Read the latest roundup of hotel industry hires and promotions in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
Anna Darnell
Darnell has been promoted from resort director to general manager at the 214-room The Grove Hotel & Mansion, the former home of the earls of Clarendon and which has sections dating to 1520, although as a hotel it had its latest renovation in 2023.
Badis Boudjakdji and Renato Sciannimanico
Boudjakdji and Sciannimanico have been both appointed to real estate director roles at Finnish hotel firm Bob W. Boudjakdji, who joins from co-living firm Urban Campus, has been given responsibility for Iberia, while Sciannimanico, who joins from private-equity company Tristan Capital Partners, has been given responsibility for Southern Europe.
Pascal Billard
Billard has been named general manager at the 160-room Le Meurice, Paris, part of hotel firm Dorchester Collection. His starting date is Aug. 1. It is a return to the company for Billard, who for more than a decade was resident manager the Hôtel Plaza Athénée. His last role was as general manager at the Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona.
Julie Hutchison
Hutchison has joined the Macdonald Pittodrie House as hotel manager. She arrives at the hotel, which sits in 2,400 acres close to the village of Chapel of Garioch, near Aberdeen, Scotland. The hotel is part of Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, and Hutchison arrives from the same role at Norwood Hall Hotel. Her career has seen roles at Hilton and Marriott International.
Emmanuel Blanchemanche
Blanchemanche has been appointed general manager of the 93-room Zannier Bendor, which is owned by the Société Paul Ricard and will open on the French Mediterranean island of Île de Bendor in May 2026. Blanchemanche begins his role this May.
Stefano Squecco
Squecco has been named as cluster general manager for Italian hotel firm Starhotels’ three London properties — 35-room Starhotels Franklin Hotel, 50-room Starhotels The Gore and 52-room Starhotels The Pelham. He has previously worked at luxury hotels in England and Italy, including Pennyhill Park Hotel & Spa and The Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria.
Frank de Kruijf
De Kruijf has joined the 269-room Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa Edinburgh as director of operations. For almost nine years, he enjoyed management roles at Hilton, but the arrives at his new home from being rooms division manager at The Caledonian Edinburgh.
Manfredi Lefebvre
Lefebvre has been named chair of the World Travel & Tourism Council, his role starting in September. He is chairman of Monaco-based private-equity firm Heritage Group and co-chair of travel agency Abercrombie and Kent.