Hamilton Princess & Beach Club has promoted D’Esta Ascento to the newly created role of assistant director of engineering.

Ms Ascento, a Bermudian, was formerly the maintenance manager at the resort. In her new role, she will be responsible for motivating and leading a team of 22 tradesmen and a facilities administrator, ensuring that the physical operations of the hotel run smoothly and negotiating and managing contracts with external vendors. She will continue to work closely with the director of engineering, Mario Oliveira.

Ms Ascento became facilities administrator at the hotel in 2015, after working for the Ministry of Public Works as a consultant to building surveyors. Prior to this, she worked as a relief policy intern at the Department of Energy.

During her time with the hotel, Ms Ascento has been the designated representative for parent company, AccorHotels’ sustainable development programme, Planet 21, helping to make the resort more sustainable and eco-conscious. With her help, the hotel has implemented energy initiatives such as LED lighting retrofits and reduction in waste and energy consumption as well as installing ten beehives at its beach vlub location. In her new role, she will ensure that the hotel meets its reduction targets and continues to set a positive example for Bermuda’s business community.

A graduate of the Berkeley Institute, Ms Ascento has a diploma in building systems engineering from Seneca College and is in the process of achieving her facilities management administration designation through BOMI International, an independent institute for property and facilities management.

Hotel general manager Tim Morrison said: “D’Esta is an extremely valued member of the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club family and we are delighted to be able to recognise her hard work and commitment to the hotel with this new role. With her help, we are confident that we will continue to offer our guests the very best facilities.”

Ms Ascento was grateful for the promotion.

“I love working at Hamilton Princess & Beach Club and am still in awe knowing that I have the pleasure of being a part of this iconic property,” Ms Ascento said. “Over the past few years, the hotel has carried out a significant redevelopment and, under the encouragement and leadership of the director of engineering, Mario Oliveira, I have had the privilege to experience it first hand. The property is beautiful inside and out. The exposure to such a high profile event was an invaluable learning experience and gave me the opportunity to create lasting relationships within the industry.

“The support that the hotel and my team continuously give me along the way, particularly as a working mother has been phenomenal. I would also like to acknowledge my mother, Joan Ascento, grandparents, fiance and those who tirelessly cheer me on. I look forward to many more years working at Hamilton Princess & Beach Club.”