Cycas Hospitality makes two senior appointments

Cycas Hospitality has recently announced two senior appointments, strengthening the hotel management company’s operational leadership team as the organisation fast approaches 50 hotels under management across 12 European countries. Ben Thomas joins Cycas as chief operating officer (UK and Ireland) supporting hotels and serviced apartments in key locations across the UK, including the opening of the forthcoming Residence Inn Manchester, Piccadilly and Four Points by Sheraton Edinburgh. Formerly chief commercial officer at Pentahotels, Thomas brings over twenty years of operational, commercial and project management experience across the UK, Europe and Asia. Regarding his appointment, Thomas said: “I am incredibly excited about joining Cycas during this period of exciting growth, as we enter new markets in key cities with the upcoming openings in Manchester and Edinburgh. I look forward to working closely with the whole team to develop and support the portfolio across the UK and Ireland.” With a remit across Cycas’s European operations, Julia Harnischfeger also joins Cycas in July 2023 as chief operating officer (Continental Europe). Having worked with Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Pentahotels, Global Student Accommodation and most recently as managing director within Upartments Real Estate GmbH, Harnischfeger brings outstanding executive leadership and pan-European expertise in hospitality, serviced apartments and micro living. Harnischfeger said: “I’m delighted to be joining Cycas, to help build on its pan-European management expertise, create value for investors and cement its reputation as the best hotels to both work as well as stay at. My passion is assisting talent to grow and seeing guests return time and time again, across the region.” Matt Luscombe, chief executive officer at Cycas Hospitality, said: “Cycas has quadrupled in size over the last four years and doubled in the past twelve months to reach 48 hotels under management across Europe. As we continue to expand, it’s critical we keep investing in the very best talent and leadership to deliver on our promises to our hotel teams and investment partners. “With that in mind, I am excited to welcome Ben and Julia to join our executive team. They are hugely experienced hoteliers, both having run pan-European operations for many years. Moreover, they are both passionate leaders of people, and a wonderful fit with Cycas’ values and focus on developing and inspiring Europe’s best hospitality team.”