The best travel experiences come from the heart – the hearts of the countless staff that come together to make the guest experience possible. We are bringing to the forefront the inimitable hotel leaders and team mentors who continue to look to the future of hospitality and define the evolving face of travel today.
LuxuryHunt founder Sii has personally selected these travel industry professionals she has met on her journeys to be featured in this dedicated section. These are the dynamic individuals who are born with an innate sense of hospitality, and who so elegantly translate the essence of the brand into tangible travel experiences.
Join us as a LuxuryHunt member and gain intimate access to the world’s most luxurious destinations. Members enjoy personalised insights from our founder, autographed editions of our publications, and exclusive privileges such as private sales and invitations to members-only events.
Our signature coffee table book series offers a carefully curated and beautifully presented collection of the world's finest luxury hospitality experiences. Now in its third edition, this volume is a treasure trove of inspiration, featuring breathtaking photography and evocative narratives that beckon you to dream and travel.
Anna Nash has spent more than 20 years in the hospitality industry, working with some of the finest hotels, brands and travel experiences in the world. Currently as Chief Marketing Officer for Aman, Anna leads the planning, development and implementation of the brands multi-channel global marketing and communications strategy. In her 7 years with Aman, she has worked to establish brand consistency and protection internationally and pro-actively leads in identifying and capitalising on opportunities to drive performance, profitability and growth across the portfolio.
Marcel is a young gun – efficient, energetic, and engaging, and an obvious choice to lead luxury hospitality brands such as The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, The Upper House, Hong Kong and the Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech where he has been General Manager since October 2020. Perhaps it’s his experience, or his innate ability to understand what is needed, but under his leadership, he has infused an energy of cool happening vibes and up close intimacy. With his wealth of experience, Marcel is now appointed as the General Manager of Mandarin Oriental, New York and an Area Vice President overlooking Mandarin Oriental, Boston, Mandarin Oriental, Santiago, Mandarin Oriental Residences, Beverly Hills, Mandarin Oriental Residences, Fifth Avenue, and The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, New York operations.
An Australia native, Jodie has 20 years’ experience in hospitality sales and marketing including prior positions with Starwood Hotels & Resorts before joining Rosewood Hotel Group. Jodie was director of sales and marketing for Rosewood Phuket and Rosewood Luang Prabang where she played a key role in the resorts’ success. She now leads global sales for Rosewood Hotels & Resorts®, New World Hotels & Resorts and KHOS brand properties in the Southeast Asia and Australia region. Jodie’s warm personality shines bright and she is a true ambassador for the Rosewood brand.
Cristiano Rinaldi has an impressive resume incorporating some of the world's most sought-after luxury hospitality brands. While working with brands such as Hilton, Ritz-Carlton, Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, EDITION hotels and One&Only Resorts he has opened more than 35 hotels across the world. His current post at Capella comes at an exciting time when as the brand pursues international expansion plans.
Born in Provence, Hervé Mazella studied hotel management in both France and Germany and has received a Master’s in Hospitality. His strong passion for culinary and the “Arts de la table” lead him to work in Michelin-starred Relais & Chateaux properties in Provence and the UK, including the Waterside Inn under the famous three Michelin star Chef Michel Roux. Mazella’s international hotel property experience ranges from events management in Monte Carlo, Director of Operations on the French Riviera to Director of Food and Beverage and Executive Assistant Manager in Cairo. Mazella first joined the Hyatt Hotels Corporation in Hong Kong as the Executive Assistant Manager-Food and Beverage at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong and was promoted to Hotel Manager. In 2016, he was appointed as General Manager of the iconic Park Hyatt Tokyo where he currently resides.
Amie has over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry in New York working for luxury hotels such as The Pierre New York, A Taj Hotel, TriBeCa Grand Hotel and The Lowell Hotel before joining the pre-opening team at Aman New York in 2018. Amy has a proven track record as a sales professional and she continues to climb the ranks at Aman in her latest role as Global Sales Director of Aman Residences.
Marc Brugger is a Swiss national with almost 30 years of luxury hotel management experience. Prior to his current role, Marc was the successful opening Managing Director at Rosewood’s first hotel in Asia, Rosewood Beijing, before opening the landmark property Rosewood Hong Kong in 2018. His hospitality career has taken him all over the world to Cancun, Kuala Lumpur, Goa, Dublin and Macau working for brands such as Hyatt International, Four Seasons, Altira Hotel & Casino Macau, City of Dreams Casino Macau and Crown Towers Hotel & Casino Macau. Marc graduated from Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland, he has an executive MBA from Ivey Business School at Western University and speaks five languages.
