Sofitel, part of global hospitality group, AccorHotels, has named Alexandra Byrne as General Manager of Sofitel Washington D.C. Lafayette Square. Byrne is the first female general manager of Sofitel Washington D.C. Lafayette Square, and is currently the only female general manager in the luxury hotel industry in the nation’s capital.
Byrne brings a wealth of hospitality experience to her new position with more than 20 years of managerial proficiency across numerous departments including human resources, housekeeping, sales and marketing and executive office teams. Prior to her promotion, she was the director of sales and marketing at the hotel, and has held general manager roles at two prominent hotels in Washington D.C.
“Alexandra has been an integral part of the leadership team at Sofitel Washington D.C. Lafayette Square for a few years now, and we are very proud to welcome another talented female general manger to our North American team,” said Balendra Nagesvaran, Vice President of Operations for AccorHotels Luxury and Upscale Brands in the region. “With her exceptional track record and experience across numerous hotel departments, she brings a wide knowledge of operations and we are confident she will be successful in her new role.”
Byrne began at AccorHotels in 1994 in Paris, France working at Novotel Paris East. She spent the following six years gaining experience in North America working for the AccorHotels Corporate Office and Novotel New York Time Square, followed by her tenure at the first Sofitel Washington D.C. property in 1998 as Director of Operations, and finally as Director of Sales and Marketing until 2001.
A long-time resident of the nation’s capital, Byrne remains heavily involved in the French-American community. She is a board member of the French American Chamber of Commerce of Washington D.C. and has worked extensively with the French Embassy and educational organizations such as the Alliance Française.
She attended the Institut des Etudes Economiques et Commerciales (INSEEC) and earned her MBA from the Institut de Management Hotelier International (IMHI) in conjunction with Cornell University and ESSEC Business School.
