Executive moves: Club Med, Marriott, White Lodging, Shangri-La

Here is a compilation of the most important executive moves of the past week in the hotel investment world alphabetically (by company):

Berkadia adds exec. New York City-based Berkadia has added senior managing director Andrew Holt to its hotels and hospitality platform. Based in Los Angeles and Phoenix, Holt will focus on sourcing and placing hospitality-related investment property sales, debt placements, and secondary loan sales. Before joining Berkadia, Holt was a managing director at Eastdil Secured for 20 years.

Club Med chairman ousted. Henri Giscard d’Estaing, the longtime chairman of Club Med, said he was pushed out by the company’s owners, Shanghai-based Fosun Tourism Group, due to a disagreement over strategy and governance, according to a Bloomberg report. D’Estaing said that Fosun abruptly replaced him in a move that went against a previously agreed-upon procedure. Club Med “should be listed on the stock market and its center for decision making must remain in France,” he told staff in the letter, dated July 16. “Despite everything I’ve done to convince them, Fosun refused and has de facto dismissed me.” Fosun said, in a separate statement, that Club Med began a succession plan last year with the collaboration of d’Estaing and the board, which is “still ongoing.”

New CFO for Great Wolf Resorts. Chicago-based Great Wolf Resorts has named Jay Markham new CFO. Markham brings more than 20 years of experience in strategic financial planning and operational leadership. Markham previously served as corporate controller at Golub Capital and also worked for Ernst & Young, most recently as a senior auditor.

Marriott CFO retiring. Marriott International’s Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Development, Leeny Oberg has decided to retire, effective March 31, 2026. Two longtime Marriott veterans have been named her successors. Next year, Jen Mason will become the company’s executive vice president and CFO, and Shawn Hill will assume the role of executive vice president and chief development officer. Mason, a 33-year veteran of Marriott, currently serves as a global officer, treasurer, and risk management. Hill, 54, has been with the company for nearly 28 years and currently serves as the chief development officer for Marriott’s Asia Pacific Excluding China (APEC) region. Oberg has served as Marriott’s CFO since 2016. In February 2023, she was additionally tapped to lead the strategic growth of the global lodging portfolio. Oberg previously served as the CFO for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co.

New APEC exec for Marriott. Cristiano Rinaldi has been appointed chief of lodging product & services officer for the Asia Pacific excluding China (APEC) at Marriott International Singapore. He brings over two decades of experience to this role, spanning Marriott and the global luxury hospitality sector. Beginning his career at The Ritz-Carlton Doha in 2001, he has held numerous key leadership positions across Asia Pacific and beyond. He most recently held executive leadership roles with Capella Hotel Group.

MG2 hires head of hospitality. Fort Worth, Texas-based M2G Ventures has launched a hospitality vertical and hired veteran executive Chris Hanrattie as managing director and head of hospitality to lead the efforts. M2G said it will focus on hospitality projects where it can implement its value-add strategies to drive RevPAR growth and improve operational efficiency.

New CDO at Quorum. Plano, Texas-based Quorum Hospitality has added industry veteran Chris Dobbins as chief development officer. Chris brings over 35 years of experience in hospitality, spanning operations, sales and marketing, and development, with global brands such as Starwood, Hyatt, IHG, and Marriott.

New CEO for Shangri-La Asia. The daughter of Malaysian tycoon Robert Kuok has been named the CEO of Shangri-La Asia, effective August 1. Kuok Hui Kwong, the sixth of Kuok’s eight children, has served as the company’s executive director since June 2016 and as its chairman since January 2017. The Shangri-La Asia group owns 81 of the more than 100 hotels it operates under four main brands: Shangri-La, Kerry, Hotel Jen, and Traders. Its hotel properties had a net asset value of US$10.83 billion (S$13.9 billion). Shangri-La Asia’s previous CEO, Lim Beng Chee, retired at the end of 2022 but remains on the board as a non-executive director.

New CEO for The Pig. Kevin Styles has been named CEO of The Pig Hotel, effective July 21. He replaces Tom Ross, who has served as CEO for the past three years. Denver-based KSL acquired the brand in March 2022.

New C-suite execs at White Lodging. Merrillville, Indiana-based White Lodging has named Noah Hoppe as executive vice president and CFO and Jared Garner as executive vice president and chief legal officer. With Hoppe assuming the CFO role, current CFO Bruce Hoffmann will transition to an emeritus role. Garner joins White Lodging with more than 20 years of experience representing hotel owners, developers, managers and brands, both in-house and at law firms. He is the immediate past general counsel/chief compliance officer of Concord Hospitality and also worked at Radisson Hotel Group.

New role for Neil Jacobs. Veteran luxury hotelier Neil Jacobs has launched Wild Origins, an advisory service that he says is purpose-driven and rooted in instinct over industry, bringing soulful and sustainable projects to life. The outgoing CEO of Six Senses and longtime Four Seasons executive told Hotel Investment Today, “With Wild Origins, I’m looking ahead to redefine how instinct and purpose shape hospitality. We’ll partner with innovators who share the belief that true impact comes from intuition, not formulas. Our goal isn’t to replicate existing models, but to ignite new ones that give back, spark creativity, and pioneer sustainable experiences. I’m excited about what we’ll build together over the coming year and beyond.” Wild Origins provides asset management and financial assessment, operational analysis, brand and marketing strategy, sustainability planning, comprehensive pre-opening planning, and concept development across hospitality, residential, retail, and wellness sectors.