Starwood Hotels & Resorts taps new bar-restaurant chief
Stamford-based Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. announced Achim Lenders, an industry veteran of 30 years, is the company”™s new vice president for its Global Food and Beverage division. More than 2,000 eateries and watering holes will fall under his purview.
Lenders was most recently corporate senior vice president of the food and beverage unit for Hyatt Hotels Corp. He will oversee the alignment and development of Starwood”™s multibillion- dollar global food and beverage strategy, reporting to John Peyton, the company”™s senior vice president for global initiatives.
The company last year completed its relocation from Westchester Avenue in White Plains, N.Y.
In his new role, Lenders will lead the creation and execution of plans that affect nearly 1,300 restaurants and 930 bars in 100 countries. He will also lead Starwood”™s Global Food and Beverage Council, “driving the implementation of consistent systems and best-in-class practices across all nine Starwood brands,” the company said in a statement.
“As a true and seasoned visionary in the competitive food and beverage space, Achim is the ideal leader to drive the ongoing development of Starwood”™s renowned restaurant and bar concepts, and our banquet and catering business,” said Peyton. “On behalf of the more than 50,000 associates around the world that make up our food and beverage team, I enthusiastically welcome Achim to Starwood.”