Independent hotel operator La Vie Hotels and Resorts has appointed experienced hotel executive Marcus Hanna as Chief Operating Officer, amid a major expansion of the group.
Hanna brings over 25 years of high-level experience, joining from Accor where he has spent nearly two decades, most recently as Vice President Operations Pacific, Sofitel, MGallery and Emblems.
He has opened and operated several award-winning hotels and worked as Project Manager for Sofitel on the opening of the Qantas First Class Lounges in Sydney and Melbourne.
Before joining Accor, Hanna spent nearly a decade with InterContinental in Sydney.
His hospitality career has taken him to key cities around Australia, London, Malta, San Francisco and Singapore, where he was Managing Director for Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford.
Hanna takes charge of La Vie’s growing senior leadership team across Sydney and Bangkok.
A pioneering third-party operator in Asia Pacific, La Vie – created and led by entrepreneur Jerry Xu – has expanded to 11 countries, operating hotels, and maintaining offices in key cities.
Xu said that Hanna’s experience in hotel operations, working with owners and exceptional leadership talent will be pivotal in driving the group’s success.
“We are committed to delivering performance and operational excellence, and Marcus has a proven record of bringing the best out of hotels and teams under his management,” said La Vie Hotels and Resorts CEO, Jerry Xu.
“We are aiming to add some 20 additional hotels for the group over the next 18 months, and Marcus will play a key role in onboarding and integrating these hotels into our network.
Hanna said he looks forward to delivering maximum value for owners and partners across multiple platforms – franchise, white label, and own brands.
“Jerry Xu is a pioneer in the Asia Pacific hotel industry and I’m looking forward to contributing to La Vie’s expansion,” said Hanna.
“I have extensive international experience across the Asia Pacific region with luxury, upscale, and boutique properties; my focus will continue to be on building exceptional teams and driving superior returns for owners.
“Asia Pacific is gearing up to return fully to 2019 levels of travel, with leisure, business and conference travel all being boosted thanks to increased air capacity. Connecting the regions and maximising the revenue opportunities for our hotels will help keep La Vie at the forefront of the industry.”
La Vie is set to open its first hotel in Laos, the Radisson Red in Vientiane, and will soon unveil the refurbishment of Hobart’s heritage hotel, The Islington.