Yotel names former Marriott exec as CEO

LONDON — London-based Yotel has named Marriott International veteran Phil Andreopoulos as CEO to direct plans to double its global hotel portfolio to 15,000 rooms by 2030.

Andreopoulos has held multiple senior leadership roles for Marriott across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, most recently serving as chief commercial officer for EMEA. Previously at Marriott, he served as chief operating officer for owner and franchise services EMEA and Sub-Saharan Africa.

His appointment follows the news in April that Yotel’s majority shareholder, Sharjah, UAE-based Al-Bahar Group, has acquired an additional 30% stake in the company, which was previously held by Starwood Capital Group. Al-Bahar’s holdings in Yotel are now more than 95%.

Yotel's portfolio has three brands  – Yotel (in city centers), YotelPad (extended-stay) and YotelAir (near airports) – and 23 operating hotels across 16 major cities and airports around the world. It also has 11 hotels in the pipeline due to open over the next 24 months.

Talal Al Bahar, chairman of Yotel and Al-Bahar Group, said in a news release: “Yotel’s success over the last 15 years has been exemplary, from start-up concept into the global company it is today… Now, it is time to scale the business further. Phil Andreopoulos brings a wealth of commercial and operational experience and under his leadership, Yotel will enhance its distribution, direct business contribution and loyalty proposition. He will also drive expansion of both the managed and franchise businesses in key markets.”

"I’m thrilled to join Yotel at such a pivotal moment in its growth,” Andreopoulos said in the release. “The pioneering concept and global footprint mean Yotel's global recognition supersedes its size and that, paired with the agility of being independent, creates a unique opportunity to scale quickly and offer owners, investors and franchisees the speed and innovation they crave in the industry.”