MIAMI BEACH, Fla., March 6, 2018 — Nikki Beach Worldwide, the family owned and operated global luxury lifestyle and hospitality brand that is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is focusing on the Hotels & Resorts sector of the business. Newly hired President of Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts Asia Kevin Wallace will lead the division's plans for expansion throughout China, India, Australia and Southeast Asia, while Alexander Schneider will serve as Vice President of Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts in Europe and the Middle East.
"This year, we are celebrating our 20th anniversary as a global brand. I am very proud of what the company has become," says Jack Penrod, founder and owner of Nikki Beach Worldwide. "It's now time to take our growth to the next level with an aggressive, yet well thought out, expansion plan for the Hotels & Resorts division. By segmenting the business into different regions of the globe and putting trusted senior executives at the top of each division, I am confident that our expansion plan will be a great success."
As a seasoned international hospitality executive, Kevin Wallace has held many senior positions within the hotel industry as a CEO, CFO and COO in top Asian markets. Prior to joining Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts, Wallace was President of Centara Hotels and Resorts, Managing Director-Asia of Plateno Hotel Group and Managing Director-Asia Pacific for Dream Hotel Group.
Alexander Schneider has been working with the brand since April 2016, leading the opening of Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai, a project that broke the mold of existing resort concepts in the Middle East. Within six months of opening, this resort ranked in the top 10 of all luxury resorts in Dubai. Proof of the strength of the Nikki Beach brand worldwide, the location's restaurant and beach club revenues equal room revenues, which is remarkable in the market.
Born and raised in Germany, Schneider brings over 17 years of hotel management experience. Schneider has worked with major hotel operators including Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi – UAE, Rixos Properties UAE, Grand Hyatt, Germany and Casa Camper, one of the most successful lifestyle boutique hotels in Berlin. With a track record in pre-opening assignments, as well as providing guidance to companies for their hotel assets, Schneider has a unique ability to work in the space between hotel operations, revenue management, sales and marketing.
"During my time with the brand, I have developed a great understanding of the concept and its potential for growth," says Alexander Schneider. "The combination of a serene resort paired with one of the most happening beach clubs in Dubai proved to be the winning factor while leading one the most successful new openings in the region. As the new generation of travelers appreciates the freedom of choice and brands who create strong connections, I feel this fits in well with Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts plans for expansion."
While Nikki Beach's roots are in luxury beach clubs with 13 destinations worldwide, the Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts portfolio currently includes four resort properties in Koh Samui, Thailand, Porto Heli, Greece, Bodrum, Turkey, and Dubai, UAE. The Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts business model is based on experiential luxury with a very high food and beverage component, which leads to strong returns for investors.
"With rapidly expanding economies in Asia, there is a huge demand for the lifestyle hotel and resort product we're looking to develop," says Kevin Wallace. "The area has become the fastest growing hotel and tourism region in the world. We're taking a very successful food and beverage product, which should be the central focal point for any luxury hotel experience, and expanding on that. We see ourselves expanding across key resort and gateway city destinations with a focus on the hotel, beach club and rooftop concept."
With the recent appointment of Lucia Penrod as CEO of Nikki Beach Worldwide, the brand is poised for success. The shift in responsibilities gives Jack Penrod more time to further develop this new division of the company. There are also plans to develop rooftop locations in major metropolitan areas. And there is an ongoing pipeline of properties to open in the next five years, with a goal to have several in contract within the current year. The Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts division has plans to open over 20 additional properties in the next five years.
Nikki Beach Worldwide has global offices in Miami, Marbella, Geneva, Dubai and Bangkok.
