officers.
H Club Los Angeles welcomed Nash Tennant as general manager. Tennant most recently was director of operations at Spring Place Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, California.
Stefan Trepp is executive chef at The Dorchester in London, England. Trepp, who plans to focus on sustainable food practices, has held executive chef positions at Banyan Tree Resort Phuket in Phuket, Thailand; Mandarin Oriental Bangkok in Bangkok, Thailand; Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates; and Kempinski hotels, including the flagship property in the United Arab Emirates.