Europe, Middle East and Africa Hires, Promotions: Accor names three new brand executives

Read the latest roundup of hotel industry hires and promotions in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.

Ascani has been named general manager of 83-room Collegio alla Querce, which will open in Florence at the end of the year and will be Auberge Resorts Collection’s first Italian property. Ascani previously was general manager and chief operating officer at another Italian hotel, the Borgo Pignano, The Tuscan Haven.

Barwell Nassar has started as the general manager of the 43-room AREV St Tropez on the Mediterranean coast of France. Her former position was as director of operations at Hotel du Palais Biarritz, which is part of the Unbound Collection by Hyatt.

Leonard is the new general manager of the 159-room Hotel Café Royal. An Irishman, Leonard has for the last 15 years worked for the Maybourne Hotel Group, most recently as the general manager of its hotel, Maybourne Beverly Hills, California, but he has had roles at London’s Claridge’s and The Connaught.

Bourgeois is the new vice president of development for Accor's premium, midscale and economy brands in France. She arrives from a role as head of hospitality for France at business consultancy Cushman & Wakefield.

Grob has been promoted at hotel architecture and design firm Studio Moren as partner and head of business development. Projects she and the firm have worked on in recent years include 1 Hotel Mayfair, Art’otel London Battersea Power Station, The Westin London City, InterContinental Lusaka and the Villa Pamphili Rome.

Mills has been named as chief operating officer at Leaf Hospitality, a newly created position at the London-based company. Mills’ career has seen stints at Hilton — where he worked with Leaf’s CEO Richard Farrar — IHG Hotels & Resorts and Wyndham Destinations, with his previous role as CEO, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Choice Hotels.

Mendil has been appointed global head of real estate at Paris-based hotel firm B&B Hotels. His previous role was head of hotel investments for France at business consultancy CBRE, and he has also worked at the Abu Dhabi Sovereign Fund in the role of fund manager.

McLaughlin has been appointed as general manager at the 192-room Conrad Dublin. For almost all of the last three years, she has been the general manager of the Irish capital’s Gibson Hotel.

Racle has been named global brand president, premium, at Accor. He arrives from Marriott International’s W Hotels brand, where he was vice president of global brand management.

Jay has been appointed as general manager at the 104-room Hotel Indigo Exeter, an Exeter, Devon, England, which is managed by Focus Hotels. Jay’s career has included other roles as a general manager but also as an executive chef in such hotels as the Taj Coromandel in Chennai, India.

Minet has begun at Accor as global brand president, midscale and economy. His career mostly has been at lifestyle and fashion companies, including the last 13 years working for Estée Lauder Companies but having also worked at L’Oreal.

Fialkov has been promoted at Cape Town-based Newmark Hotels & Resorts to director of revenue from group revenue manager, a role she started in December 2022. Other previous experience has included the role of multi-property revenue manager for Marriott International for the Westin Cape Town and AC Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Waterfront.

Brancaleoni has joined Kempinski Hotels as chief commercial officer. The role sees him disembark after almost two years in senior sales and revenue roles at Silverseas Cruises, and his experience has seen him relocate from his native Italy to such places as Hong Kong, Miami, Madrid and Monaco.

Kaul been named director of revenue management at London’s 331-room St Ermin’s Hotel, part of Marriott International soft brand Autograph Collection Hotels. His last role was as cluster director of revenue management for the Mondrian Shoreditch and Hyde London City hotels, two hotels within the Accor portfolio.

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