Human Resources

🍳 Grady Atkins, with over 30 years of culinary experience, joined The Priory in Caerleon, South Wales, as head chef on 1 September. The venue, a family-run hotel and restaurant since 1996, is part of the Fire and Wine group. Located in a Grade II-listed 12th-century monastery, it underwent refurbishment in 2024-2025. The Priory plans a new kitchen garden for sustainability. Atkins will relaunch the menu on 1 December, emphasizing local sourcing.

📈 Intercontinental New York Barclay has appointed Matthew Davis as the new Director of Sales & Marketing. Davis, with a career in hospitality since 1991, joined the hotel in 2017 and held the role of director of sales since 2020. Owned by 111 East 48th Street Holdings, LLC and managed by IHG, the hotel aims to drive revenue, enhance guest engagement, and maintain key client relationships under his leadership. Davis previously held leadership roles at Millennium Hotels and Resorts, and Jumeirah Essex House.

🏨 Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Paris, appointed Philippe Clarinval as general manager. With 20+ years in luxury hospitality, Clarinval has experience with Shangri-La properties in Southeast Asia, The Omnia and Carlton Hotel in Switzerland, and Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois in Basel. He also teaches at École Hôtelière de Lausanne and consults for Oxford Leadership and Forbes Business Council. Prince de Galles, opened in 1929, offers 116 rooms and 43 suites.

🏨 Shawn Pisani, VP at HelmsBriscoe, joined Accessible Hospitality Alliance's advisory board. AHA's expansion follows its first major event in partnership with Thomas Franks. Pisani, contributing to DEIA initiatives, supports the AHA Forum on 5 November at Scale Space White City, London. He emphasizes inclusion's impact in hospitality. Denis Sheehan, AHA's co-founder, praises Pisani's commitment to creating an inclusive hospitality world. HelmsBriscoe operates in over 60 countries.

📌 Stéphanie Segaux has been appointed as vice president of development for Starwood Hotels in the EMEA region, based in Amsterdam. Reporting to Chief Development Officer Abhay Bakaya, she will focus on new opportunities following openings in London and Copenhagen. Segaux, previously with Rosewood Hotel Group, will target projects in Paris, Crete, Rome, Florence, Dubai, and Riyadh. Starwood Hotels operates nearly 20 hotels globally and has over 20 projects in development.

📈 Davidson Hospitality Group has appointed Steve Contos as Executive Vice President, Managing Director – Luxury & International to enhance its luxury and international markets. Previously, Contos oversaw 78 hotels and resorts at Marriott International. He served as executive vice president of operations for Davidson Hotels and Resorts and had roles in Florida and Louisiana. Contos brings experience from managing the Orlando Grande Lakes Resort complex, which includes a 1,000-room JW Marriott and 564-room Ritz Carlton.

📍 CityHub appoints Remco Gerritsen as CEO to lead European expansion. Founded in 2015 by Sem Schuurkes and Pieter van Tilburg, the Netherlands-based brand operates in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Copenhagen, and Reykjavik. Schuurkes and van Tilburg will join the board to focus on strategy. CityHub aims to double its network across Europe, emphasizing compact, sustainable accommodations. Gerritsen, with 25+ years of experience, previously worked at International Hotel Capital Partners.

📈 Hays Travel appoints Sue Bradley, a former Tui director, as head of customer experience. Bradley, with Tui for over 14 years, will join Hays Travel's senior leadership team to embed a customer-first culture. The role focuses on enhancing customer experience, aligning with the Institute of Customer Service, and supporting Hays Travel's growth strategy. Hays Travel, a 45-year-old company, aims to maintain its reputation for exceptional customer care and align with strategic initiatives for future growth.

🏨 Oct. 4, 2025, Shanell Marinuzzi, now at Actabl, reflects on her past experience as a hotel general manager. She emphasizes the importance of "speaking owner" to align team goals and communicate effectively with investors. By understanding numbers and translating results into investor-friendly terms, she achieved significant buy-in and success. This approach underscores the value of connecting performance with investor interests in the hospitality industry.

🚀 Joined Blent.io as Chief Revenue Officer, I’m thrilled to join forces with Blent.io, a leader in hospitality tech. Known as "Hospitality's Superbrain," Blent.io revolutionizes industry data use with intuitive business intelligence solutions. Thank you to Christopher Meignier and the team for the warm welcome. We're poised to transform hotel performance management globally. Stay tuned for exciting updates! #Hospitality #Technology #Innovation #DataDriven #Blent