Raffles Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of John Johnston as President, Raffles Hotels & Resorts, with effect from 10 August 2009.
John joins Raffles Hotels & Resorts at an exciting time as the group prepares to open 3 new properties in Tianjin, Paris and Makkah over the next 12 months. Raffles Hotels & Resorts presently has 15 properties under development.
John brings a wealth of global experience and in depth knowledge of the hospitality industry to Raffles Hotels & Resorts. An accomplished hotelier, he has devoted his career to the industry which has seen him take up senior positions with renowned hotel brands in Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East.
For colleagues at Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, John is a familiar figure as he has been with the company since 1998. In recent years, he has been responsible for development efforts of Fairmont Raffles Hotels International in the Middle East. Within the company, John has held the appointments of President of Delta Hotels & Resorts, Chairman of Delta Hotels & Resorts and Executive Vice President, Europe, Middle East & Africa for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts where he had oversight of the group's portfolio and new developments in the region.
John has also spent 15 years with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, first as Vice President, Development, where he was based in Toronto and then Regional Vice President, Asia, where he helped establish Four Seasons' initial presence in Asia.
Chris Cahill, Chief Operating Officer, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, said, "We are delighted to have John take on such an important role in the company. John has extensive experience in all aspects of the hospitality business and a keen understanding of the attributes that distinguish Raffles Hotels & Resorts. We are confident that he will provide both the leadership and vision to lead Raffles Hotels & Resorts into its next phase of growth."
As President, Raffles Hotels & Resorts, John will be based in Raffles Hotels & Resorts' brand office in Singapore.
