Oetker Hotels has announced several senior leadership appointments. 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.
Duarte Bon de Sousa joined Oetker Hotels in 2013 and brings deep operational experience from across the collection. Before taking on his most recent role as VP of operations, 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.
While serving as chief people & culture officer, Virginie Saint-Laurent will also continue serving 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. She will continue to lead the group’s global people & culture function and strategy, while also assuming responsibility for sustainability.
Simon Neggers has been promoted from SVP of sales, marketing & communications to chief commercial officer and will continue to serve on the Executive Committee. Since joining Oetker Hotels in 2020, Neggers has helped in the development of the company and its global commercial and brand strategy.
“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,” said Timo Gruenert, CEO of Oetker Hotels.
The Oetker Hotels Executive Committee will continue to include Philippe Perd, managing director of Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, and Jens Hackebeil, CFO, 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.
Alongside the executive appointments, Olivier Bihel has been promoted from VP of project development to SVP of 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.
Oetker Hotels’ next chapter will encompass both the expansion of its hotel portfolio and the development of the Oetker branded residences. The appointments come at a defining moment for the company. This year, it opened The Vineta Hotel in Palm Beach, bringing the brand to the United States for the first time. In addition, Le Mas Bellevue in Saint-Tropez will join its French Riviera portfolio, set to debut in June 2027.