Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has appointed Amir Lababedi to spearhead its expansion strategy in Europe and North Africa.
Lababedi, who has played a key role leading Mövenpick in the Middle East and Africa, with 47 properties across 10 Arab countries, has assumed the newly-created vice president development Europe & North Africa role, and will be based in London.
“Our ambition is to accelerate our growth in Europe through a combination of leases and management agreements for our well-established upscale Mövenpick brand and by rolling out our extended stay/long-stay product offering, Mövenpick Residences, in the region for the first time,” said the company’s chief development officer, Andrew Langdon.
“We are fortunate that Amir, an experienced hotel developer, will be driving our strategy in Europe and North Africa – one that is underpinned by our dynamism, flexibility, reinvigorated design philosophy, true owner-centric management values and of course, the exceptional hospitality and pioneering food and beverage concepts for which Mövenpick is globally renowned.”
Before joining Mövenpick, Lababedi was associate director at leading global hotel consulting and valuation firm, HVS, based in Dubai, a company he also previously worked for in London. He has also held managerial positions with Abu Dhabi-based sovereign wealth funds in their real estate departments.
“I’m extremely excited to relocate to Europe at such a pivotal time for Mövenpick and I look forward to leading the development team to ensure the company’s vigorous growth aspirations for the region are realised,” said Lababedi.
“Our willingness to operate hotels under lease agreements in Europe will enable us to consider a much wider variety of projects while addressing the needs of investors seeking a stable income stream.”
