Hotel executive moves: Casetta, Davidson, Minor, Ritz-Carlton Yacht

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

Accor names new VP. Accor has appointed Graham Dodd as vice president of development for the U.K. and Ireland for its premium, midscale and economy brands. Dodd joins the French hospitality group after close to 15 years with Hilton, where he led the company’s development strategy in the U.K. and Ireland, most recently serving as managing director, development in the region.

Casetta Hotels names president. Los Angeles-based Casetta Hotels has named Jennifer Armbruster as president. Armbruster will oversee brand vision strategy and execution across all facets of the company. In her five years with the brand, she has been instrumental in shaping Casetta’s operational foundation, strengthening its culture and guiding the company’s strategic vision. Armbruster has worked in leadership roles with Four Seasons, Fairmont, Omni Hotels & Resorts and Relais & Châteaux–affiliated properties.

Davidson names two new execs. Atlanta-based Davidson Hospitality Group has made two appointments to corporate leadership roles. Matthew Bright joins as senior vice president – head of information technology. Randy Diamond, in his new role as regional vice president, Pivot, oversees the direction of the division’s hotel operations and financial performance. Prior to Davidson, Bright served as vice president of IT operations, enterprise applications, security operations and data engineering at Aimbridge Hospitality. Diamond joins most recently from Highgate Hotels, where he was vice president of operations.

JLL names SVP. Louis Barruel has joined JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group as senior vice president within its Hotels’ Asset Management division. Based in JLL’s Montreal office, Barruel will focus on client service delivery and portfolio growth throughout Canada. He has held senior positions at HVS Consulting & Valuation, InnVest Hotels, Carbonleo and Artifact Group.

Meruelo names new exec. Downey, California-based The Meruelo Group has named Ronn Nicolli as chief marketing and experience officer, where he will oversee brand strategy, marketing and guest experience initiatives. In this newly created role, Nicolli will lead the development and execution of marketing and experiential strategies. He brings extensive experience in lifestyle marketing, branding and hospitality leadership.

Minor names VP for North America. Bangkok, Thailand-based Minor Hotels has named Genna Panagopoulos as vice president of Development for North America. Panagopoulos has more than 14 years of experience in hotel investment and development and joins Minor from IHG, where she worked in luxury and lifestyle brand development and growth across the Americas.

Pan Pacific names C-suite exec. Singapore-based Pan Pacific Hotels Group has named Celine Du as chief commercial and marketing officer, effective November 1. Du brings deep expertise in driving revenue growth, strengthening brand equity and building high-performing teams. Prior to joining PPHG, she held senior leadership roles at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, where she led global commercial and marketing initiatives that elevated brand presence, strengthened market share, and delivered sustainable revenue growth across China and key international markets.

New VP at PM Hotel Group. Chevy Chase, Maryland-based PM Hotel Group has named Scott Bogucki as vice president, revenue management, Modus by PM Hotel Group. Bogucki brings more than 20 years of hospitality experience to the organization, with expertise in revenue strategy. Most recently, he held corporate level leadership roles with Springboard Hospitality, Provenance Hotels and HRI Lodging.

CEO for Ritz-Carlton Yacht. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has named Ernesto Fara as president and CEO. He succeeds Jim Murren, who will continue as executive chairman. Since joining the company in 2020 as CFO and board member, Marriott said Fara has played a central role in shaping the company’s strategy, financial operations and the development of its two newest superyachts, Ilma and Luminara. Earlier this year, he assumed the role of president.

Sunstone names new board member. Aliso Viejo, California-based REIT Sunstone Hotel Investors has appointed Michael Barnello to the company’s board of directors. The appointment is effective as of November 15 and Sunstone will nominate Barnello for election to the company’s board of directors at the 2026 annual meeting of stockholders. Inclusive of this appointment, the Sunstone’s board will now have nine directors. Barnello is a founder and managing partner at Badlands Hotel Capital and was formerly president and CEO of LaSalle Hotel Properties. He also worked at LaSalle Partners (which became JLL) and Strategic Realty Advisors, formerly known as VMS Realty Partners.

Vail Resorts names new EVP. Broomfield, Colorado-based Vail Resorts has appointed Celeste Burgoyne as executive vice president and chief revenue officer, effective January 26. She is currently president, Americas and global guest innovation for lululemon. Burgoyne will oversee Vail Resorts’ marketing function, lead all aspects of the guest journey and digital experience and be directly responsible for the majority of the company’s revenue. Prior to lululemon, she spent 10 years at Abercrombie & Fitch.

Wyndham expands board. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has named Alexandra Jung to its board of directors. Jung will serve as a member of the Corporate Governance and Audit Committees. With more than 25 years of experience in investment management, Jung brings knowledge across an array of sectors, including hotel and leisure, power, consumer, industrials, transport, energy, health care and real estate. She currently serves as co-founder and managing partner of Amateras Capital & Head of Private Debt Funds and is a partner at PE firm AEA Investors. With the appointment of Jung, the Wyndham board expands to nine directors, seven of whom are independent.