Director of Finance - Luxury Mountain Resort, Italy
Client Challenge
An internationally renowned luxury hospitality group was preparing to open a landmark destination following an extensive transformation. As part of the executive leadership team, the business required an exceptional Director of Finance to establish a best-in-class finance function capable of supporting both a complex pre-opening phase and long-term commercial success.
This pivotal leadership role required a finance executive who could oversee financial strategy, reporting, compliance, budgeting, and forecasting while building the hotel's financial infrastructure from the ground up. The successful individual would partner closely with the General Manager and executive team to drive profitability, ensure operational readiness, and support every stage of the pre-opening journey.
The client sought a proven finance leader with over five years' experience within luxury hotels, ideally with a strong track record in new openings or transformational environments. Expertise in hospitality financial systems, governance, and compliance was essential, alongside advanced knowledge of Italian GAAP, USALI, taxation, and key hotel systems including Opera, Micros/Simphony, Birchstreet, and SunSystems.
Our Approach
Leveraging our specialist hospitality executive search network, we delivered a highly targeted search focused on identifying senior finance leaders with the technical expertise, commercial insight, and leadership capability required for this critical appointment.
Our assessment process extended beyond technical competence, evaluating each candidate's ability to influence at executive level, lead high-performing finance teams, and deliver financial strategy within complex luxury hospitality environments.
We identified professionals with proven experience leading all financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes, overseeing accounting operations, cash flow management, and financial reporting, while ensuring full compliance with local regulations, taxation requirements, and robust internal controls.
Particular emphasis was placed on candidates who demonstrated the ability to provide strategic financial insight, support business expansion, mentor finance teams, and collaborate with operational leaders to optimise revenue, strengthen cost control, and maximise profitability.
The Result
Our search resulted in the successful appointment of an accomplished Director of Finance with extensive luxury hospitality experience and a proven record of delivering financial leadership during high-profile hotel openings.
The appointed executive quickly established the hotel's financial infrastructure, implementing reporting frameworks, governance processes, budgeting disciplines, compliance procedures, and operational controls ahead of opening. Working closely with the General Manager and executive committee, they ensured the business was financially prepared for launch while creating a scalable framework for future growth.
Impact
This appointment provided the client with a commercially driven finance leader capable of balancing strategic vision with operational excellence.
With robust financial controls, accurate reporting, effective forecasting, and strong cross-functional partnerships in place, the hotel entered the market with the financial stability and governance expected of a world-class luxury destination. The finance function became a trusted strategic partner, supporting sustainable profitability, informed decision-making, and operational excellence from day one.
