Human Resources

🏝️ Michael Jastrzebski has been appointed director of Spa Vea at Vea Newport Beach, a 14,000-square-foot wellness facility in Southern California. The resort, renovated in 2022, features 14 treatment rooms, a private saltwater pool, and offers various spa services. Seasonal treatments like "Fall into Bliss" and "Winter Wrapsody" are available. Vea Newport Beach is co-owned by Lyon Living and Eagle Four Partners, and offers day passes for access to its spa facilities.

🏨 First Hospitality now manages the dual-branded Hyatt House and Hyatt Place Chicago – Medical/University District, expanding their Chicagoland portfolio to 16 properties. This is their fifth multi-brand hotel and ninth historic property. The hotels, located in a landmark building in the Illinois Medical District, offer 210 rooms and amenities like complimentary breakfast and fitness centers. This collaboration continues their partnership with Murphy Real Estate Services, which also includes voco Chicago Downtown and Holiday Inn Chicago Downtown.

🏨 Amrita Makkar, with nearly 20 years of experience, has been appointed as director of commercial strategy at L+R Hotels. Alongside her, Philip D’Antoni, bringing over two decades of luxury hospitality experience, is named director of sales for North America. Makkar will oversee commercial strategies globally, while D’Antoni will focus on New York. These appointments are part of L+R Hotels’ broader expansion in revenue, sales, and operations.

🏢 DIGITRIPS Group, a France-based travel solutions provider, has announced its European expansion plan, following five million bookings in a decade. New VP of International Growth, Vicki Wickens, joins from Gimmonix, Sabre, and Expedia Group. DIGITRIPS aims to penetrate key European markets with its modular tech solutions and a competitive portfolio of 1.2 million hotels, flights from 500+ airlines, and value-added services. Recent successes include launches in Benelux and Italy.

📈 Nikos Konstantinidis has been appointed as Senior Vice President of Acquisitions for Highgate in Europe, based in London. With over 12 years of experience, he will focus on hospitality investments. Highgate recently acquired the 259-room ReMIX Hotel in Paris and the 194-room Hilton Porto Gaia in Portugal. Konstantinidis previously worked at L+R Hotels and AXA Real Estate, handling projects in the UK, Spain, Greece, and more.

🍳 Vandelay Hospitality Group, operating 23 restaurants in Texas and California, appointed Gen Gray as COO. Dallas-based, they plan new concepts in Scottsdale, Ariz. next year. Gray, ex-COO of Topgolf and Maggiano’s Little Italy, will manage operations, guest experience, and new openings. Vandelay, founded in 2012, aims for growth with Gray's expertise in hospitality. CEO Hunter Pond highlights Gray's transformative leadership. Gray emphasizes investment in teams and quality service.

📈 Dave Allen has been appointed as the programme director for HIT Scotland's new executive and leadership development initiatives. These programs aim to enhance leadership skills, operational performance, and strategic planning for senior hospitality executives in Scotland. Covering topics like business growth, finance, and AI, they address current industry pressures. Allen, with over 30 years of experience, will lead these efforts to foster a new generation of hospitality leaders and drive strategic transformation in the sector.

💸 Chestnut Group secured £20m from Metro Bank for expansion, acquiring Titchwell Manor Hotel in Norfolk and allowing for future acquisitions. The finance includes a £10m revolving credit line and a £10m commercial loan, bringing Metro Bank's total support to £50m. The group operates 26 pubs and hotels in the East of England. The expansion aids the local economy and job creation. Charley O’Toole was appointed as Chestnut's new chief of staff to lead organizational design and strategic goals.

🗺 Brad Anderson of Hilton is scaling Hilton Honors to over 226 million members worldwide. Peggy Roe at Marriott International transforms loyalty into experiences with initiatives like “Member’s Day.” Scott Long at American Airlines evolves frequent flyer programs into revenue drivers. Cecilie Nybø Carlsen of Norwegian makes loyalty transparent with CashPoints valued as currency. Andrew Harrison-Chinn at Dragonpass extends loyalty into lifestyle, showing benefits beyond flights and hotels. Loyalty now emphasizes experiences, emotions, and community.

📅 Hospitality America appointed Ryan Sistare as VP of Operations with 20 years of experience. Hunter Hotel Advisors promoted Colin Flannery to VP in NYC after contributing to over $6 billion in transactions since 2020. OUTRIGGER Hospitality appointed Karen Kurosawa as director of ESG, effective September 22, 2025. Hyatt Regency Maui Resort appointed Timothy Nelson as director of sales and marketing with 15 years of experience, following his tenure at Hyatt Regency Waikiki.