Who got a new gig this week? Check out this week’s travel industry movers & shakers below or click here to check out last week’s new appointments.
1. Meet Livn’s new Chief Executive
Livn, Asia-Pacific’s leading aggregator of instantly bookable tour and activities product, today announced the appointment of travel industry heavyweight Mark Rizzuto as Chief Executive Officer while company Founder Steve Martinez has been named Chief Commercial Officer.
Rizzuto was most recently General Manager of Distribution and e-Commerce at Virgin Australia. Prior to that he was Head of Retail Distribution Strategy and Technology Partnerships at Helloworld and Managing Director of Asia for Travelport.
Martinez welcomed the appointment, saying: “Mark has been consulting to Livn this year and we have been very impressed by his expertise, insights and strategic discipline. His appointment really sets us up for the next stage of Livn’s evolution.”
It was an opportunity that couldn’t be ignored, says Rizzuto.
“The team at Livn have done a fantastic job and the company is now in pole position to capitalise on the enormous opportunities that exist in the tours and activities space, which remains highly fragmented in stark contrast to hotels and airlines,” he said.
2. Meet The St. Regis Doha’s new Director of Marketing
The St. Regis Doha, The Finest Address in Qatar, has announced the appointment of Rebecca Platt as Director of Marketing to join as part of their Executive Committee. With over 15 years marketing experience in the hospitality industry, Rebecca brings extensive PR, marketing and digital knowledge to the property.
Rebecca will be heading the marketing team as part of the senior leadership team at the hotel and will be responsible for developing the complete marketing strategy and representation of the St Regis Doha, developing media and partnership relations, as well as ensuring the overall sales and marketing objectives are achieved.
Having worked in the hospitality industry for over 15 years throughout the Middle East, UK and Europe, Rebecca brings with her a wealth of experience and a background in the luxury hospitality market having worked in the past with many internationally recognized brands. Originally from the UK, she started her career as a creative designer who moved into marketing for the specialist hospitality market and, within three years of graduating, was running her own award-winning marketing & communications company in London.
Commenting on her appointment, Rebecca said: “I am delighted to have joined the team here at this stunning property and am very excited to be part of the St. Regis family. Although I have worked in the GCC for a number of years now I am looking forward to exploring the Doha market and driving new and exciting marketing initiatives to raise awareness of the Hotel”.
Tareq Derbas, Area General Manager at The St. Regis Doha, said: “We are delighted to welcome Rebecca to The St. Regis Doha here in Qatar and am looking forward to working with her to develop the marketing strategy at the Hotel. She brings with her a diverse range of skills and expertise and I am sure she will prove to be an excellent addition to our leadership team.”
In more recent years, Rebecca has worked for recognised hoteliers such as the Shangri-La Group, the Intercontinental Hotel Group, Wyndham Hotels and UK-based Bespoke Hotels Group, as well as celebrity chef Marco Pierre White in assisting in his hospitality ventures in the UK.
3. Meet Best Western’s Senior Revenue Manager
Kristy Edwards has been promoted to Senior Revenue Manager at Best Western Australasia, managing a team of four that works across its properties in Australia and New Zealand.
They’ve been having great success boosting performance at a range of properties leading to increased demand from Best Western members for their services.
“Our hoteliers are generally owner operators and exceptionally busy people who can’t spare the time to work on revenue management and demand generation, which is where we come in,” says Kristy.
“We work across all types of properties and markets.
“There’s been a lot more interest in what we’re doing as awareness grows among Best Western members of the benefits we can deliver.”
Kristy started her hospitality career in operations working at a number of large five-star properties before moving into revenue management.
She has been with Best Western for five years and was recently promoted into her new role.
4. Meet Marriott International’s Fiji Complex Executive Assistant Manager – Sales & Marketing
Leon Thomson was announced as Executive Assistant Manager – Sales & Marketing for Marriott International’s Fiji Complex, including Sheraton Fiji Resort, Sheraton Denarau Villas, The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa and Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island, at the inaugural Destination Fiji event at Sheraton on the Park, Sydney.
In his new role, Leon will be responsible for overseeing and driving the marketing strategies for all four hotels plus the Denarau International Golf and Racquet Club, whilst also providing training, support and guidance to maximise the talent and booking potential of his complex sales team.
Talking at last night’s Destination Fiji by Marriott International event, Leon Thomson said:
“As visitor arrivals to Fiji continue to climb, it’s an exciting time for Marriott’s properties in this region and I look forward to sharing my expertise and knowledge to provide the best results and services for clients and guests alike. Events like Destination Fiji by Marriott International, which is set to become an annual affair, will be vital in keeping industry and trade partners across Marriott International’s news and developments in the region.”
Leon is a skilled hotelier, with over 28 years’ experience in sales, marketing, management and operations working for a range of hotels across Australia and internationally. Prior to taking on this role, Leon was the Director of Sales & Marketing for Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast, where he relaunched the hotel following a widespread renovation project, announced the designation of the property as a Sheraton Grand resort and unveiled the resort’s newly-renovated Pacific Mirage Villas.
Before Leon joined Marriott International, formerly Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Leon worked for several hotel groups including Watermark Hotel Group, Fairmont Resort (AccorHotels) and Hyatt.