Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group Kempinski Hotels has appointed a new Chief Executive Officer as it prepares for impressive growth in new regions worldwide and more spectacular properties on the horizon.

Barbara Muckermann led Silversea Cruises (part of Royal Caribbean Group), the world’s largest ultra-luxury and expedition cruise line, and has now joined the iconic global luxury hospitality brand with 82 hotels in 36 countries.

Kempinski, which is associated with a high standard of quality that has been introduced into new upwardly-mobile markets, intends to add another 34 hotels and residences to its portfolio in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa in the coming years.

“I could not be more thrilled to be joining Kempinski Hotels as CEO during such a pivotal time for the brand”, said Muckermann.

“I am delighted to play an integral role in this incredibly iconic brand’s next chapter while honouring its rich history, and very much look forward to working in tandem with amazing colleagues globally to continue to make the Kempinski name synonymous with individual luxury.”

René Nijhof, Chairman of the Board of Directors Kempinski Hotels S.A., said: “Barbara has always been at the forefront of luxury, and her proven ability to elevate the guest experience while simultaneously maximising profitability for leading travel brands made her the ideal choice to lead Kempinski Hotels.

“Her dynamic, forward-thinking approach will be vital as we continue to usher in a new era of luxury for our brand. As Barbara takes the helm, she will be the first woman in the company’s 127 years of history to lead this iconic brand.”

During her more than 25 years of hospitality experience, she has successfully expanded sales and profitability as well as significantly upgraded the guest and customer experience for leading global brands in luxury and travel including Loro Piana, MSC Cruises and NCL.

A German native, having lived in Italy, France and the USA, Muckermann is fluent in five languages and has a doctorate in political sciences and economics, and holds a joint MBA from Columbia and London Business School. – TradeArabia News Service