The Peninsula Hotels
On March 3, Benjamin Vuchot officially assumed his new role as Chief Executive Officer of The Peninsula Hotels. His appointment was announced on October 15, 2024.
A graduate of ESSEC Business School in Paris, Vuchot has over 30 years of experience in luxury retail. He previously held key positions at Richemont Group and LVMH Group. After serving as the Asia-Pacific President at Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels under Richemont, he joined LVMH as President of Sephora Asia and later became CEO of DFS, LVMH’s luxury travel retail business.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the role, Vuchot stated: “The Peninsula Hotels is a brand with a rich history… I look forward to working with an outstanding team to envision and achieve a future of sustainable and evolving luxury hospitality while upholding the values that have guided the group’s success and heritage.”
The Peninsula Hotels emphasized that Vuchot’s expertise in the luxury sector—particularly from his experience at Richemont and LVMH, both known for their sustainable growth—aligns perfectly with the hotel group’s development trajectory and DNA. With nearly 97 years of history, The Peninsula Hotels operates 12 luxury properties worldwide.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Hyatt Hotels Corporation recently announced several executive leadership changes as part of its shift towards a more brand-centric and performance-driven model.
Marc Jacheet will officially join Hyatt on March 17 and assume the role of President, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EAME) Group, effective July 1. Jacheet brings over 25 years of leadership experience in the global luxury industry, having held senior roles at De Beers, Louis Vuitton, Moët & Chandon, and Evian. He was also responsible for Tiffany & Co.’s operations across Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Based at Hyatt’s EAME headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, Jacheet will report directly to Mark Hoplamazian, Hyatt’s President and CEO.
Above: Marc Jacheet
Meanwhile, Javier Águila, who has led Hyatt’s EAME operations since 2022, will transition to the role of Chief Growth Officer, effective July 1. In this position, Águila will be responsible for the development and execution of Hyatt’s overall growth strategy and oversee corporate transactions. During the transition period from March 17 to June 30, he will continue overseeing the EAME region and assisting Jacheet with the leadership handover. Additionally, Águila was previously appointed President of Inclusive Collection, a role that became effective on March 1. He will continue reporting to Mark Hoplamazian.
Above: Javier Águila
Additionally, Jim Chu, who has served as Hyatt’s Chief Growth Officer since 2022, will assume a new role as Head of Owner Relations, effective July 1. He will also continue reporting to Mark Hoplamazian.
Above: Jim Chu
Commenting on the leadership changes, Mark Hoplamazian stated: “The addition of business leaders like Jacheet, who brings deep expertise in branding and operations, will accelerate our transformation into a more brand-driven and high-performance enterprise. Furthermore, the new strategic appointments of Águila and Chu highlight the agile leadership we are fostering for Hyatt’s future.”
Hilton
On March 4, Hilton’s Board of Directors announced the nomination of Marissa Mayer as a candidate for the Board of Directors in the upcoming annual shareholders’ meeting in May. If elected, Mayer will succeed Judith McHale, a long-serving Hilton board member who has announced her intention to retire at this year’s annual meeting.
Jon Gray, Chairman of the Hilton Board of Directors, stated: “We look forward to welcoming Marissa Mayer to the board. As new technologies present vast opportunities for corporate growth, her deep expertise in consumer technology makes her an invaluable addition. Marissa’s track record as a technology innovator, entrepreneur, and Fortune 500 CEO makes her an excellent fit to support Hilton’s next chapter of growth.”
Above: Marissa Mayer
Mayer holds a bachelor’s degree in Symbolic Systems and a master’s degree in Computer Science from Stanford University, specializing in artificial intelligence. Since 2018, she has served as CEO of Sunshine Products, a tech startup she co-founded that develops AI-powered consumer applications to automate daily tasks. Previously, from 2012 to 2017, Mayer was the CEO, President, and Board Member of Yahoo.
Before leading Yahoo, Mayer spent 13 years at Google, where she was one of the company’s earliest employees and its first female software engineer. Over the years, she held key leadership roles, including Vice President of Search Products and User Experience and Vice President of Local, Maps, and Location Services, overseeing Google Search, Google Maps, Google News, and other consumer products.
