Dubai
Jumeirah, Dubai’s government-owned hotel group, said on Wednesday it had appointed Jose Silva as the new company’s new chief executive.
Jumeirah said that Silva would bring over 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including almost 25 years with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.
The group, which owns the Burj Al Arab, said in July 2017 that its chief executive at the time, Stefan Leser, was leaving for “purely personal reasons.”
The arrival of Leser would be the first time in 18 years that Jumeirah had ushered in a new chief executive, following nearly two decades with Gerald Lawless at the helm.
Leser’s time at the company would be short-lived, however, with the German leaving a little over a year after taking over.
Now, nearly six months later, Silva arrives from his role as regional vice president overseeing France, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal for Four Seasons.
In addition, Silva was general manager of the highly acclaimed Hotel George V in Paris.
According to a statement from Jumeirah, he is regarded by the industry as an innovative mind and a hotelier who is consistently redefining the new norm of luxury.
As chief executive officer of Jumeirah, they added, Silva would be responsible for its international expansion, while continuing to elevate the brand and its growing portfolio, “building on the company’s success over the years.”
Abdulla Al Habbai, chairman of parent company Dubai Holding said in a separate statement: “We are determined to continue developing Jumeirah into a globally recognised national champion; setting new industry benchmarks for world class service and quality.”
