Hospitality veteran Michael Sagild has been appointed chief executive officer of BLINK Design Group, as the Bangkok-headquartered hospitality design firm sets its sights on accelerated expansion throughout the region.
Sagild is a seasoned hotelier and executive with more than 30 years of experience across four continents in project development strategies, brand selection, competitive positioning, tourism development, corporate social responsibility and concept creation for mixed-use projects.
He brings a new perspective – that of a former client of top design companies – to the Asia-born firm founded by chief creative director Clint Nagata, who continues as the creative heart and soul of the company.
“The client has become the CEO, which introduces a new business dynamic in design,” said Sagild.
“BLINK will now offer a more strategic approach based on our knowledge of hotel development and contract management. This will benefit owners, developers, investors, and other stakeholders.”
Before joining BLINK, Sagild founded Sagild and Associates, offering hospitality advisory services to owners and developers of prime Asian hotel assets. Prior to that, he had served as managing director Asia Pacific Development for MGM Hospitality, tasked with expanding a portfolio of iconic luxury brands including MGM Grand, Bellagio, Sky Lofts, and numerous restaurant partners.
In other senior executive roles, he served as CEO of Stein Group International, responsible for directing all aspects of strategy, growth, and worldwide expansion for the Group, Luxury Lifestyle Hotels and LUX magazine.
As chief operating officer with Minor Hotels and Resorts, he created the team and strategy to set the fledgling Anantara brand on the path to becoming a global success story, as well as having oversight of the Four Seasons portfolio in Thailand.
BLINK works with luxury hospitality brands including Alila, Conrad, Jumeirah, Kempinski, Mandarin Oriental, Regent, Rosewood, and Six Senses on destinations in China, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Kenya, the Maldives, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.
Sagild joins BLINK design as CEO
