Pär Christiansen has been appointed new Chief Financial Officer for Scandic Hotels Group (publ). Pär will start his new position March 1 and will be a member of Scandic's Executive Committee. Åsa Wirén, who is currently Chief Financial Officer at Scandic Hotels Group, will leave Scandic.
Neerav Gorasia has been promoted to Director Hotel Performance for Pro-invest Hotels. Formerly Operations Excellence Manager since January 2023, Neerav is a Law and Commerce graduate and a fully qualified Chartered Accountant (CAANZ). He brings expertise from numerous senior finance and accounting positions within Mantra Group, Accor Hotels & Shangri-La as well as leading the finance function at Sonic Healthcare.In this pivotal role, Neerav will work in close collaboration with Operations & Functional Leaders across the Pro-invest Group portfolio to develop and implement strategies and initiatives to drive Hotel performance.
Raines has hired Perry MacLennan as general counsel. In this new role, MacLennan will serve on the executive team and oversee all legal aspects of the Raines business. His primary responsibilities will include strategic legal, deal structure, and risk management. Perry will also assist the company in managing its workforce of approximately 1,400 team members, leveraging his previous experience as a labor and employment attorney in private practice. He will report to managing partners Grey Raines and David Tart.
Remington Hospitality, a leading hotel management company, has welcomed Shazmah Hakim as Chief Legal Officer. Hakim, who brings over two decades of experience, has a background steeped in hospitality, operations, and law and a proven track record of success. In her new role, Hakim will help guide Remington into its next phase of growth and ensure efficient and effective legal processes are developed and implemented to support company initiatives.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) today announced the hiring of Jessica Brady as vice president of federal affairs for tax policy.
Rixos Bab Al Bahr has appointed Bireswar Das as director of finance.
Ali Al-Zahrani has been appointed as the new Executive Assistant Manager for Finance & Residences at Shangri-La Jeddah. He brings with him a rich background of twenty years in the luxury hospitality sector.
Thomas Schulz brings a wealth of experience to his role as CFO. Responsible for overseeing the company's Finance and HR teams, Thomas's background includes serving as CFO at a global retail software company and holding key finance and M&A leadership roles at leading software companies such as OpenText, Sitecore, and Informatica. Thomas earned his MBA degree from UC Berkeley and started his career as a consultant at Deloitte.
Fady Salah serves as the cluster financial controller for The First Collection Waterfront and The First Collection Business Bay. Bringing in over 18 years of experience, Salah plays a pivotal role in managing accounting and financial operations for both hotels. His primary responsibilities include overseeing the accounting department, procurement, and all financial aspects of business and driving the hotel's financial strategy and planning. He is responsible for assessing the financial performance of the hotels as well as possible risks and investments.
Zaid Khuzouz is appointed as the Director of Finance & Business Support. With more than 21 years of experience in the industry, Khuzouz is now responsible for implementing strategic plans and budget programmes, as well as maximising profits and cash management.
Kempinski Hotels has appointed Stuart Dickie as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Member of the Management Board. In his new role, he will oversee and lead the global financial team and be responsible for all aspects of the financial and risk management of the luxurious hotel group.
Sonesta International Hotels Corporation (Sonesta), the 8th largest hotel company in the U.S., today announced the appointment of Bob Gunkel as Chief Financial Officer.
Ms. Michaels joined Fontainebleau Las Vegas in 2022 following more than a decade serving in multiple roles - Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary - in the Las Vegas gaming and hospitality industries. A graduate of New York Law School, Ms. Michaels was named one of Vegas Inc.'s "40 Under 40" in 2017 and serves on the board of trustees for Discovery Children's Museum and the Meadows School.
Mr. Helderman most recently served as Chief Financial Officer for Las Vegas-based financial services operator The Brennan Entities, and he held a similar role for slot company Bluberi Gaming. He has also served as Vice President of Finance for multiple Las Vegas Strip resorts, and he held the titles of President and Chief Executive Officer when he led a turnaround of the nonprofit Goodwill of Southern Nevada. He currently serves on the board of Goodwill and is a graduate of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Las Vegas Class of 2022.
Moten has served as an operational leader for financial teams across five industries, including a Fortune 10 company. At Virtuoso, he is responsible for orchestrating the company's financial and accounting functions, including comprehensive financial forecasting, budgeting and reporting, as well as leading the Finance and Accounting teams. His most recent role was with Mattamy Corporation, the largest private homebuilder in North America, where he led a strategy that increased the company's revenue in its Dallas, Texas, division by 393 percent in three years. Moten's additional experience includes similar positions at PulteGroup, Americold Logistics, Carestream Health and General Motors.
Read brings with him a strong professional background in strategic finance and commercial leadership with an impressive track record driving commercial growth, cost containment and profitability. His expertise includes directing end-to-end financials both on domestic and international levels, including budgeting and forecasting, revenue optimization, financial analysis, and market strategy. Brad is an alumnus of the University of Delaware and the University of Maryland Global Campus with degrees in Business Administration and Management. His proven leadership skills in finance and strategy over the past 20-plus years coupled with his experience with technical tools and software will be a tremendous asset to the firm.
Mission Hill Hospitality, a leading select service and extended stay hotel investor, announced that Tom Barber has been named Chief Financial Officer, a newly-created position.
JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu is pleased to introduce Mr. Vivek Bhanawat as the newly appointed Director of Finance. His arrival brings a wealth of financial and accounting expertise, making him an invaluable addition to the leadership team.
Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers has appointed Vera Tsoncheva as director of finance. Hilton says Tsoncheva brings a wealth of experience in strategic financial leadership within the hospitality industry and is known for her expertise in leading and developing teams to support the areas of finance, business planning, and budgeting.
Poised to become instrumental in the growth of Cote Family Destinations, Pruitt joins the company from Charlestowne Hotels, where she served as vice president of finance for the entire portfolio of forty boutique, soft-branded, and branded hotels, as well as the corporate operation. With over fifteen years of experience helping hospitality organizations reach their full potential, in addition to boutique and lifestyle properties, Pruitt's background includes resorts, such as PGA National Resort, Spa, & Golf Club, and branded hotels, including Radisson Hotel Group Americas. Over her career she has focused on managed hotels, on-boarding and opening new properties, and developing outstanding hotel finance teams. She specializes in system and process implementation, finding efficiencies, and making hotel finance accessible and practical for all.