International hotel group Jumeirah has appointed Thomas B Meier as its new chief executive officer.
The seasoned hotel professional joins as the group starts work on plans to double its portfolio of luxury hotels by 2030. He steps up from the chief operating officer role, which he has held at Jumeirah since October 2021. More recently, he has had the opportunity of previewing the top position, acting as interim CEO in recent months.
Expanding internationally
During 2024, Thomas led the launch of the Jumeirah brand into the African continent, with the opening of Jumeirah Thanda Island in Tanzania and Jumeirah Thanda Safari in South Africa. Thanda Island is a unique property in the portfolio, a private island that can be exclusively reserved for a group of guests to enjoy.
“Jumeirah has always set new benchmarks in luxury hospitality, consistently delivering extraordinary guest experiences,” said Thomas. “As we gear up for the opening of Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab and continue to expand into new markets, I am honoured to lead Jumeirah’s next chapter.”
Thomas has a long experience working in the hotel sector, and in luxury hotel properties. He began his career at the Durbar Hotel in Kathmandu, before moving to the Amari Airport Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. In 2000, Thomas moved to become general manager at the Raffles hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, starting a long association with the luxury brand that took him to Singapore. Over the following decade, Thomas succeeded in various roles, shifting into regional management before becoming global vice president of operations for the brand.
In 2013, Thomas took on the role of vice president responsible for hotel openings and integration across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific as Accor stepped up growth of the Fairmont Raffles brand. Prior to joining Jumeirah, he then spent almost six years with Thai group Minor Hotels, where he was SVP operations across Asia.
To achieve its growth ambitions, Jumeirah is expanding both within its established core Middle Eastern markets, as well as looking to build into new parts of the world. Jumeirah Shura island Red Sea, for example, will open later this year in Saudi Arabia as a key component in the Red Sea Development Project, with 159 rooms. While in Dubai, development is nearing completion on the Jumeirah Hotel Marsa Al Arab, a 386 room hotel that is part of the Marsa Al Arab development.
A new hotel in Switzerland
Elsewhere, in Europe the group is working on its next launch on the continent, a reinvention of the flagship Le Richemond hotel overlooking Lake Geneva in Switzerland. The 109 room hotel will open for business during 2025, following an extensive renovation.
China is a major hospitality market that cannot be ignored, and there too Jumeirah is determined to play its part. Jumeirah Hangzhou is due to open later this year, offering guests a luxury place to stay in the central business district of Qianjiang River New Town. The new build, 250 room hotel will be unashamedly modern, in an environment where change is a guaranteed constant.
