HSMAI EUROPE ANNOUNCES EXPANDED BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CALLS ON MORE SENIOR INDUSTRY LEADERS FROM ITS MEMBERSHIP TO JOIN
As board more than doubles its headcount from eight to 21 members it seeks further growth, seeking senior hospitality professional from companies of all sizes and broader industry representation across hospitality, travel, and tourism
London, UK – June 20 2024: HSMAI Europe, the industry’s leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable revenue growth globally, has announced its expanded Board of Directors, and in pursuit of further growth, is now calling on more senior industry professionals from its membership to join and share their expertise.
The association’s 2024 and 2025 board line-up has more than doubled from eight to 21 members, who represent a wide range of companies, from large hotel chains and travel technology firms to corporate travel and recruitment agencies and hotel management schools.
- Michael Nowlis (CHAIR), Programme director, MBA Programmes at Imperial College Business School
- Kelly Cronin, Revenue Director at Village Hotels
- Josje van Dongen, Head of Innovation & Programme Specialisations at Hotel Management School Maastricht
- Per Griwell, VP Commercial / CCO, Business Development & Franchise at Thon Hotels
- Arnoud Griffioen, Chief Financial Officer at Odyssey Hotel Group
- Kristian Gundersen, Director Hotels Division at ISS Norway
- Courtney Harbin, Director Global Client Group at American Express
- Ingunn Hofseth, President & CEO at HSMAI Europe
- Minjauw Ivo, Chief Product Officer at Lighthouse
- Monique Jaspers-Wijn, Global Head of Data Insights & Digital Media at Travelport
Photo: Board of Directors surrounded by Connecting Future Leaders and other members in London in June
- Matthieu Lafaurie, Vice President, The Club & Revenue Transformation at Radisson Hotel Group
- Elodie Leunen, Founder and CEO at Fastpayhotels
- Jonathon Liu, Chief Commercial Officer at Verdi Hotels, Corinthia Hotel Group
- Dimitris Manikis, President EMEA at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
- Neetu Mistry, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Cycas Hospitality
- Roberta Possenti, Vice President Europe at Preferred Hotels
- Roland Seddon, Owner and Managing Director at MRK Associates
- Michael Schäffner, VP Sales EMEA at Duetto
- Roman Sucharzewski, Vice President Revenue Management Europe at Hilton Grand Vacations
- Will Yell, VP Commercial – Europe at IHG Hotels & Resorts
- Accor – To be announced
With HSMAI Europe eyeing membership growth in new countries and seeking a broader industry representation, it is looking to further expand its board to reflect this. A minimum of 60% has to represent hotels or other parts of the hospitality, event and travel industry. Desired expertise and knowledge for a board of directors seat includes revenue management, commercial, marketing, sales, digitalisation, branding, Artificial Intelligence and sustainability.
Leaders interested in the role should hail from companies of all sizes and represent hotel chains large and small; suppliers of software solutions to the industry; events agencies; industry vendors and partners; national and regional travel-related companies; and more.
A board member’s primary role is to guide the strategic direction of HSMAI Europe and to be ambassador for the association within their company. Leaders are also asked to focus on one area of expertise where they can make a significant contribution to HSMAI Europe and the industry.
“As board members, our role transcends governance; it’s more about actively supporting the association and the industry at large. The expertise of our senior industry leaders plays a pivotal role in engaging members, spearheading thought leadership, driving innovation, and supporting the professional development of peers. The expanded board will amplify our efforts to foster a collaborative environment that champions industry growth and sustainability”
said Michael Nowlis, Chair, HSMAI Europe Board of Directors.
“We are incredibly proud to see our board grow to 21 members, bringing a diverse range of expertise that truly reflects our membership and the broader sector. I extend my heartfelt thanks to Michael for his role as the chair and to all our new and current members for their dedication and contributions to the HSMAI Europe community. Together, we are poised to drive meaningful change and innovation within the industry.”
added Ingunn Hofseth, President & CEO, HSMAI Europe.
HSMAI Europe has ambitions to grow its board of directors to at least 25 leaders. To be considered for the role, candidates must be an employee at a company with an HSMAI membership and be passionate about driving industry change through collaboration, knowledge sharing and championing best practices.
The board has already staged its first two annual board meetings in London. The first took place on January 17th to coincide with HSMAI Europe’s Leadership Day and on the following day (January 18th), the annual ROC conference and HSMAI Europe Awards. The second meeting was staged after an AI Think Tank, hosted at Clermont Hotel Victoria on June 13th.
HSMAI Europe’s next Board of Director meeting will take place near Utrecht in The Netherlands on September 4, and its first meeting of 2025 will be on January 15th in connection to our Commercial Strategy Week in London.
To view the HSMAI Europe Board of Directors line-up visit hsmai.eu/board-of-directors/.
To find out more about this opportunity, email Hans Poortvliet at: postbox@hsmai.eu
About HSMAI Europe
HSMAI – Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International – is a global organisation founded in the US in 1927. HSMAI Region Europe is the European arm of the organisation. HSMAI Europe aims to be a key influencer, pioneer and the go-to industry resource for professional development, commercial strategies and sustainability in the hospitality, travel and tourism industry. www.hsmai.eu
