Execs on the Move: Hilton Grand Vacations; Global Hotel Alliance; Playa Hotels & Resorts; More…

NATIONAL REPORT—Hilton Grand Vacations, Global Hotel Alliance, Playa Hotels & Resorts and other companies have made recent personnel appointments. Here’s a look.

Hilton Grand Vacations Appoints Gurnik EVP/COO

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. has named Gordon Gurnik as EVP/COO.

Gurnik will be responsible for leading global delivery and execution of enterprise-wide business operations; shared services; new product development; sales and marketing in Asia; and information technology services. He will report directly to Mark Wang, president/CEO, effective Dec. 3.

He has more than 30 years of experience in the vacation ownership and exchange businesses. Most recently, he served as president of RCI, a worldwide leader in vacation exchange and travel services and the largest exchange network in the world. In this position, he led strategic direction, operations and growth of the company with more than 3.8 million member families and 4,300 vacation ownership resorts.

Gurnik serves on the board of directors for Christel House International, a nonprofit organization that supports impoverished children throughout the world. Gurnik also serves as a member of the American Resort Development Association’s (ARDA) board of directors.

Global Hotel Alliance Names Boshoff CFO

Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) has appointed Andrew Boshoff as CFO.

This newly created role further strengthens the GHA management team and it follows the announcement earlier this month of investments into GHA by two of the alliance’s longest-serving member brands, Minor Hotel Group and Pan Pacific Hotels Group.

Boshoff has more than 20 years of experience working with the world’s leading hotel and travel industry companies, as well as major U.S. and European financial investors. He has a track record of providing financial advice and strategic insights in senior roles at international firms, including Credit Suisse and Dresdner Bank. He was a co-founder of Otus Corporate Finance, a hospitality-focused corporate advisory firm based in London, and he has advised the shareholders and board of GHA on strategic issues and transactions for several years.

Mulet Named EVP/Chief Development Officer at Playa Hotels & Resorts

Playa Hotels & Resorts, N.V has appointed Fernando Mulet as EVP/chief development officer.

Mulet reports to Playa’s chairman/CEO Bruce Wardinski and continues to serve as a member of the company’s executive team. He is a founding member of the Playa management team, beginning with the company at its inception in 2006.

Before joining Playa, he was director of international investments & asset management with Highland Hospitality Corporation. A native of Spain, he began his career in the hospitality industry at Barceló Hotels & Resorts.

As part of Mulet expanded role, he oversees the company’s new development office in Cancun, Mexico, as well as the growth of a development team including the appointment of Nicolas Valle who joins Playa as the director of development and feasibility.

Valle focuses almost exclusively on the pursuit of additional management contracts and other asset-light transactions. He is based in Playa’s Cancun office, which also serves as the company’s hub for sales, marketing and development in Mexico, as well as Central and South America.

M&R Hotel Management Appoints VP of Operations

M&R Hotel Management has appointed Robert Arigo, a 29-year hospitality veteran, as VP of operations, responsible for overseeing the company’s 15 managed hotels in the New York metropolitan area.

Arigo previously was senior director of operations for the New York properties of Hersha Hospitality Management, a division of Philadelphia-based Hersha Hospitality Trust. From 2010-2012, he was COO/asset manager for New York-based Widewaters Hotels LLC. He served as general manager of hotels in New York, Florida and Virginia from 2007 to 2010.

Arigo’s asset management experience includes senior positions from 2005-2007 with Capital Hotel Management and Highgate Hotels, where he had oversight of Goldman Sachs’ significant lodging portfolio.

Smith Joins HREC as SVP

HREC Investment Advisors has announced the expansion of its brokerage platform with the hire of hospitality and casino real estate expert Joshua Smith as a SVP in a newly opened brokerage office in Las Vegas.

Smith brings more than 20 years of transactional property experience in the lodging and gaming arenas to HREC. During his career, he gained hospitality specific real estate skills in acquisitions, disposition, development and expert testimony. He has served as an advisor on more than 250 hospitality and gaming assignments totaling over $20 billion in volume and valuation.

Prior to joining the company, he led the creation of the hospitality division at Sun Commercial Real Estate Inc. He played a significant role in founding the Colliers International Gaming Group and acted as an advisor to several global and local hospitality/gaming companies. He spent seven years with CBRE Inc. where he spearheaded the growth and integration of the valuation and advisory services gaming practice with the Global Gaming Group in Las Vegas.