Dubai Holding appoints new chief executive for Jumeirah Group

Katerina Giannouka will lead the hotel group, which operates a portfolio of 25 luxury properties

Jumeirah Beach Hotel, one of the luxury properties of Jumeirah Group. Antonie Robertson / The National

Dubai Holding, a diversified global investment company, has appointed Katerina Giannouka as the new chief executive of Jumeirah Group, its flagship hospitality company.

Ms Giannouka will take on the new position in December and replaces Jose Silva, who served in the role from March 2018.

She joins Jumeirah Group from Radisson Hotel Group, where, as president of Asia-Pacific since 2017, she led the execution of a five-year strategic and operating plan, and nearly doubled the size of the hotel portfolio, Dubai Holding said in a statement.

Prior to this, Ms Giannouka worked with Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.

“Given Katerina’s impressive track record as a transformative business leader, as well as her luxury hospitality background and drive to create resilient teams and culture, I am confident that she will build on Jumeirah’s incredible success story and lead the business to new levels of sustainable and accelerated growth across the world,” said Amit Kaushal, group chief executive of Dubai Holding.

Jumeirah group operates a 6,500-key portfolio of 25 luxury properties across the Middle East, Europe and Asia, with flagship properties including the Burj Al Arab and the Madinat Jumeirah resort, Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi and the Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel in Kuwait.

It is also expanding in the luxury serviced hotel residences segment, and in August, unveiled its fourth branded residence in Dubai as part of the new Peninsula waterfront development.

Jumeirah Living Residences Business Bay is expected to be complete in the fourth quarter of 2025, and complements Jumeirah's other residences in the city — Jumeirah Zabeel Saray Royal Residences, Jumeirah Living World Trade Centre Residences and Jumeirah Living Marina Gate.

“The opportunities for Jumeirah are extremely exciting, and I eagerly look forward to commencing this new journey alongside the entire team to unlock the immense potential of the Jumeirah brand and sustainably secure its position on the world stage as the top luxury Emirati hospitality brand recognised and sought-after globally,” Ms Giannouka said.