The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group will restructure its senior management for the Americas, following the retirement of Wolfgang Hultner as CEO, the Americas, on April 30. Richard Baker will become executive vice president, northern region, will be responsible for the group's hotels in the U.S. Northeast, Midwest and West Coast. Baker joined Mandarin Oriental in May 2006 as general manager, corporate, and has been providing operational input on the group's hotels under development in the Americas. Prior to joining Mandarin Oriental, Baker held senior management positions with Rosewood Hotels and Resorts and Four Seasons.
Jorge Gonzalez is appointed executive vice president, southern region, which covers the Southeast coast of the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America. Gonzalez will also retain his position as general manager of Mandarin Oriental, Miami, which he has held since joining the company in July 1999. He previously held senior management posts at Loews Hotels, Ritz Carlton and Hyatt.
Mandarin Oriental has appointed Rudy Tauscher area vice president, New York, Boston and Chicago. He will oversee operations at each hotel under development in Boston and Chicago and will continue in his role as general manager of the Mandarin Oriental, New York.
Terry Stinson will assume the title of development director and president, the Americas. Stinson will continue to oversee the Mandarin Oriental's global development and technical services departments and will work closely with the group's external partners on the continued development and execution of new projects around the world. In his enhanced role, Stinson will be the group's most senior representative in the Americas, providing strategic advice to the region's leadership team.
The appointments are effective May 1. Mandarin Oriental now operates, or has under development, over 10,000 rooms in 23 countries, with 16 hotels in Asia, 14 in the Americas and nine in Europe and North Africa. Visit www.mandarinoriental.com. (MR)