Minor Hotels Welcomes New Chief Development and Luxury Officer

APPOINTMENT

Minor Hotels has named industry veteran Omar Romero as its new Chief Development and Luxury Officer. The move follows the group’s rapid global expansion.

In his new role, Romero will drive Minor Hotels’ global development strategy, identifying new business opportunities, overseeing project planning and execution, and managing relationships with key stakeholders. He will also play a pivotal part in shaping and supporting the curation of Minor Hotels’ luxury brands, ensuring exceptional experiences in every project. Based in Bangkok, Romero will report to Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels and Group CEO of Minor International, and work closely with Minor Hotels’ senior leadership team.

Romero brings over two decades of experience to Minor Hotels. He most recently served as Chief Development Officer at Six Senses, leading the global development team for over half his tenure. During his career, Romero spearheaded signing more than 50 Hotel Management Agreements and multiple branded residence projects. His extensive global expertise will drive Minor Hotels’ expansion and strengthen its prestigious footprint worldwide.

Rajakarier commented on the appointment: “At Minor Hotels, creating iconic destinations is at the heart of our success, especially for our experiential luxury brand, Anantara. Omar’s extensive experience in identifying exceptional locations and his dedication to building lasting partnerships make him the perfect leader to drive our global development ambitions. We are confident that with his expertise, Minor Hotels will continue expanding its footprint and creating inspiring, memorable experiences for our guests worldwide.”

Romero added, “I’m thrilled to join Minor Hotels, an organisation that delivers exceptional value to owners, guests, investors and our team. I’m particularly excited about the potential to grow our branded residential offerings alongside our hotel and resort portfolio, a space where I’ve seen incredible opportunities for value creation. I look forward to working with the team to develop iconic destinations and build strong partnerships that will shape the future of our brands.”

Romero holds degrees from the prestigious École Hôtelière de Lausanne and Les Roches Hotel Management School, bringing extensive knowledge and passion to his work. As a true globetrotter, he enjoys discovering exciting development opportunities worldwide and is dedicated to delivering exceptional guest experiences in every project he completes.

Romero has been appointed as the Chief Development and Luxury Officer of Minor Hotels, marking a significant step in the hospitality group’s ongoing expansion efforts. Recently, Puneet Dhawan joined Minor Hotels in Bangkok as the Head of Asia, and the group announced that Gonzalo Aguilar will take over the position of CEO for Europe and the Americas, replacing Ramón Aragonés, who will retire in January 2025. Dhawan and Aguilar bring extensive experience from leading hospitality companies, putting them in a solid position to drive the group’s growth in their respective regions.