Dubai’s Jumeirah Group Chooses Thomas Meier as Next CEO

Thomas Meier has served as Jumeirah’s interim CEO on two separate occasions. To execute Jumeirah’s 2030 Mission, he would need to open 25 hotels in five years.

Thomas Meier is the next CEO of Jumeirah Group, the luxury state-owned hospitality company of the Dubai government. Meier has served as the group’s interim CEO since February last year but he’s now officially in the role, according to a press release sent Thursday by Jumeirah.

Jumeirah had been without a permanent CEO for 11 months after Katerina Giannouka suddenly stepped down as chief. Not including interim CEOs, Meier is the fifth CEO of Jumeirah, with the group going through three CEOs between 2016 and 2024.

Meier has been with the group since 2021, joining as COO but serving as interim CEO on two occasions, once when then-CEO Jose Silva left and then again when Giannouka left.

“As Chief Executive Officer, Thomas will spearhead Jumeirah’s bold plans to double its portfolio by 2030, focusing on international expansion and solidifying its position as a global leader in luxury hospitality,” says the release.

The group’s expansion plan is referred to as its “2030 Mission” — to push the Dubai brand beyond the Middle East and into global locations.

Not including residential projects, Jumeirah has 26 hotels listed on its website as of January 2025. Executing the 2030 Mission would mean 50 total hotels in the next five years. For an ultra-luxury brand like Jumeirah, this is an aggressive expansion plan and will likely require conversion deals of existing hotels rather than building new properties.

Jumeirah does have a non-luxury brand known as Zabeel House, which would be easier to grow, but it is just one hotel in the portfolio right now.

Meier is credited as leading Jumeirah’s two acquisitions in Africa at the end of last year, with the launch of Jumeirah Thanda Island in Tanzania and Jumeirah Thanda Safari in South Africa.

Jumeirah as a hospitality brand was born in 1997 with the opening of Jumeirah Beach Hotel and became part of Dubai Holding in 2004, Dubai’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum‘s own holding company. During Giannouka’s stint, Jumeirah announced a project in Geneva, and Dubai Holding bought the Westin in Paris, which many think will become a Jumeirah one day.

Commenting on his appointment, Meier said: “I am honored to lead Jumeirah’s next chapter. With bold ambitions, Jumeirah will continue to innovate, staying ahead of industry trends and exceeding the ever-evolving expectations of the most discerning guests. Our vision is to establish Jumeirah as one of the foremost influential hospitality brands worldwide.”

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