Virgin Hotels Collection, the parent brand of Virgin Hotels and Virgin Limited Edition, has appointed Chris Stevens chief operating officer and Rayhan Arif chief commercial and financial officer.
Stevens has held roles across operations, asset management and commercial strategy over his 25 years in the industry. Most recently, he was senior vice president at Ashford Inc., where he ran the asset management and commercial divisions for all asset classes, including the luxury and luxury lifestyle divisions. Before that, he was vice president of asset management at BRE Hotels & Resorts, a Blackstone portfolio company, where he focused on strategic value creation across a portfolio of hospitality assets. He also held earlier leadership positions at Ashford Inc., helping steer complex assets through market transitions. His foundation was built during a 17-year tenure at Hilton, where he advanced through a series of progressive roles in operations, revenue management and global commercial strategy.
Arif has spent nearly eight years with the Virgin Group. His broader Virgin portfolio experience includes board roles with Virgin Mobile Latin America, Grove Collaborative and HiddenLight Productions, along with oversight of Virgin Orbit, BMR Energy and both Virgin Group Acquisition Corps. Before joining the Virgin Group, Arif was an investment professional at AEA Investors, a global private equity firm focused on leveraged buyouts and growth capital investments. He started his career in Bain & Company’s New York office as a Management Consultant.
"We are thrilled to welcome both Chris and Rayhan into their new leadership roles at such a pivotal moment in our company’s journey," James Bermingham, CEO of Virgin Hotels Collection, said in a statement. “Chris’s operational excellence and Rayhan’s commercial and financial acumen are exactly what we need as we continue to scale globally and enhance our brand promise for travelers seeking bold, design-forward, and experience-driven stays.”