Appointments

Rocky Rocha has been appointed as director of food and beverage at Magnolia Hotel Omaha

Rocha is an award-winning chef and hospitality executive with more than 25 years of leadership experience within hotels, casino resorts, upscale restaurants and banquet operations. Skilled in leading high-volume food and beverage operations while driving profitability, team performance and exceptional guest experiences, Rocha is a hands-on leader with a passion for taking care of people.

Shabana Raj has been appointed as Learning & Development Manager at Grand Mercure Bangalore

Shabana Raj has been appointed as Learning & Development Manager for Grand Mercure Bangalore, Grand Mercure Mysore and ibis Styles Mysuru. In her new role, Shabana will oversee the learning and development function across the three properties, driving initiatives that strengthen employee capabilities, support leadership development and foster a consistent culture of service excellence.

David Lurie has been appointed as General Manager at Baker's Cay Resort Key Largo, Curio Collection by Hilton

Baker’s Cay Resort Key Largo, Curio Collection by Hilton, a 15-acre hidden gem perched on the serene waterfront of the Florida Keys, announces the appointment of hospitality veteran David Lurie as General Manager. Bringing more than four decades of hospitality experience spanning luxury, independent, and branded properties across the United States, Lurie will oversee the resort’s operations, guest experience, and team as Baker’s Cay continues to evolve as one of South Florida's distinctive waterfront resorts. 

Rohit Suvarna has been appointed as Director of Beverage at The St. Regis Atlanta

The St. Regis Atlanta announces the appointment of Rohit Suvarna as Director of Beverage. With more than a decade of experience within the Marriott International portfolio and a career spanning luxury hospitality destinations worldwide, Suvarna brings extensive food and beverage leadership experience and a passion for creating memorable guest experiences to Atlanta’s Best Address. 

Macall Newman has been appointed as Resort Manager at Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita

Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, the Forbes Five-Star resort set across 52 beachfront acres along Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit coast, announces the appointment of Macall Newman as Resort Manager. A 15-year Four Seasons veteran whose career has spanned luxury city hotels, remote destination resorts, and the brand's acclaimed Private Jet and Yacht experiences, Newman brings a uniquely global perspective and passion for people to her new role on Mexico's Pacific coast.

Wouter Geerts has joined Abode Worldwide as Head of Market Intelligence and Research

Wouter Geerts, PhD has joined Abode as Head of Market Intelligence and Research. He spent three years as Director of Market Research at Mews, and before that was Head of Research at Skift, where he helped build the research products behind Skift Research. He holds a PhD from the University of London and sits on the advisory board of Hotel Management School Leeuwarden at NHL Stenden.Wouter will build a dedicated research and market intelligence offering for hospitality tech and living sector proptech companies: original branded reports, bespoke market studies, and competitive intelligence that helps a company understand where its category is heading. He'll also strengthen the data behind our own strategic work and our existing research, including the Short-Term Rental Tech Index and the Hospitality Tech Investment Index.