Boutique hotelier Alila Hotels and Resorts has announced major appointments across the company in recent weeks.
Patrick Pahlke has joined Alila as Vice President of Sales and Doris Goh, who helmed the sales and marketing role since the brand’s inception, has been promoted to the newly created position of Chief Marketing Officer.
With a career spanning 20 years, Doris joined Alila Hotels and Resorts after a nine-year tenure as Regional Director of Sales, ASEAN with the Mandarin Oriental Group. As Chief Marketing Officer, she will be tasked with driving the global marketing strategy and building an even stronger brand identity, integrating all the marketing, sales and PR functions with a particular focus on digital and social media platforms. In addition she will drive direct consumerism through sales and E-Commerce strategies, revenue opportunities and multi-branding events for all properties.
Doris’ career has seen her become the first Asian woman to serve as education chairperson at the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), awarded the ACTE President’s Award in 2002 for her regional contributions. In September 2013, Hotelier India named her in their 2013 Power 100 List of the Top 100 “ Most Influential People in the Hospitality Industry”.
Patrick, a graduate of École hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland, brings a wealth of international sales experience with him having worked worldwide in Indonesia, China, Hong Kong, the United States, Malawi and Switzerland. A German national, Patrick can also speak Mandarin, Bahasa Indonesia, French and English. Over the last 16 years, Patrick has held various sales positions at some of the world’s most recognised hotel brands, including Mandarin Oriental, Le Meriden Dom Hotel and most recently Grand Hyatt. At Alila, Patrick will be responsible for defining and executing the overall sales strategy for the group, working closely with the General Managers; cluster sales team in Bali and India, property Sales teams and with Alila’s Global Sales Associates.
Also appointed were new General Managers for four new hotels, as the group continues its growth throughout Indonesia and into China. Alila Anji, due to open in Q3 2015, will be Alila’s first property in China, it will be followed by Alila Solo, Indonesia. The collection’s fifth property on Bali, the Alila Seminyak is scheduled for September this year, with Alila SCDB, the third Alila property in Jakarta, opening in early 2016.
Michael Brooks has been appointed as General Manager at Alila Anji, Zhejiang, China. Born and brought up in colonial Africa, Michael is truly a global citizen having lived in 11 countries. He is a professional hotelier with over 40 years’ experience in the industry. He qualified from Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland and went on to work in Europe, Africa, Australia and China in hotel operations. He was a management consultant for 14 years before returning to hotel operations in 2001, as General Manager of Palazzo Versace, the first fashion-branded hotel in the world on the Gold Coast, Australia. In 2004, he moved to The World as General Manager, a private floating community of 169 islands in Dubai. Michael will now be tasked with opening Alila’s first property in China, the Alila Anji. The resort is located in a place of outstanding natural beauty, the location of the film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon it’s surrounded by bamboo groves and tea plantations.
Eleanore Astier-Petin, joins the pre-opening team at Alila Solo in Central Java as General Manager. Alila’s first property in Central Java is an urban resort and city retreat located at the gateway to Solo. Born in France and educated in the USA, Eleanore has worked all over the world through Tahiti, France, China and the Caribbean. Over the last 10 years, Eleanore has worked with both large and boutique luxury hotels and resorts, including the renowned Hermitage Hotel Jakarta and the St Regis Bora Bora. She will now oversee the operations and management of Alila Solo, the city’ first deluxe hotel, with 257 rooms and suites and a wealth of facilities, including an outdoor terrace bar with 360-degree views and fine dining restaurant.
Pierre Lang, the newly appointed General Manager of Alila Seminyak, Bali, brings with him, a wealth of over 15 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. A German national, Pierre previously worked for established international brands including Armani Hotels & Resorts, Grand Hyatt in Dubai and Berlin, and Park Hyatt in the Maldives. He has extensive experience opening five star hotels, having spearheaded several pre-opening teams during his career. Pierre will soon be opening Alila Seminyak, in September 2015, making it the fifth Bali property in the group’s portfolio.
David Baldwin has been announced as Alila SCBD Jakarta’s General Manager, the hotel will be the groups’ third property in Jakarta. David completed summer studies at the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne before graduating from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The foundations of David’s hospitality career were built in the United States with leading companies such as Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and Ian Schrager Hotels. David joins Alila Hotels & Resorts with 10 years experience, having worked with hotels across Asia, including the Mandarin Oriental in the Philippines, followed by a stint with Accor Hotels in China and Thailand. Alila SCBD, located in Jakarta’s financial district, will be a hip and cool business hotel, perfect for the young and affluent working, living and visiting the city.