Nicholas Clayton, formerly the head of Viceroy Hotel Group, is joining Jumeirah Group as its chief operating officer and Guy Crawford, the Dubai hospitality group's chief executive, is retiring, it was announced yesterday.
Mr Clayton, from the United States, was the president of Viceroy, which is 50 per cent owned by Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Development, a strategic investment company owned by the Abu Dhabi Government.
At Viceroy, Mr Clayton led a team of 3,500 employees in 15 properties.
He is joining Jumeirah Group, based in Dubai, "at a time of significant expansion with the company doubling the number of hotels under management from 2011 to 2012 and now having a presence in 11 countries round the globe", said Gerald Lawless, the executive chairman of Jumeirah Group.
"His experience and leadership skills will help steer the company towards continued success and profitable growth in key markets."
Mr Crawford, who has been with the group for 10 years, plans to retire in June.
The company said Mr Crawford had played an important role in building the brand during his decade with the group.
"In that time the company has grown into a portfolio of 20 luxury five-star hotels and hotel residences with a portfolio of other profitable businesses including restaurants, spas, water parks and the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management," Jumeirah said.
Jumeirah Group manages hotels including the Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai.
This year, the group is planning to open its Jumeirah Port Sóller Hotel & Spa in Mallorca, Spain, a hotel in Baku, Azerbaijan, a property in Kuwait, and one in Jumeirah Creekside in Dubai.
Jumeirah Group has had a series of openings in the past year, including properties in the Maldives, Shanghai, and Abu Dhabi.
It has also taken on the management of properties in London, Rome and Istanbul this year.
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