Hotel executive moves: Ashford, Hyatt, Remington, Viceroy

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

Ashford names general counsel. Dallas-based Ashford Inc. has named Jim Plohg as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of Ashford Inc., Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. and Braemar Hotels & Resorts Inc., effective December 16. Plohg most recently served the Ashford Group of Companies as division general counsel and managing director, joining the firm in 2014. He has over 25 years of legal, operational and investment experience. Before his current role, Plohg held progressively senior legal positions at Ashford since 2014 and earlier served in leadership roles at multi-billion-dollar alternative investment firms and family offices, where he managed legal, operations, compliance, and strategic and financial investment transactions. He began his career in private practice at the international law firm of Norton Rose Fulbright.

BWH names board member. The BWH Hotels board of directors has elected Viral Patel, with more than 25 years of industry experience, as chairperson for 2026. The board also elected Rajesh Patel as vice chairperson and Santosh Khanjee as secretary-treasurer and welcomed Rebecca Driggs as a new board member.

GrandStay names president. Grandstay, Minnesota-based GrandStay Hospitality has named Mary Sandberg as its president. She brings more than 10 years of experience within the organization. As part of this shift, former president Jon Kennedy has joined the company’s board of directors and will focus on franchise and business development.

Hyatt names Essential brand leader. Jason Ballard has been named global brand leader of Hyatt’s Essentials portfolio, overseeing strategy, operations, and performance. Ballard has more than two decades of Hyatt experience scaling select-service properties globally and his Hyatt leadership roles include franchise operations, brand performance, and development across the Americas, Asia Pacific, and EAME regions. Recently, Ballard led the launch of Hyatt Studios, Hyatt’s newest extended-stay concept and the opening of the brand’s first hotel in Mobile, Alabama, earlier this year.

IHG names board member. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) has appointed Nicholas Cadbury as a non-executive director, effective March 1. Cadbury is currently the chief financial and sustainability officer of International Consolidated Airlines Group SA. He has also worked at Whitbread PLC, Premier Farnell PLC, Dixons Retail PLC and was a board member at Land Securities Group PLC between 2017 and 2023. He will serve on the audit committee and the responsible business committees upon appointment.

JLL names new executive. JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group appointed Chanavudh Vanachaivong as senior vice president and head of hotels advisory, Thailand. Based in Bangkok, Chanavudh will assume responsibility for JLL’s hotel advisory in Thailand. He brings extensive experience in hotel acquisitions and investment strategy, having most recently served as head of strategy and acquisition at Asset World Corp. He also worked at Boutique Corp.

NEWH names president. NEWH, Inc. (Network of Executive Women in Hospitality), an association supporting scholarships and the advancement of education, mentorship, and networking across the hospitality industry, announces that Deidre Schwartz will step into the role of international president effective January 1, 2026, serving the 2026-2027 term. She succeeds Sandy Banks, NEWH president from 2024-2025. Schwartz's design journey began in Chicago, where she built a strong foundation in luxury residential and senior living before making the leap into hospitality. Schwartz's career has since spanned leadership roles in development, sales, design management, marketing, and merchandising. She also runs DS Contract Solutions, representing a curated portfolio of brands across hospitality and adjacent markets.

Remington names EVP. Dallas-based Remington Hospitality promoted Amy Epperson to executive vice president of Human Resources. Since joining the company in 2023, Epperson has led Remington's human resources function, aligning HR initiatives with overall business objectives.

Shangri-La names exec. Shangri-La Asia Ltd. has named Chua Chee Wui as group CIO, effective March 30. Following the transition, Chua will continue in his role as group CIO and executive director of the Board. Wui joined Shangri-La in 2018 as executive vice president, Special Projects, was appointed group CIO in September 2019. In August 2022, he additionally assumed the role of group CFO.

Viceroy adds executives. New York City-based Viceroy Hotels & Resorts announced four strategic new hires to its global leadership team: Patrick Pahlke, chief commercial officer; David Solis, vice president, Global Luxury and Leisure Sales; Megan Mulholland, senior vice president, Brand Marketing & Wellness; and Shel Buhler, vice president, Food & Beverage. Pahlke most recently served as chief commercial officer at Sage Hospitality Group and includes stints at Hyatt International, Two Roads Hospitality and Proper Hospitality. Solis has held leadership roles with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Virtuoso, EDITION Hotels, and Kerzner International. Most recently, he served as an executive at Ultimate Jet Vacations. Mulholland previously held leadership roles at The Well and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Buhler most recently served as head of Brand Strategy & Communications for Aparium Hotels. Her earlier roles were at Thompson Hotels, Joie de Vivre, Destination Hotels, and Alila brands.