PEOPLE update July 14, 2020

Ian Carter, president of global development, architecture, design and construction at Hilton, will leave the company in December after a career that spanned many of the company’s high points. Carter announced last month that he will step down in December from Hilton, following a 15-year career in hotel development with the company that spanned numerous countries, ownership changes and industry cycles. When he leaves the company at the end of 2020, it will be to pursue other interests, likely in non-executive roles and board positions—a side of his professional life he has explored for years alongside his role at Hilton with companies including Burberry Group, Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group and Servpro, among others. “I met (Hilton President and CEO Chris Nassetta) 15 years ago, and we’ve been on this ride ever since,” Carter to HotelNewsNow. “I’ve seen the company from many different angles and have met lots of great people.”

Palm Holdings welcomes new hires Kay Koot, Puneet Mahajan, Rachelle Roberts and Jen Li.

Kay Koot recently joined Palm Holdings as general manager at the Marriott Courtyard Waterloo St. Jacobs hotel. She has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry and is well versed in operations, human resources, accounting, revenue management, and sales and marketing. Koot’s most recent role was the general manager at the Residence Inn Toronto Downtown Hotel. She has held various general manager positions across multiple brands; some properties include the TownePlace Suites Mississauga, Harbour Towers Hotel & Suites in Victoria BC, Regina Inn Hotel & Conference Centre, Novotel Times Square NY, Ottawa and North York, Compri Hotel Windsor. She was also the director of operations at the Novotel Times Square and front office manager at the Novotel Toronto Centre. She joined the team on July 2, 2020.

Rachelle Roberts has recently joined Palm Holdings as regional director of sales for the Radisson Kitchener and Marriott Courtyard Waterloo St. Jacobs hotels. She has sales, marketing, operations and food and beverage experience, having worked at the Cambridge Hotel & Conference Centre as the director of Sales and Marketing. She has held various positions across multiple brands such as The Crowne Plaza Kitchener as a corporate sales manager, food and beverage manager and conference services manager at the Holiday Inn Guelph, food and beverage manager at Best Western North Bay, and sales and catering manager at the Hyatt Regency. Roberts started with Palm Holdings on June 19th.

Puneet Mahajan has recently joined the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Halifax Bedford team as director of sales. Mahajan comes to Palm Holdings with many years of sales and hospitality experience, most recently from the Westin Nova Scotian as their guest service manager. He has held various Sales & Marketing positions across multiple brands such as director of sales and marketing Holiday Inn New Delhi, director of sales and marketing Crowne Plaza New Delhi, and associate director of sales Hyatt Regency Delhi, India. Mahajan joined the team on June 22, 2020.

Jen Li joined Palm Holdings on July 6 as revenue analyst for Palm Holdings’ corporate office. She will work alongside Ryan MacDonald, VP of revenue management and e-commerce, and Palm Holdings’ general managers to assist with revenue management strategies. Li’s most recent role was regional revenue manager for Westmont Hospitality and she was directly responsible for rate positioning using various tools to maximize all hotels occupancy and revenue. Li has held various positions at the Novotel Toronto Vaughan Centre and Toronto Centre such as front office manager and revenue manager, reservations manager, revenue analyst, hostess, server, bartender and room service agent. Her operational expertise and revenue management skills will be an asset to our team.