Since November 2007, Javier has been the Director of Sales & Marketing at the award-winning luxury Finca Cortesin Hotel, Villas, Golf & Spa in Marbella, Spain. He is also a recent graduate in Hospitality Operations Management at the esteemed Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland.
Matthias is a Swiss citizen with 25 years’ experience in the hotel industry. He graduated from the Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne and soon after pursued his career in the US. He joined The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company in 1999 which took him from San Francisco to New York, and then across the globe to Asia with posts in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Doha. After 10 years he continued to rise with the Shangri-La Group and transferred to Paris as Resident Manager before returning to Asia to be Hotel Manager at The Ritz Carlton, Hong Kong. In 2018 Matthias moved to China to take his first General Manager position at The St. Regis in Changsha, and is now continuing his success story with Bvlgari.
A Londoner by birth, Tessa has spent the last 17 years managing luxury hotels in Southeast Asia. She began her career at Aman’s flagship property, Amanpuri in Phuket in 2005. After five years Tessa consulted for numerous luxury hotel brands including Aman Villas, Bvlgari Hotels, LVMH and Ritz-Carlton. In 2016 Tessa was appointed as General Manager of Phulay Bay, A Ritz Carlton Reserve where she remained until 2018. At the end of 2018 Tessa moved to Bali to become the first female General Manager for Bvlgari Hotels and Resorts.
Passion, Curiosity and a new way of personalization.
With a creative background being a singer and actor succesfully on stage, René Roseburg discovered his own passion for defining travel creations after more than 10 years working in various management positions in the LUFTHANSA Group. His travel brand THE PASSIONIST was founded in 2016. As a Luxury Hotel Coach & Trainer, Key Note Speaker and one of the leading Luxury Travel Designers for extraordinary, unique transformational trips, his dedication and a sense for detail, goes much further and deeper than the mere execution of luxury service standards.
Geoffrey is a broadly experienced leader and hotel school graduate with over thirty years experience working in United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Australia, Canada and the United States for leading luxury hotel brands including Sofitel Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis® Hotels & Resorts, Peninsula Hotels and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. His success covers single and multi-unit hotel sales and marketing; national retail sales leadership, food and beverage operational management; hotel opening and re-branding; travel management; event production and integration; tourism project design and business consulting.
Simon’s career in the hospitality industry spans over two decades with experience working in luxury hotels in New York, London and Hong Kong. After graduating from the University of Surrey, Simon began his career at The Boca Raton Resort and Club in the US. After two years he moved to New York and climbed the ranks at The Regency New York, The Drake New York and The St. Regis New York where he held the position of Director of Corporate Sales before returning to London in 2005 to re-launch The Savoy after extensive renovations. Simon was also part of the pre-opening team at Mondrian London before moving to Hong Kong to open the iconic Rosewood Hong Kong in 2018.
Leanne has over 20 years track record in the luxury resort, hotel and airline sector with extensive experience across all facets of hotel operations, sales, marketing and distribution across the world. She has a dynamic career history with leading luxury brands; AZERAI, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Emirates Airline, Jumeirah, The Siam, Trisara Phuket and Small Luxury Hotels of the World. An Australian citizen and Murdoch University graduate, Leanne has lived and worked in Australia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Asia.
Sandrine has over 20 years’ experience in the luxury and ultra-luxury tourism and hospitality sectors. She is experienced in creating unique and exclusive experiences for Guests, creating new sales & marketing avenues and establishing partnerships with ultra-luxury lifestyle brands. She has worked with luxury brands such as Conrad, One&Only and Starwood. After 6 years with Aman in Singapore, Sandrine is now located in Bali, heading up the sales and marketing for The St. Regis Resort Bali and The Laguna, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa.
Originally from Germany, Dominik has a wide global skillset and deep expertise in the industry from a career spanning over a decade. He offers luxury expertise and experience in very competitive markets including the United States, Asia and Europe. He joined the team at the prestigious Shangri-La Hotel, Paris in April 2021 after leading The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park’s repositioning, where major renovations were carried out. He led sales efforts at The St. Regis Bal Harbour in Miami and the W Miami and helped Marriott Group achieve the title of “Best Luxury Hotel in the United States” in both 2018 and 2019. Prior to his time in the United States, Dominik worked in Asia for 15 years managing sales and marketing for hotels in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia.
A Hong Kong born Australian, Janet’s career in luxury hospitality spanned across Asia Pacific over two decades with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Raffles Hotels & Resorts, Accor Luxury Brands and Bensley Collection – Shinta Mani. With expertise in international markets and a focus on China and Asia’s HNWI clients, her well rounded sales & marketing experiences included city hotel, boutique and lifestyle resort, private island and eco-luxury tented camp at both regional and property level. Janet is now consulting on new development projects and devoting her spare time to volunteer with UNDP on Sustainable Development Goals.