Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has appointed experienced hospitality professional Mark Willis as president, Asia, as it looks to drive forward its success in the region.
Willis will join the global hospitality firm’s executive team in January, responsible for overseeing Mövenpick’s entire Asian operation, including its expansion strategy that targets 30 properties by 2020.
He comes on board with two decades of management, operations and business development experience in the global hospitality sector, most recently as senior area vice president, Middle East, Turkey, and Africa at Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.
“Mark has a proven track record in commercial, strategic, operations and portfolio development roles in established and emerging hospitality markets around the world and this expertise will prove invaluable in ensuring the ongoing prosperity of our Asian business,” said Olivier Chavy, chief executive, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.
“Mövenpick has made a name for itself in Asia, not only as the region’s fastest growing mono-brand hotel company, but as a brand that values its guests, colleagues and its relationship with its business partners and under Mark’s guidance, we will capitalise on this reputation.”
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts currently operates 12 hotels and resorts in six Asian destinations, two of which opened this year – the 312-key Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay, the company’s second hotel in the Philippines, and the 284-room Mövenpick Suriwongse Hotel Chiang Mai, its sixth hotel in Thailand.
“This is an incredibly exciting time to join Mövenpick, which is already regarded as one of Asia’s most service-driven international hotel companies,” said Willis.
“I’m looking forward to building on this status and playing a key role in accelerating the firm’s business development strategy in the region, which is home to many untapped markets where the brand can add value with its unique hospitality concepts.”
British-born Willis has successfully completed a number of senior management programmes at Cornell University in the US and also holds an MBA in international business from Oxford Brookes University in the UK.
As president, Asia, he will take over from Andrew Langdon who will now focus solely on his chief development officer role.
Both Willis and Langdon will be based in Bangkok with their respective families.