Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced the appointed of three new senior management executives.

Christoph Mares has been promoted to chief operating officer, effective January 1, 2018, and will be responsible for global hotel operations as well as overseeing the operational functions of food and beverage, Rooms and Quality, as well as Spa and Wellness. Mares will be based at the group’s Hong Kong corporate office, moving from his current position in London as executive vice president, operations director, Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (EMEAI).

Mares has over 25 years’ experience in luxury hotel management around the world. He first joined Mandarin Oriental in 2000, and held senior management positions in the London, Paris and Munich hotels. In 2008, he joined Emaar Hospitality Group as chief operating officer. He returned to Mandarin Oriental in 2009 in his current position.

Richard Baker, currently executive vice president, operations director – Asia, has been appointed group chief relationship officer effective January 1, 2018. In this new role, Baker will lead the company’s portfolio management focus, bringing new hotel opening projects to fruition, and managing key owner and partner relationships. He will continue to be responsible for The Residences at Mandarin Oriental portfolio. He will also coordinate internal projects, ensuring the Group’s readiness for its future growth. Richard will remain based at the Group’s Hong Kong corporate office.

Baker has over 30 years’ experience in luxury hotel management, holding senior management positions with Rosewood Hotels and Resorts and Four Seasons, before joining Mandarin Oriental in 2006 as General Manager, Corporate in the Americas. He was promoted to executive vice president, operations director – The Americas in 2008, before moving to Asia in 2013 to take up his current role.

Paul Massot has been appointed group development director, responsible for driving the company’s global development strategy and development pipeline. He is based at the group’s London corporate office, and has recently appointed additional regional development resources to support the Group’s expansion strategy.

Massot joined the Group’s flagship, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong in 1990, before moving to the corporate office in Hong Kong as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Asia Pacific. In 2001, he joined the group’s corporate office in London as senior vice president of Sales Worldwide, before taking over responsibility for hotel development in EMEA in 2006 and adding the Americas region to his area of responsibility in 2016.

Massot has more than 25 years’ experience in hospitality, having previously worked in Europe, South Africa and the US with Trust House Forte Hotels and Southern Sun Hotels.

“These senior appointments will ensure that the group is well equipped to manage its future growth while maintaining the operational and service excellence for which Mandarin Oriental is renowned,” said James Riley, group chief executive of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. - TradeArabia News Service