Oetker Hotels strengthens its Executive Leadership Team
Oetker Hotels today announces a series of senior leadership appointments as the company enters an exciting new chapter, following several years of evolution and growing momentum across its international portfolio. Duarte Bon de Sousa has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer and will join the Executive Committee; Virginie Saint-Laurent has been promoted to Chief People & Culture Officer; and Simon Neggers has been promoted to Chief Commercial Officer. The appointments come at a defining moment for Oetker Hotels.
This year saw the opening of The Vineta Hotel in Palm Beach, bringing the brand to the United States for the first time. Set to debut in June 2027, Le Mas Bellevue in Saint-Tropez will join the portfolio, adding a new expression of the French Riviera to a collection that already includes Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc and Chateau Saint-Martin & Spa. With demand for highly individual, experience-led hospitality continuing to shape the upper end of the luxury market, Oetker Hotels sees significant potential ahead. Its next chapter will encompass both the thoughtful expansion of its hotel portfolio and the development of Oetker branded residences, extending the company’s distinctive approach to hospitality into exceptional private homes. Growth will remain deliberately selective, focused on places and opportunities where Oetker Hotels believes it can create something truly special.
Duarte Bon de Sousa Appointed Chief Operating Officer
Duarte Bon de Sousa has been promoted from Vice President Operations to Chief Operating Officer, joining the Executive Committee of Oetker Hotels. Bon de Sousa joined Oetker Hotels in 2013 and brings deep operational experience from across the collection. Before taking on his most recent role, he spent many years as General Manager of two of Oetker Hotels’ French properties, Chateau Saint-Martin & Spa on the Côte d’Azur and L’Apogée Courchevel in the French Alps. As Chief Operating Officer, he will assume overall responsibility for hotel operations across the Group. His remit will also extend to project development and design, creating a closer connection between how new hotels are conceived, developed, and ultimately brought to life for guests.
Virginie Saint-Laurent Appointed Chief People & Culture Officer
Virginie Saint-Laurent has been promoted to Chief People & Culture Officer and will continue to serve on the Executive Committee. During her 15 years with Oetker Hotels, Saint-Laurent has played an integral role in shaping the company’s culture and supporting its evolution, demonstrating exceptional resilience and leadership through some of the most important periods in its development. In her expanded role, she will continue to lead the Group’s global People & Culture function and strategy, while also assuming responsibility for Sustainability. As Oetker Hotels grows, she will focus on developing the leadership and talent needed to support the Group’s ambitions while ensuring that the company retains the closeness, individuality, and strong sense of belonging that have long distinguished its culture.
Simon Neggers Appointed Chief Commercial Officer
Simon Neggers has been promoted from Senior Vice President Sales, Marketing & Communications to Chief Commercial Officer and will continue to serve on the Executive Committee. Since joining Oetker Hotels in 2020, Neggers has played a significant role in the development of the company and its global commercial and brand strategy. In his expanded role, he will lead Sales, Marketing, and Communications across the Group, with a broader commercial mandate as Oetker Hotels continues to grow its international presence. Neggers will also lead Oetker Hotels’ move into branded residences, overseeing the development of this new strategic business area as the company extends its distinctive approach to hospitality and service beyond hotels and into exceptional private homes.
Commenting on the appointments, Timo Gruenert, CEO of Oetker Hotels, said: “There is a wonderful momentum at Oetker Hotels today. The Vineta Hotel has opened an entirely new chapter for us in the United States, Saint-Tropez is next, and we see some very exciting opportunities ahead in Europe and beyond. We are also preparing to take the Oetker experience beyond our hotels for the first time, with the development of Oetker branded residences – a natural extension of our refined approach to hospitality, service, and beautiful living.
“What excites me most is that these opportunities allow us to grow while remaining very true to who we are. We remain absolutely focused on the creation of Masterpieces, rather than pursuing scale for its own sake. And as the world of ultra-luxury hospitality evolves, I believe we are beautifully positioned: travelers increasingly value individuality, warmth, a sense of belonging, and genuine human connection – qualities that have been at the heart of our hotels for more than 150 years.
“Duarte, Virginie, and Simon have each played an important role in bringing Oetker Hotels to where it is today. They know our company deeply, share our ambitions for its future and, above all, lead in a way that reflects our values of Family Spirit, Elegance, and Genuine Kindness. Their expanded roles give us an even stronger leadership team for what comes next, and I am delighted that we will shape this next chapter together.”
The Oetker Hotels Executive Committee will continue to include Philippe Perd, Managing Director of Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, and Jens Hackebeil, Chief Financial Officer, while Fabrice Moizan, incoming Managing Director and President of Le Bristol Paris, will join the Executive Committee from October 1 as he takes up his new role. Together with Gruenert, Bon de Sousa, Saint-Laurent, and Neggers, they will form the Executive Committee that will lead Oetker Hotels into its next chapter.
Olivier Bihel Promoted to Senior Vice President Design & Project Development
Alongside the Executive Committee appointments, Olivier Bihel has been promoted from Vice President Project Development to Senior Vice President Design & Project Development and will join the Senior Leadership Team, reporting to Duarte Bon de Sousa. In his expanded role, Bihel will take the lead on design across the company’s development projects, with a particular focus on interior design, alongside his existing project development responsibilities. He will work closely with the Group’s creative partners to ensure that each current and future hotel has a distinct identity and a strong sense of place, while meeting Oetker Hotels’ exacting standards of design, craftsmanship, and quality.
ABOUT OETKER HOTELS
Oetker Hotels is an exceptional portfolio of Masterpiece Hotels and villas in Europe, UK, USA, Brazil, and the Caribbean. Located in the world’s most desirable destinations, each property is a landmark and an icon of elegance, blending legendary hospitality with genuine family spirit that is unique to Oetker Hotels. The brand’s mission is to preserve and extend its unparalleled standards through acquisition and management of one-of-a-kind properties. In addition to over 250 villas around the world, the portfolio includes Le Bristol Paris, Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa in Baden-Baden, Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, Chateau Saint-Martin & Spa in Vence, The Lanesborough in London, L’Apogée Courchevel, Eden Rock - St Barths, Jumby Bay Island in Antigua, Palácio Tangara in Sao Paulo, Hotel La Palma in Capri, and now The Vineta Hotel in Palm Beach. In 2027, Oetker Hotels will open Le Mas Bellevue Saint-Tropez.... Continue reading (Members Only) - Unlock Advantages with a LHN Membership - Read more here
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