In addition to her executive roles, Mayer currently serves on the boards of AT&T, Walmart, and Nextdoor Holdings, Inc. and is a board member of the San Francisco Ballet. She has also previously served on the World Economic Forum’s Global Young Leaders Foundation Board.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
IHG Hotels & Resorts recently announced the appointment of Bryan Chan as Vice President of Development for Southeast Asia and South Korea. In this role, Chan will be responsible for strategic expansion across the region, strengthening stakeholder relationships, and leading local teams to drive brand and experience growth.
Chan has been with IHG for over a decade, steadily rising through leadership positions within the development team, from Manager to Senior Director. His scope of work has covered multiple key markets, including Laos, Malaysia, the Maldives, the Philippines, South Korea, and Vietnam. He also spent a year at IHG’s Windsor headquarters, working on large-scale projects, including the landmark Novum partnership in Germany.
Above: Bryan Chan
Rajit Sukumaran, IHG’s Senior Vice President and Managing Director for East Asia & Pacific, commented: “I’m delighted to see Bryan take on this key leadership role. With his extensive regional and global experience, including time in Singapore and at our Windsor headquarters, and his deep expertise in hospitality, real estate, commercial strategy, marketing, and corporate and project financing, I am confident we have the right leader to continue growing our brands and expanding our presence in both urban and resort destinations.”
Chan himself added: “I am honored to lead and support the growth agenda in Southeast Asia and South Korea. I am passionate about co-creating new destination experiences and look forward to reimagining projects in historic landmarks and city centers, curating thoughtful resort concepts, and showcasing the best of each community to the world.”
With 15 years of industry experience spanning hospitality real estate, energy, infrastructure, transportation, and industrial sectors, Chan previously managed Asian transactions at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and worked as an analyst at Morgan Stanley in Hong Kong.
Currently, IHG operates 137 hotels across 11 brands in Southeast Asia and South Korea, with 86 more properties in the pipeline. The group also plans to introduce new brands to key markets in the coming years, including Garner, IHG’s midscale conversion brand.
Kempinski Hotels
On March 3, Swiss luxury hospitality group Kempinski Hotels announced the appointment of Karin Raguin as its new Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). She will join the newly formed executive leadership team under Barbara Muckermann, Kempinski’s CEO, to revamp and reposition the 127-year-old brand.
Barbara Muckermann, CEO of Kempinski Hotels, stated: “Karin Raguin will play a crucial role in advancing our mission to empower our employees and drive sustainable growth. With a team of over 19,000 passionate professionals worldwide, our people are at the core of everything we do. Human capital is our greatest asset, and we understand that enhancing team efficiency is essential to our future success. There is no better ambassador than Karin, and we look forward to the significant impact she will have on our organization and teams.”
Above: Karin Raguin
As CHRO, Raguin will oversee all aspects of human resources management, including talent acquisition, performance management, compensation and benefits, succession planning, compliance, learning and development, and social impact initiatives—ensuring that Kempinski remains the employer of choice for top talent worldwide.
Raguin holds a master’s degree in Human Resources from ISC Paris and is a member of ISC Paris’ International Strategy Committee. She brings over 20 years of HR experience in the luxury and fashion sectors and most recently served as LVMH’s Senior Vice President of Human Resources for China, based in Shanghai. She was also a member of LVMH’s Global Technology Committee, which focuses on using data and systems to transform HR methodologies.
Before her role in China, Raguin held several key HR positions at LVMH, including Vice President of Talent Management & Corporate Social Responsibility for North America and Global Head of Career Management. She also served as Global Vice President of Talent at Christian Dior Couture, an LVMH-owned brand.
| Sources: Official brand websites, executive LinkedIn profiles, Hotel Investment Today, Journaldespalaces.com, CoStar.com, TTG Asia, hospitalitynet.org.
| Image Credit: Official brand websites, executive LinkedIn profiles.
| Editor: LeZhi
