Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced that Jan de Vegt will replace Yves Guibert as its COO, effective August 1.

This is the latest management change that the national carrier has made amid restructuring efforts.

Vegt joins KQ from Cobalt Ground Solutions in the UK where he is currently the managing director.

As of June 20, Anthony Batistich has been appointed GM of Holiday Inn Sandton. Batistich has been with Tsogo Sun since 2001 and his previous position was gm of Southern Sun Montecasino and Pivot Conference Centre. In this position he was responsible for managing the Café Cru and Cobblestone Pub restaurants and all conferencing and ballroom venues in Montecasino.

Karl Lambour has been appointed General Manager of Tokara Wines. The position was previously held by Gerrie Wagener, who passed away earlier this year.

Lambour has been the General Manager of Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate in Franschhoek for the past four years and was previously winemaker at Constantia Glen. He has also gained international experience working at Château Bellefont-Belcier and Château Trianon in Saint-Ĕmilion, France.

Lambour holds both B.Sc. Forestry Science and B.Sc. Agriculture (Oenology & Viticulture) degrees from the University of Stellenbosch.

“I believe Karl will fit in well with the entire Tokara team and I trust that he will play a vital role in achieving our goal of being recognised, both locally and internationally, as one of South Africa’s foremost wine estates,” commented GT Ferreira, Proprietor of Tokara.

Sea Point hotel, Winchester Mansions in Cape Town, has appointed Lorna Watts as Financial Director.

Watts joined the hotel in December 2012 as Financial Manager, overseeing financial operations and reporting for the company. She has over 13 years of finance experience in the hospitality industry.

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Financial Management from Unisa and began her career at AC Nielsen in Johannesburg.

“With her experience in the hospitality industry and her many years of service as Financial Manager for Winchester Mansions, we are delighted with her appointment as a director,” said Murray Nell, Winchester Mansions Managing Director.

Miarestate Hotel and Spa on the Wild Coast has appointed Jan Frederik van der Westhuizen as Head Chef and Kobus Lourens as Food & Beverage Manager/Assistant Manager.

Van der Westhuizen has 13 years’ experience, from restaurants in the Cape winelands, including Haute Cabrière, Terroir and Rust en Vrede. He graduated from the Meerendal Hospitality Academy with City and Guilds Diplomas in Professional Cookery & Culinary Arts, and Food Preparation and Cooking.

He previously worked as head chef at Festa Restaurant and Kleine Valleij wedding venue in Wellington for a year.

Lourens gained experience in the food and beverage industry working for the Al Tayer Group of companies in the Middle East.

Before returning to South Africa with his wife, Elvira Khabieva, who has been appointed Housekeeping Manager at Miarestate, he also gained experience in food styling and photography as well as food and beverage business development.

Apart from managing Miarestate’s food and beverage department, Lourens will also fill the role of Assistant Manager to the General Manager, Drienie Viljoen.