Driftwood Hospitality Management has appointed Gregory Maliassas as CEO, according to a Monday news release obtained by Hotel Dive.
Maliassas joins South Florida-based Driftwood Hospitality Management after most recently serving as executive vice president and chief operating officer at Playa Hotels & Resorts. Last year, Hyatt Hotels acquired Playa Hotels & Resorts for $2.6 billion and subsequently offloaded the brand’s real estate portfolio.
During his tenure at Playa, Maliassas oversaw the company’s operations across its portfolio of branded all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico. He led a team of more than 15,000 employees and drove partnerships with global brands, including Marriott International, Hyatt, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Hilton and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, according to the release.
Prior to Playa, Maliassas held multiple leadership roles at French hospitality company Accor and its related brands, per his LinkedIn profile.
Maliassas takes over as chief executive officer as Driftwood Hospitality Management looks to expand its presence across the Americas. Driftwood’s current management portfolio spans more than 80 hotels and 15,000 keys.
“As DHM continues to scale its platform and expand across brands, geographies, and ownership relationships, Greg’s track record of transforming and scaling world-class hotel operations, combined with his global perspective and hands-on leadership style, makes him the natural leader for this next chapter,” Carlos Rodriguez Jr., co-founder and CEO of investment and development parent company Driftwood Capital, said in a statement.
Maliassas succeeds David Buddemeyer, who also founded the firm.
“Greg is a proven global leader with exceptional operational expertise, integrity, and vision. He understands this business deeply and shares our values and commitment to excellence. I could not be more confident in his ability to lead DHM into its next chapter of growth while honoring the culture and people that make this company special,” Buddemeyer said in the release.
Maliassas’ appointment comes after Driftwood Hospitality Management named a new chief operating officer and other key executives in 2024.
