Convene Hospitality Group (CHG), parent company of lifestyle hospitality brands dedicated to meeting and event spaces, has announced the appointment of Melanie Colton as Chief Product & Technology Officer (CPTO). Based at the group’s New York headquarters, she will oversee the technology platform, operational systems and data capabilities across CHG’s entire global portfolio.
The remit given to Melanie Colton spans technology, engineering, data and infrastructure functions. Her roadmap includes modernising the group’s enterprise platform, identifying new revenue streams and scaling AI-driven automation across hospitality operations.
“At CHG, hospitality is embedded at every level of the brand. We remove friction and create exceptional experiences worthy of our guests,” said Melanie Colton. “Technology isn’t separate from that environment: it’s a fundamental part of the guest experience. Our priority will be to deliver intuitive tools that drive revenue while ensuring an efficient and sustainable digital infrastructure.”
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A career forged in media and technology
Melanie Colton brings more than 25 years of experience in product and technology leadership. She most recently served as Chief Technology Officer at Axios Media, where she built the product, engineering and data organisations underpinning the company’s editorial, commercial and consumer-facing platforms.
At Axios, she was among the first technology leaders in the media sector to deploy artificial intelligence across editorial and commercial workflows. She also led technical due diligence on Axios’s acquisition by Cox Enterprises for $525 million, approximately €484 million.
Throughout her career, Melanie Colton has consistently translated technology investment into commercial growth, leading unified platform strategies for several leading media groups, with enterprise solutions balancing revenue generation with long-term operational cost control.
She holds a Master of Science from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland.
A strategic appointment for CHG’s technology governance
“Melanie’s arrival allows us to innovate with remarkable precision and empowers our teams to harness data with greater creativity,” said Ryan Simonetti, President and CEO of CHG. “We’re excited to see how she will reinvent our digital experiences and strengthen the next generation of meetings and events.”
The appointment forms part of a broader trend of strengthening technology leadership across the hospitality industry, echoing the appointment of Bill Ryan to lead technology at BWH Hotels, reflecting the growing importance hotel groups are placing on digital governance and AI applied to operations.
CHG, a leading player in meeting and event spaces
Convene Hospitality Group describes itself as the global leader in hospitality-driven destinations, with a portfolio including the Convene and etc.venues brands. As the leading operator dedicated to meeting and event spaces in the United States and the United Kingdom, the group draws on more than 45 years of expertise to transform traditional commercial real estate assets into high-value lifestyle destinations, across 38 locations worldwide.
CHG is backed by institutional investors, including Ares and Brookfield. This ownership structure reflects continued interest from investment funds in hybrid models blending hospitality, commercial real estate and technology — a position that Melanie Colton’s appointment reinforces on an operational level.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Convene Hospitality Group names Melanie Colton as Chief Product & Technology Officer
Colton will oversee technology, engineering, data and infrastructure functions across CHG’s global portfolio
She joins from Axios Media, where she served as Chief Technology Officer and led technical due diligence on the $525 million acquisition by Cox Enterprises
Her mandate includes enterprise platform modernization and scaling AI automation across hospitality operations
CHG operates the Convene and etc.venues brands across 38 locations in the US and UK
The company is backed by investors including Ares and Brookfield
Colton is based at CHG’s New York headquarters
