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Jumeirah Group’s Katerina Giannouka has stepped down from her role as CEO a little over a year after she took over the reins to spearhead the expansion plans of the Dubai-based hospitality group.
The company’s staff was first made aware of Giannouka’s resignation in an internal communication from Jumeirah Group’s parent company Dubai Holding on Tuesday.
In a statement to Zawya, Jumeriah Group confirmed the news, saying Giannouka was “taking time to address some family matters, before embarking on new opportunities.”
Commenting on her departure, Giannouka, said in a statement: “It has been an honour to work with Jumeirah Group and Dubai Holding, and to have put in place the foundations for accelerated growth through 2030 and beyond.”
Giannouka took over the role of a CEO in December 2022, joining the Jumeirah Group from the Radisson Hotel Group, where, as President Asia-Pacific since 2017, she led the execution of a five-year strategic and operating plan.
Prior to this, Giannouka led the Asia-Pacific and China Development team of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.
In May last year, Giannouka talked about Jumeirah’s its growth in key cities and resort destinations worldwide.
“We are entering a new era for the Jumeirah brand, with a focus on brand evolution and expansion. With a proven track record building and operating successful resort destinations in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, we believe the time is right to extend our portfolio into new key city and resort locations, acquiring great assets and showing the world what’s next for luxury hospitality,” she said at the time.
Earlier this month, she also oversaw Jumeirah Group’s first hotel opening in Saudi Arabia with the Jumeirah Jabal Omar Makkah.
Currently, the Jumeirah Group operates 26 properties across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.
(Reporting by Bindu Rai, editing by Seban Scaria)
