As an accomplished and forward-thinking leader in luxury hospitality, Esra possesses a proven track record of success across a range of award-winning hotels, including brands like Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, The Ritz-Carlton, Luxury Collection, W, and JW Marriott. Her experience spans various countries, including Qatar, Turkey, UAE, Jordan, and Greece. Esra excels in building and nurturing exceptional teams that consistently deliver outstanding results. Her expertise lies in hotel openings, project management, driving operational excellence, crafting authentic luxury experiences, and forging strategic alliances to innovate and revitalize businesses. Additionally, she has a strong focus on revenue generation and cultivating a robust brand culture. Parin’s appointment signifies a new era for Park Hyatt Doha, as she becomes the first female General Manager of the property. Her appointment is a pivotal step forward for Hyatt’s program, fostering empowerment and representation of female leaders in the hospitality industry. Her passions are travel, art, design, music and reading.
Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort announces the return of Mohamed El Aghoury as the multi-property general manager.
With over three decades of experience in the hospitality industry, El Aghoury has built his career across the Middle East and internationally, holding leadership positions at prestigious hotels in Dubai, Egypt and the Maldives.
His expertise spans hospitality management, F&B operations, and property rebranding. His leadership was instrumental at the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa, where he drove strategic initiatives that significantly increased occupancy and revenue. He is a highly awarded leader, recognised for his excellence in hospitality management and dedication to guest satisfaction.
easyHotel, the great value low-carbon hotel brand, has announced its appointment of Anja Bachmann as Head of Development in Germany and the Netherlands, as the Group looks to grow its network of hotels across the Netherlands and expand into new German markets.
This is a newly created role, with Anja using her extensive experience in hospitality to identify strategic acquisitions in primary and secondary cities for owned and leased, and franchise opportunities. While easyHotel already has a strong presence in the Netherlands, with seven locations, Germany is an untapped market with only one hotel in Berlin, offering significant growth potential for the Group. easyHotel also benefits from being part of the easy family of brands, with sister brands including easyJet, who have been flying to Germany for over 20-years. There is huge opportunity for growth, with branded budget hotels currently comprising 25% of the market in Germany compared to 45% in the UK.
Anja joins easyHotel from THE EMBASSIES, a global, intergenerational hospitality network of residences, clubs and public spaces, where she was Vice President, leading strategic growth initiatives and managing project development in Europe. Prior to this, Anja has also worked at MEININGER Hotels and GBI, a real estate project developer in Germany and Austria.
Octant Lousã, announces the appointment of Miguel Silva as Executive Chef of its signature À TERRA restaurant. A native of Coimbra with deep roots in central Portugal’s culinary traditions, Silva brings his expertise to craft a new menu celebrating the region’s rich gastronomic heritage.
Chef Silva’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter for À TERRA, where he will showcase his passionate commitment to local ingredients and regional producers. His new menu features innovative interpretations of traditional dishes, including specialties such as Cod loin “Lugrade” with pea and Portuguese cabbage, and the distinctive rice from the lower Mondego region served with barefoot and roosterfish fillets.
“When crafting the new menu, I drew inspiration from the authentic regional ingredients and aimed to revive those forgotten foods that once formed the pillars of our local cuisine,” says Silva. “It’s a nod to the simple yet versatile culinary traditions that were once the foundation of central Portugal’s gastronomy. My new role at Octant Lousã allows me to showcase and let diners experience the unique, vibrant flavors that make this region’s food so special.”
Silva brings extensive experience from some of Portugal’s most prestigious kitchens, having refined his craft under renowned chefs including Fausto Airoldi at Casino de Lisboa and Luís Baena at Hotel Tivoli Lisboa. His previous leadership roles include positions at Villa Batalha hotel, Lisboa Carmo Hotel, Eurostars Oasis Plaza in Figueira da Foz, and Tivoli Coimbra.
Aligned with Octant Hotels’ commitment to authentic, locally-rooted experiences across its collection of eight boutique properties throughout Portugal – Octant Lousã, classified as a Historical Heritage Building of Public Interest, provides an elegant backdrop for Silva’s culinary vision, offering guests a genuine taste of central Portugal’s rich culinary heritage in a historic setting.
For reservations at À TERRA, please call +351 239 990 800 or email reservations-lousa@octanthotels.com
