Generator and Freehand Hotels have a new chief commercial officer, while Spire Hospitality has appointed two new executives to its leadership team.
Generator and Freehand Hotels name Siim Karu as CCO
Generator and Freehand Hotels have appointed of Siim Karu as the new chief commercial officer. In this role, he will oversee the planning and implementation of the company’s commercial strategies.
Prior to his new role, Karu was global head of revenue management and oversaw sales for Generator from 2017-2019, followed by a C-suite position at A&O Hostels, where he led Revenue, IT, BI and automation functions. He brings extensive experience from various hotel groups, including Penta Hotels and Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts.
“I am thrilled to be returning to the Generator and Freehand Hotel team at such an exciting time in the company’s development, and to work once again with some of the industry’s best talent,” said Karu. “The two brands are well-positioned for free-spirited travelers, offering design-led accommodation and community-driven experiences, coupled with world-class F&B concepts. I look forward to being part of the solidification of their position as global leaders in the field.”
Generator and Freehand Hotels CEO Alastair Thomann said, “We are delighted to have Siim rejoining the Generator family and taking up an expanded role in the executive leadership team. His wealth of experience is pivotal to the company’s exciting future, at a point where we are achieving record-breaking numbers and are continuing to expand. With Siim on board, the commercial strategies will be well orchestrated to enhance our leading position among hybrid and lifestyle accommodation brands in the market.”
Spire Hospitality grows executive leadership team with two new hires
Spire Hospitality, a third-party hotel management company, has appointed Donna Cooper as SVP of commercial strategy and Matthew Schupbach as VP of accounting.
Cooper has been in the hospitality space for nearly three decades. Before joining Spire, she most recently led the global sales team for Wyndham International. In her new role, she will focus on optimizing revenue across the organization, working with Ginny Morrison, Spire’s VP of sales and marketing, and the rest of the company’s revenue leaders to continue to generate revenue for the properties in Spire’s portfolio.
Schupbach has more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Before joining Spire, he was the assistant CFO for Dimension Hospitality. Prior to that, he was a regional VP of finance with Caesars Entertainment. He has overseen various finance functions throughout his hospitality career.
“Our continued focus on people, purpose and passion enables us to grow our team with extraordinarily talented individuals from all over the country,” said Chris Russell, CEO, Spire Hospitality. “Every team member is vital to our ongoing success and has played an important role in achieving the industry-leading results we are known for today. We are looking forward to Donna and Matthew’s contributions to Spire.”