Hotel executive moves: Aimbridge, Concord, Iconic, Remington

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

Aimbridge names LATAM president. Aimbridge Hospitality has named Alex Fiz as president of its Latin America (LATAM) Division and the Aimbridge All-Inclusive Division, effective March 2. Leandro Castillo, current president of Aimbridge LATAM, will retire from Aimbridge effective February 28 and will serve in an advisory capacity to ensure a smooth transition for the region. During his tenure, Castillo led regional operations and oversaw the continued development of Aimbridge’s LATAM platform. Fiz brings extensive operating and commercial experience throughout Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, built during his 34‑year career with Marriott International. Fiz also led Marriott’s all‑inclusive strategy and operations in the Caribbean and Latin America. Most recently, he oversaw a multimillion-dollar, multi‑asset transformation of Marriott’s owned portfolio in Barbados.

Author & Edit names president. Phoenix-based Author & Edit Hospitality has named hospitality veteran Geoff Gray as president as the company enters a new phase of national growth. Gray brings more than two decades of luxury hospitality experience to the role. He joined the company in 2022 as managing director.

Blank Rome names partners. Boston-based Blank Rome has named hospitality lawyers Jim Butler, David Sudeck, Mark Adams, Jeff Myers, and Joe Mellema as partners. The group previously practiced at Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP, where Butler was a founding partner and established and built its market-leading hospitality group, for which he and David most recently served as co-chairs. Butler, Sudeck, and Myers are based in the Los Angeles office and are members of the real estate group and industry team, as well as the Hospitality practice. Adams and Mellama are based in the Orange County office and are members of the business litigation group, the hospitality practice, and the real estate industry team.

Concord moves. Raleigh, North Carolina-based Concord Hospitality has hired Mark Fraioli as senior vice president of business development. Fraioli will support Concord’s targeted growth strategy, focusing on development and third-party management opportunities in the western United States. He brings more than 20 years of experience in hospitality and real estate, with a background in hotel acquisitions, investment sales and strategic advisory services. He previously held senior roles at Peregrine Hospitality Group, JLL and Marriott International. In addition, Helene Okabe has been promoted to senior vice president of business development. She has been with Concord Hospitality for more than a decade and has played a key role in several strategic initiatives.  Concord also said Scott Ness, senior vice president of accounting, is retiring after a 23-year career with the company, effective February 13. He joined Concord in 2003 and the company said Ness’ contributions were instrumental in supporting Concord’s growth and evolution, including helping lead the successful relocation of the corporate headquarters from Cleveland, Ohio, to Raleigh.

HAMA names new board. The Hospitality Asset Managers Association (HAMA) has named its new 2026 board of directors.  The 11-person board represents a diverse collection of backgrounds and ownership groups. The 2026 board includes: Dina Winder, Highgate, CHAM – president; Sarah Gulla, Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, CHAM – vice president; Emily Miller, Atrium Holding Co., CHAM – membership chair; Kerry Gaber, Host Hotels & Resorts – treasurer; Justin Epps, Barings – marketing chair; John Paulsen, hotelAVE, CHAM – education chair; Carly Thorp, Rockbridge, CHAM – international chair; Adam Tegge, Ashford, CHAM – at-large board member; Chad Sorensen, CHMWarnick, CHAM – 2025 president; Matt Basiliere, Southwest Value Partners - at-large board member and Sean Kreiman, CHMWarnick - at-large board member.

Hyatt names SVP. Veteran hotel industry sales leader Alice Harrington-Caravello has joined Hyatt Hotels International as senior vice president global sales and commercial services for the Americas, she announced via LinkedIn. Harrington-Caravello most recently served as vice president of account sales and national group sales for Marriott International, where she spent more than eight years. She also worked for Starwood. 

Iconic names new COO. Iconic Hotels & Resorts, the newly created global operating platform of London-based L+R, has appointed Shan Kanagasingham as COO. With over 30 years of global experience, Kanagasingham has a long track record of scaling high-end, experiential hotel brands, properties, and platforms worldwide. Most recently, she spearheaded the growth of Auberge Resorts Collection from just 7 properties to 40 open and under development globally.

New CEO at Kayak. Norwalk, Connecticut-based Booking Holdings has named Peer Bueller as CEO of Kayak. Bueller joined Kayak in 2016 as CFO and added the COO title in 201. After 22 years as co-founder and CEO of Kayak, Steve Hafner will become the company's executive chair.

Marriott loyalty exec retiring. David Flueck, a 22-year veteran of Marriott International, who has played a central role in the evolution of Marriott Bonvoy, will retire at the end of March to pursue a new opportunity aligned with his passion for the outdoors. During his time with the Marriott, Flueck, global officer, loyalty, cards & new businesses, helped transform Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott has initiated a process to identify the next leader for its loyalty organization.

Remington adds VP. Dallas-based Remington Hospitality has named Nick Clark as its new vice president of operations. Clark brings more than 25 years of hospitality leadership experience across luxury, lifestyle, and full-service hotels. Most recently, he served as vice president of operations at Highgate Hotels and also worked at White Lodging, Azul Hospitality, and Omni Hotels.

UHM names regional CEO. Dubai-based United Hospitality Management has promoted Klaus Assmann to the position of CEO for the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia. The appointment comes just nine months after he joined the group as COO. With nearly 40 years of international experience, Assmann has played a pivotal role in the development, pre-opening, and operations of some of the world’s most iconic hospitality assets. Before joining United Hospitality Management, Assmann served as CEO of Aldar Hotels & Hospitality.