IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) announced the appointment of Mark Sergot as its new chief development officer (CDO) for the Americas. Read more.
Operto has appointed Tim Major as chief executive officer. In this role, he will lead Operto’s next chapter with a focus on pragmatic innovation across short-term rentals and hotels, while driving the development of a new category of agentic AI designed specifically for independent hotels. Major brings more than 15 years of experience in hospitality technology. He previously served as president of property management systems at Fullsteam, where he led a portfolio of five PMS brands.
Noble Investment Group announced the promotion of Emily Feeney to vice president. Read more.
AIC Hotel Group announced that Delia Osegueda has joined as its new vice president of global partnerships. The AIC portfolio includes a range of owned and managed hotel brands, including Nobu Hotels, Hard Rock Hotels, AVA Resort and Spa, and the UNICO Collection, among others. Osegueda brings more than a decade of the role; she will oversee the development and execution of comprehensive strategies with tour operators across multiple regions and source markets.
OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark announced the appointment of Natalia Arbelaez as director of partnerships. In this newly created role, Arbelaez will lead partnership strategy across the resort, cultivating relationships with local, regional, and national brands.
Hotel MOHI by Appellation announced the appointment of Teresa Chen as general manager. In this role, Chen will oversee all facets of the resort’s performance, including guest experience, operational excellence, and team development for the property. Chen brings more than a decade of experience, including senior leadership roles across the Hyatt brand throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and greater Northern California region. Her past experience includes leading Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa, JdV by Hyatt as general manager. Chen most recently served as a project manager for the opening of Appellation Healdsburg.
Koʻa Kea Resort on Poʻipu Beach announced the appointment of Jared Dayton as general manager. In this role, Dayton will oversee all facets of the resort’s performance, guest experience, operational excellence, and team development. Dayton most recently served as complex director of operations at Kauai Beach Club and Kauai Lagoons with Marriott Vacations Worldwide. He previously served as director of operations at The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villa.
Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort announced the appointment of Markus Laahanen as general manager. Laahanen brings more than two decades of experience to his new role; most recently, he served as an independent hospitality advisor, working on forward-thinking wellness and eco-luxury resort communities in Portugal, Spain, and Costa Rica. In his new role at Andaz Peninsula Papagayo, Laahanen will oversee all aspects of resort operations.
Regent Hotels & Resorts announced the appointment of Juan Losada as general manager of Regent Phu Quoc. Losada brings more than 15 years of experience to the role; he previously served as the pre-opening and opening general manager for Regent Phu Quoc between early 2019 and late 2022.
Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, announced the appointment of William Fisher as general manager. He brings more than 30 years of experience to the role. Fisher joins Rome Cavalieri following his tenure as general manager of the Hilton London Metropole. He has held senior leadership roles with several hospitality brands, including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, The Ritz-Carlton, and Orient Express.
Mandarin Oriental is pleased to announce the appointment of Philippe Kronberg as general manager of Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London & AVP Operations. Alongside managing Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Kronberg will be supporting Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, Mandarin Oriental Paris, and the newly managed Mandarin Oriental Lutetia and Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium, Amsterdam. Kronberg brings more than 30 years of experience to the role; he most recently served as resort general manager in Muscat, Oman, overseeing a multi-property beachfront destination comprising three hotels with more than 640 rooms.
Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek announced the appointment of Katherine “Katie” Cosgrove as director of sales and marketing. Cosgrove brings more than 15 years of experience to the role. She will lead all sales and marketing strategy for the resort. Most recently, Cosgrove served as director of sales and marketing at Ashore Resort & Beach Club and as a task force director of sales and marketing for HEI Hotels & Resorts, supporting multiple full-service and resort properties nationwide.
Conrad Orlando at Evermore announced the appointment of Michelle Dvortsin as director of leisure sales. Dvortsin brings 20 years of luxury experience to the property; she has worked at several luxury hotels, including Boca Raton Resort & Club, a Waldorf Astoria Resort; Ocean Key Resort; and Little Palm Island Resort & Spa. In her role at Conrad Orlando, she will lead the leisure sales team, fostering relationships with agents, operators, and consortia partners.
Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa announced the appointment of Herve Cuyeu as the new complex executive chef. With two decades of extensive experience at culinary destinations, Cuyeu will lead the food and beverage program across the resort’s nine dining venues and Barton Creek Country Club’s venues. He joins Omni Barton Creek from Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia, with previous executive culinary leadership across luxury properties, including Waldorf Astoria, Loews Hotels, The Drake Hotel, and Sheraton San Diego Resort.
Hotel Contessa announced the appointment of Katie Lopez as executive chef of its on-site restaurant, Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails. In this role, Lopez will oversee all aspects of the restaurant’s culinary operations. Lopez brings more than a decade in hospitality dining to Hotel Contessa. Before joining Hotel Contessa, Lopez held a leadership role at the Marriott Jacksonville Downtown, the official host hotel for the Jacksonville Jaguars and visiting NFL teams.
