Who got a new gig this week? Check out this week’s travel industry movers & shakers!
1. Aussies receive prestigious roles at InterContinental
InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto has appointed two of its concierges to new roles within Les Clefs d’Or.
James Ridenour to General Secretary, Les Clefs d’Or International and Jacob Detering to Assistant General Secretary, Les Clefs d’Or International are the third and fourth Australians respectively to be elected to the International Executive Committee, which consists of nine members.
Jacob is the youngest to be elected and its the first time two members from the same hotel have been elected to the Executive Committee. Les Clefs d’Or International was founded in 1952 in Cannes, France and is the global professional society for hotel concierges. There are almost 4,000 members worldwide in over 60 countries and has become a global hallmark for luxury service.
InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto has three Les Clefs d’Or members as part of its highly esteemed concierge team with James Spielvogel rounding out this trio of best in class concierges.
2. Sofitel Fiji appoints new Executive Chef
During his stellar career he has cooked for The Rolling Stones, hosted functions for the Malaysian King and numerous Royal families, and Hollywood stars including Elizabeth Hurley and Anna Thomson.
Now Stuart Blair is about to embark on his next career highlight, joining the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa as Executive Chef.
Arriving in Fiji from The Philippines where he spent the last two years at Crimson Resort & Spa, Stuart is no stranger to tropical island destinations, having previously worked in Fiji in addition to The Maldives, Malaysia, Seychelles and Bali to name just a few.
He spearheaded the spa and organic cuisine movement, bringing rich Pacific Rim style cooking to the table with each new role, including personal cooking classes for guests and appearances on television cooking shows in Australia, Bali and Singapore.
3. Mitchell moves to Wyndham
Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific has expanded its Sydney office, with the appointment of Diane Mitchell to senior director of owner services and loyalty.
Based out of the company’s headquarters on the Gold Coast, she will oversee operations of several key departments including reservations, owner services and owner education.
Ms Mitchell has been in the timeshare industry since 2007.
She was a finalist in the Corporate Manager of the Year category of the Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council awards in 2011 and 2012.
She has extensive experience in change management, policy/process development, recruitment and training and will bring a wealth of knowledge to the role.
4. John Lee joins Metro Hotels
Metro Hotels has appointed John Lee as Acquisition and Development Manager, signaling the long-established chain is on the expansion trail.
John has previously worked in hotel development and property consulting and was the developer who put together the Metro Hotel Entertainment Centre Sydney. He sold the development prior to construction.
Metro Hotels opened the property and ran it successfully for a number of years prior to it being sold.
John has also worked in stockbroking with firms such as Ord Minnett and Bain and Company.
John McEvoy, Chairman of Metro Hotels, said the appointment of John Lee is the first step in a plan to reinvigorate the group’s expansion platform.
