PARSIPPANY, NJ—Wyndham Hotel Group has appointed Eduardo Cruz del Rio as VP of operations for Latin America and the Caribbean. He will report to Paulo Pena, Wyndham’s president and managing director for the region, and will be based in the company’s headquarters here.
In this role, Cruz del Rio will be responsible for the overall performance of Wyndham Hotel Group hotels in Latin America and the Caribbean. He will support, maximize and maintain relationships with owners in the region in order to drive system contribution, revenue performance, quality, operational excellence, brand engagement and retention, according to the company. He will also lead the region’s franchise integration, training, procurement, collections, design and construction teams.
With nearly 30 years of hotel industry experience, Cruz del Rio brings to Wyndham an internationally diverse background that includes hospitality-focused positions in Spain, Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, South Korea and the former Yugoslavia. Most recently, he served as managing director for The Brick Hotel Buenos Aires, part of the Accor Group. Previously, he was managing director for Caesar Park Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
“We are thrilled to welcome Eduardo to our expanding team in the region. We are confident that his vast knowledge and industry experience will play a key role in our efforts to continue offering the best-in-class hotel operations support to our leading portfolio in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Pena.
Earlier in his career, Cruz Del Rio held several managing director and general manager positions for properties under the Hyatt and Posadas brands.