The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, announced the appointment of Jonathan Moran as director of beverage. In this role, Moran will oversee the beverage program for the property. Moran joins The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay with a decade of experience working for The Ritz-Carlton and Ritz-Carlton Reserve brands, spanning leadership food and beverage positions across four different hotel properties across three different continents. Most recently, he served as complex director of beverage for The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, and W Hong Kong.
W Scottsdale announced the appointment of Shelley Hall as manager of AWAY Spa. Hall brings decades of luxury hospitality and wellness experience to the property. In her new role at W Scottsdale, Hall will oversee all aspects of AWAY Spa operations, including guest experience, treatment offerings, and strategic partnerships. Hall previously served as spa director at Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, a role she held twice, and later led the spa at Montage Laguna Beach.
The IHG Owners Association announced the appointment of Prakash Maggan, principal and chief financial officer of Rainmaker Hospitality, as chair of its global board of directors for 2026.
The CoralTree Residence Collection announced several leadership updates, including the appointment of Andy Blair as director of finance in Colorado and the promotions of Kelly McCourt and Maria Paladini to vice president roles. Blair previously spent 13 years with Destination Hotels & Resorts, contributing to the home office finance team and serving at properties such as The Inverness Denver and Sunriver Resort in Oregon. McCourt has been with CoralTree for four years, previously serving as director of sales and marketing for The Woodlands Resort portfolio. She now leads marketing efforts for CoralTree’s luxury residences in destinations Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, and South Carolina. Paladini has spent the past three years in revenue leadership roles at CoralTree and previously served as regional revenue manager for Commune Hotels & Resorts.
Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) announced the promotions of Nicholas Jones to manager, technology user services, and Bruno Njiensi to accounts payable manager. Jones will serve as the primary manager for technology user services and will oversee day-to-day tech support for ACVB team members. Jones joined ACVB in 2023 as a technology specialist and advanced to assistant manager in 2024. Njiensi, who joined ACVB in June 2009 as a staff accountant before being promoted to accountant in February 2017, will now oversee and streamline ACVB’s accounts payable function.
Apiary Hotel Belleview Station announced the appointment of Alison Mitchell as general manager and Ksenia Poteraj as director of sales and marketing ahead of its opening in South Denver. Mitchell brings more than 20 years of experience to the role and previously served as general manager at Clayton Hotel & Members Club with Aparium Hotel Group and at the Art Hotel Denver, Curio Collection by Hilton. Poteraj has over a decade of experience and has held leadership roles at the Oxford Hotel, Crawford Hotel at Denver Union Station, and Renaissance Denver Downtown City Center.
The Westin Nashville announced the appointment of Tony Phillips as general manager and Linda Jean as spa director of the property’s signature Rhapsody Spa. Phillips joins The Westin Nashville following his time at Bobby Nashville, bringing more than 25 years of hospitality experience, including a lengthy tenure with Loews Hotels & Co. Jean brings more than 14 years of experience leading luxury spa operations and developing holistic wellness programming. Her background includes leadership roles with Auberge Resorts and exclusive country clubs.
W Aspen announced the appointment of three new directors to its leadership team. The new appointments include Chris Sanchez, director of hotel sales; Christian Quiñones, director of culinary; and Vidit Dalal, director of rooms. Sanchez brings over two decades of experience in luxury hospitality, lifestyle hotels, and sales organizations. Before W Aspen, Sanchez served as director of hotel sales and marketing at Origin Hotel Red Rocks. Quiñones brings more than 20 years of professional cooking and leadership experience to his role; he most recently served as executive chef at Signia by Hilton Atlanta. Dalal previously served in senior rooms and housekeeping leadership roles at multiple luxury properties, including his work in rooms leadership at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and Fairmont Banff Springs.
Standard Fiber announced the promotion of two long-tenured leaders to president roles; Pankaj Rawat, a 13-year veteran of Standard Fiber, has been named as president of wholesale, and Johnson Kao, who has been with Standard Fiber for 14 years, now serves as president of the company’s U.S.-based manufacturing business.
Sprague Pest Solutions announced the appointment of three operations managers. These new roles include two internal promotions and one external hire. Jennifer Bowerman has been named ACE operations manager of the Tacoma branch. Bowerman joined Sprague in 2013 and has spent more than a decade building relationships with customers. Kaleb Carpenter has been appointed as ACE operations manager of the Spokane branch. Carpenter joined Sprague in 2020 and earned his ACE certification in 2025. George Agosto has been named as operations manager of the Tacoma Branch. Agosto brings a background in food service and food manufacturing management.
