Two high-profile luxury hoteliers are in the news on Wednesday with Jerry Inzerillo leaving his CEO post at Forbes Travel Guide to become CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) in Saudi Arabia, and recently departed Small Luxury Hotels of the World CEO Filip Boyen taking over as CEO at Forbes Travel.
Inzerillo, who will remain on the board at Forbes Travel Guide, was named to his new position by His Royal Highness Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of DGDA. He will oversee the restoration of Diriyah and develop a number of major new historical and tourism assets, including museums, academic institutions and “edutainment” facilities, as well as resorts, restaurants, wellness facilities and high-end retail in a 7.1 million square meter development on the west side of Riyadh. The initiative is a key deliverable in the Crown Prince’s 2030 Vision to modernize the Saudi state.
“This is truly an inspired time in this extraordinary country,” Inzerillo said. “I am particularly grateful to lead a world-class team in the development of this historic site, which will give the world its truest window into the soul and spirit of this land, its welcoming people and their rich history. Diriyah will be one of the great gatherings places in the world.”
For Boyen, his charge is to scale Forbes Travel Guide from evaluating and verifying luxury hospitality in 60 countries to 100 countries by the end of 2019. He was most recently the CEO of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, which he joined in 2015 following decades of stewardship with Orient Express Hotels and Resorts where his last role was chief operation officer at Belmond. He will continue to work out of London.
“We are very excited to welcome Filip to the company as CEO with his valuable operational and revenue-growth expertise focusing on the development of new and expanded opportunities for our business,” said Forbes Travel Guide Chairman Jeff Arnold. “His extensive experience in luxury hospitality, commitment to guest service and proven track record as a global operator of luxury brands will help us to continue our growth while remaining true to our commitment of unbiased excellence at this dynamic time of globalization in the luxury market.”