SBE names new international leaders

Lifestyle hospitality group SBE has expanded its executive team with the appointment of five industry veterans in key leadership roles. 

To help drive its pipeline over the next few years, SBE has appointed Brad Hayden as VP/hotel finance; Javier Hortal as SVP/design and development, Middle East and Europe; Mark Eacott as VP/lifestyle design, Asia-Pacific; Wayne Brown as culinary director, Asia-Pacific; and Hector Kremer as feasibility manager, Middle East and Europe. 

Since finalizing its partnership with Accor in October 2018, SBE has signed 26 new hotel projects, 45 new global restaurants and bars to its global pipeline. By the end of 2020, SBE expects to open 12 new hotel and residence projects.

SBE Founder/CEO Sam Nazarian said the executives, “will help reinforce our operational infrastructure and design and development capabilities. These roles are also critical to supporting the integration currently underway with our partner Accor and support SBE's unprecedented growth.”

New Leaders

Hayden will oversee and direct finance operations of SBE's growing portfolio of hotels and residences, as well as the restaurants and nightlife venues operating within the properties. He has more than 30 years of hospitality finance experience, ranging from on-property accounting functions to CFO of an independent non-branded hotel management company. His professional history includes more than 10 years with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., as well as tenure with Destination Hotels and Resorts, Benchmark Hospitality and Faena Hotels and Residences.

Hortal is joining SBE after an 11-year career at Mandarin Oriental, where he served as the group's director of technical services in EMEA and was responsible for the group's new hotels, resorts, residences and large-scale renovations across the region. Prior to that, Hortal led the hospitality team at global architectural practice RTKL's London office. He also is a graduate of the Welsh School of Architecture and a U.K.-chartered architect.

Eacott spent more than 17 years working in London, Singapore and Los Angeles with Philippe Starck, Soho House Group and Hirsch Bedner Associates. Most recently heading a specialist global division of HBA, Eacott was responsible for creating and developing several new hospitality lifestyle brands across Asia. In this new role Eacott will be responsible for directing projects for both SBE and Accor Lifestyle brands across Asia-Pacific.

Australia-born Chef Wayne Brown joins SBE after a 15-year career, most recently as head of culinary operations for the Singapore-based Gypsy Chef Inc. by David Myers, where he led culinary research and development for four of the brand's restaurant venues in Singapore, Japan and Dubai. During this same period, Brown served as executive chef for Adrift by David Myers in Singapore's Marina Bay Sands. In his new role, Brown will represent SBE's brands throughout the Asia-Pacific region and will oversee the implementation of new projects, building core infrastructure, talent development and developing new food-and-beverage brands.

Kremer joins SBE after spending two years on the Hotel Valuation and Advisory team of CBRE Hotels in London and Paris, where he performed numerous valuations and advisory assignments on all types of hotel assets. Before joining CBRE Hotels, he acquired operational skills in hospitality through various positions at Marriott International and Accor. Kremer holds a double master's degree in hospitality management from EM Lyon Business School and Institut Paul Bocuse, as well as a bachelor's degree in quantitative techniques and management from IAE Lyon.