Operator News
The Bahamas – Baha Mar names senior executives
By Phil - 15 July 2013
Baha Mar has marked another milestone in a year of substantial progress by announcing its senior operating executives for Rosewood at Baha Mar, Grand Hyatt at Baha Mar and Mondrian at Baha Mar.
The newly appointed General Manager of the ultra-luxury Rosewood at Baha Mar, Luis Fernandes, is an accomplished hotelier with proven international experience in managing and operating some of the world’s best hotels and resorts. Fernandes rejoins Rosewood and was the former Managing Director of the world-acclaimed Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos, and executive assistant manager of Rosewood Hotel Al Khozama. Fernandes most recently served as Chief Operating Officer for Longevity Wellness Worldwide in Portugal after holding positions such as Chief Operating Officer at Ty Warner Hotels & Resorts and Executive Vice President of hotel operations at Viceroy Hotel Group.
Focused on upscale global leisure travelers, and international conference and incentive guests, Grand Hyatt at Baha Mar will be led by Greg Saunders, a senior executive with 32 years of experience with Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Marriott International and MGM Mirage specializing in the management of large convention hotels and casino properties. Saunders is well known in the industry and has an extremely strong sales and marketing background that includes pre-opening activities for new hotel properties. Hyatt Hotels recognized Saunders as General Manager of the Year in 2012. Grand Hyatt at Baha Mar has already booked its first convention groups, 17 months before the resort is scheduled to open in December 2014.
Cate Farmer has been named the General Manager of Mondrian at Baha Mar, Morgans Hotel Group’s boutique lifestyle hotel featuring cutting-edge design. Farmer has almost two decades of experience in the hospitality industry with well-known, global hotel companies. She has previously held executive positions at Morgans Hotel Group properties including Mondrian South Beach and, most, recently, Ames in Boston. Farmer is a two-time winner of the Marriott Golden Circle Award for sales achievement and was a member of the Diversity Council at Marriott International. In addition to promoting diversity within the hospitality industry as a Green Lodging and Environmental Advocate, she is also involved in benchmarking sustainability practices.
“These talented new leaders of the senior management team at Baha Mar have a wealth of experience and a great deal of passion for their brands and the hospitality industry,” remarked Tom Dunlap, President of Baha Mar. “They are a perfect fit with the Baha Mar brand and will be critical to shaping a world-class guest experience not only at their respective hotels, but also across the entire resort.”
In addition to filling these senior executive posts, the resort has recently posted more than 50 job openings including project managers and recruitment managers in a strong move to ramp up its recruitment efforts.
Last February, Baha Mar celebrated the topping out of The Baha Mar Casino & Hotel, marking the halfway point of its construction timeline. In May, it announced the selection of its casino management partner, Gaming Global Asset Management (GGAM), an important accomplishment in the resort’s development.
Scheduled for opening in late 2014, Baha Mar will boast a total of 2,200 hotel rooms and a 100,000 sq. ft. casino.
