Taj Hotels Appoints Vice President, Sales & Marketing - the Americas

Kathleen Shea has been appointed vice president of sales and marketing of the Americas for Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, a newly created position to support Taj's strategic growth plans.

A luxury hotel specialist with extensive experience focused on building top luxury brands, she will oversee sales and marketing for the company's three U.S. hotels— The Pierre in New York, Taj Boston in Massachusetts and Taj Campton Place in San Francisco— and play a pivotal role in launching new hotels by developing a sales and marketing infrastructure and strategies for the key U.S. market. One of Asia's largest hotel groups, Taj Hotels celebrated its centenary in 2003.

Shea was most recently vice president of sales and marketing  for the Americas at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, where she was responsible for the sales and marketing performance of the region's existing hotels as well as the U.S. and Latin America global sales network. She played an integral leadership role in the design and execution of strategic sales initiatives and partnerships to support the launch of new city and hideaway resort properties during a period of rapid growth.

Previously, Shea spent seven years as regional director of sales of New York for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, where she oversaw the worldwide sales office and represented the global portfolio of Four Seasons and Regent International Hotels. Her prior experience includes serving as managing director of sales, eastern region for Hilton Hotels Corporation, where she spent 14 years progressing through various positions including on-property, pre-opening and regional and national responsibilities.

Shea is a graduate of St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana, with a bachelor's degree in business and speech communications. A member of the Luxury Marketing Council and Hospitality Sales & Marketing International, she is based in New York and reports to Ajoy Misra, Taj Hotels' senior vice president, sales and marketing.

Shea can be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].