Appointments

Jumeirah appoints Thomas B. Meier as CEO

By Anjum Khan

Jumeirah,  a leading luxury hospitality group, has appointed Thomas B. Meier as its new Chief Executive Officer, with immediate effect. 

Thomas, who has been serving the company in the capacity of Chief Operating Office since 2021, was appointed as interim CEO after former CEO Katerina Giannouka announced resignation in June 2024. 

In his new role, Thomas brings nearly 30 years of industry leadership experience, and played a pivotal role in driving growth and expansion of Jumeirah in Africa, launching Jumeirah Thanda Island in Tanzania and Jumeirah Thanda Safari in South Africa, and global expansion of renowned brands including Raffles. He will also focus on leadership development and hiring senior leaders bolstering efforts for global expansion.

Announcing the appointment on LinkedIn, the company posted, “We are excited to announce the appointment and promotion of Thomas B. Meier as Jumeirah’s new CEO, transitioning from his role as Interim CEO, marking the start of an ambitious chapter in our journey. As Chief Executive Officer, Thomas will spearhead Jumeirah’s bold plans to double our portfolio by 2030, focusing on international expansion and solidifying our position as a global leader in luxury hospitality.”

Sharing the excitement for his new role, Thomas said, “Jumeirah has always set new benchmarks in luxury hospitality, consistently delivering extraordinary guest experiences. As we gear up for the opening of Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab and continue to expand into new markets, I am honoured to lead Jumeirah’s next chapter. With bold ambitions, Jumeirah will continue to innovate, staying ahead of industry trends and exceeding the ever-evolving expectations of the most discerning guests. Our vision is to establish Jumeirah as one of the foremost influential hospitality brands worldwide."

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Before joining Jumeirah, Thomas worked with Minor Hotels as the Senior Vice President of Asia Ops, and prior to that he served as VP of Hotel Openings & Integration Europe, MEA, APAC at Fairmont Raffles Hotels Int’l, VP of Global Operations at Raffles Hotels & Resorts, General Manager at Swissôtel The Stamford & Raffles The Plaza, and Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh. He began his hospitality leadership journey with Durbar Hotel Kathmandu in Dubai. 

Jumeirah also appointed Frederic Chardot as the Chief Human Resources Officer in September 2024 to lead HR functions, including talent acquisition, employee engagement, and organisational development, in alignment with the company's growth and brand evolution goals. Announcing his new role, Frederic posted, "Time to share with you all my excitement about joining the Jumeirah family. We’ve all heard about luxury as an experience... then luxury hospitality is certainly the ultimate experience and the future of luxury. Thank you to all my Jumeirah colleagues for your warm welcome. I can already feel the #spiritofjumeirah!"

Frederic, along with the new CEO, Thomas, will oversee the alignment of the group's strategic objectives with its human capital agenda and HR policies.

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