Executive Shuffles in Hospitality Industry as Companies Expand Leadership Teams

IHG Hotels & Resorts has appointed Leanne Harwood as its new senior vice president of global sales. Based in Atlanta, Harwood will oversee the company’s global sales strategy, performance, and customer engagement. She brings over 30 years of hospitality experience, including more than 20 years with IHG, where she most recently served as senior vice president and managing director for Luxury, Lifestyle & Managed Hotels in the Americas.

Hilton has named Jeff Moore as its new executive vice president and chief technology officer. Moore, who previously led software engineering at Uber, will join Hilton on October 26. He boasts over 20 years of experience in technology and engineering, having also worked at Amazon and Anheuser-Busch.

Hyatt has appointed Amar Lalvani as its first chief creative officer, in addition to his role as president and creative director of the Lifestyle Group. Lalvani, who joined Hyatt in 2024 following the acquisition of Standard International, will focus on sharpening the brand’s identity and guest experience.

Groupize, a meetings management platform, has named David Ballard as senior vice president of sales. Ballard, who previously held leadership roles at SAP Concur, will drive sales growth for the company.

Accor has appointed Kara Randall as chief development officer for its luxury brands in North America. Randall, who previously worked at Hilton, will oversee brands like Raffles, Fairmont, and Sofitel.

Oetker Hotels has announced several promotions, including Duarte Bon de Sousa to COO, Virginie Saint-Laurent to chief people and culture officer, and Simon Neggers to chief commercial officer. The brand recently made its US debut with The Vineta Hotel in Palm Beach.