UK: Oakwood has appointed Maria Ashton as vice president, development – Europe.
Ashton has an international background in hotel development, feasibility and asset management across North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Prior to joining Oakwood, she spent 12 years with Hyatt Hotels Corporation, where she began as an analyst in feasibility and development and held roles in Chicago, Zurich, Paris and London.
In her most recent position, she served as director of acquistions and development, where she was responsible for fulfilling Hyatt’s development strategy throughout western Europe.
In her new role, Ashton will be based in London and report directly to Dennis Wong, vice president, portfolio strategy and growth, Oakwood.
“I am thrilled to welcome Maria to Oakwood’s leadership team. She brings extensive knowledge and leadership experience in business development in growth markets, which is a top priority for Oakwood as we shift our focus on the development and expansion of our hospitality portfolio around the world,” said Wong.
Ashton is passionate about mentoring women in the hospitality sector and serves as an ambassador to Women in Hotels, a nonprofit organisation that aims to drive industry parity. Ashton holds dual Bachelor of Business Administration degrees in marketing and finance from the University of Iowa.
