Hilton Sydney welcomes new GM
Hilton Sydney has appointed Malcolm Zancanaro as the new General Manager of the hotel.
A seasoned hotelier with over 30 years of industry experience of management across flagship hotels, food and beverage and conferencing and events, Zancanaro has a track record of success in leading high-performance teams and delivering exceptional guest experiences.
Image credit: www.scottehler.com
Zancanaro takes over from Hayden Hughes who has relocated to Singapore to take up an internal promotion with the corporate team at Hilton International as Senior Director Brand Performance – Asia Pacific.
“I am excited to take on the role of General Manager at Hilton Sydney and appreciate the opportunity to lead such a capable and committed team that has achieved so much under the leadership of Hayden Hughes,” said Zancanaro.
“With a high reputation for quality service and unrivalled hospitality across its F&B spaces my initial goal is to further raise these high standards already synonymous with Hilton Sydney, while exploring avenues for further improvement in what is an increasingly competitive market for accommodation in the CBD.”
Zancanaro joins from InterContinental Hotels Group where he most recently held the role of Director of New Hotels – Australasia and Pacific.
Prior to this role, he spent over three decades with Hyatt in both hotel and corporate positions in Melbourne, Perth, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and Sydney.
La Vie announces six appointments
La Vie Hotels and Resorts has kicked off 2024 with six new appointments.
Talal Ammari has been appointed Regional Director of Sales, South and South East Asia; Justin Furkhan has been named Group Manager – Business Support and Hotel Openings; Issara Siripaisan is the new Senior Project and Design Manager; Jacob Batt is Business Development Manager; Mely Liu is Group Business Development Manager and Nicole Burg takes up the role of Business Development Executive.
“We’re thrilled to be boosting our management team with these six new appointments, some of which are internal promotions, as it underscores our capabilities and puts us in a leading position to be able to deliver to our owners what they desire from an owner centric hotel management company,” said La Vie Hotels and Resorts CEO, Jerry Xu.
“2024 will see us grow into new areas across Australia and also abroad, so it is important we have the skillset in-house to be able to facilitate our growth while maintaining the highest level of results for our existing stable of owners and partners.”
As Regional Director of Sales, South and South East Asia, based out of Bangkok, Ammari will be responsible for managing all sales functions for the region. He brings nearly two decades of hospitality experience, including expertise in identifying and capitalising on opportunities to build revenue.
Furkhan will lead the pre-opening and conversion processes for all new hotel openings, with a focus on spearheading operational efforts. He brings leadership experience across luxury brands such as The Fullerton and InterContinental.
As Senior Project and Design Manager, Siripaisan serves as the primary point of contact for renovations, refurbishments, and new greenfield projects across the portfolio. Additionally, she will assist in evaluating potential projects such as hotel renovations and conversions for La Vie’s clients. She offers extensive knowledge of design processes, construction and hotel standards.
Three appointments to the Business Development team include the appointment of seasoned hospitality professional Mely Liu as Group Business Development Manager. She brings more than a decade of experience across commercial operations, revenue management, reservations, events management and operations. In this new role, she will be focused on developing new sales opportunities and building a robust sales platform whilst managing an assigned client base.
As Business Development Manager, Batt will be responsible for multiple Australian properties; while Burg will be responsible for supporting the commercial team as Business Development Executive.
Como names London MD
Como Hotels and Resorts welcomes Rory Slater as the new Managing Director, London, overseeing Como Metropolitan London and Como The Halkin from January 8, 2024.
Throughout his 30-year career in luxury hospitality, Slater has held prominent leadership positions in the United States, United Kingdom and Asia.
Slater joins Como from Estelle Manor in Oxfordshire where he was General Manager.
“We are delighted to welcome Rory Slater to Como Hotels and Resorts,” said Como Hotels and Resorts, Chief Operating Officer, Ferdinand Wortelboer.
“His global experience and commitment to excellence align perfectly with the passion, creativity and style of Como. We look forward to an exciting chapter of growth and success under Rory’s leadership at Como Metropolitan London and Como The Halkin.”
