26 January 2017 – The Board of Directors of NH Hotel Group has unanimously approved to name Ramón Aragonés the Company's Chief Executive Officer. Its decision was supported by a favourable report by the Company's Appointments, Remuneration and Corporate Governance Committee. The Board further resolved to submit a motion for his appointment as Director at the next General Shareholders Meeting. Ramón, currently Executive Director of Business and Operations, will be formally designated CEO at the Board meeting taking place immediately after that General Shareholders Meeting.
Ramón Aragonés has built his entire career in the hotel industry. Since June of last year he has assumed the maximum responsibility as the Group's Executive Director of Business and Operations. In addition to overseeing operations across the Company's nearly 400 hotels, he has executed the portfolio repositioning plan, rolled out the new sales and revenue management strategy and continued with expansion strategy underway in Europe and the Americas, among other initiatives.
His ample track record in the sector and in-depth knowledge of the Group, coupled with his strategic vision, leadership and team management capabilities, were key in his selection for the role. With this appointment, the Company is looking to boost its pace of growth.
“NH Hotel Group is embarking on a new phase of its business plan, a plan I embrace with a sense of determination and responsibility, fully committing to the Company, its shareholders and its employees. My priority, and that of all our teams, during this new phase is to consolidate the Group's transformation project with the objective on maximising value creation for our shareholders and other stakeholders“, said Ramón Aragonés.
Ramón Aragonés has been working at NH Hotel Group, where he has served as Executive Director of Business and Operations, Managing Director of Operations and Director of Operations for the Spain, Portugal and Andorra Business Unit, for eight years. Prior to joining the Group, he worked as General Manager and Director of Operations at Hesperia hotel chain. Before that he was a hotel manager in Spain, Belgium and Venezuela for ten years, as well as Commercial Director at Stab Hotel.
Juan José Andrés, new independent Board Member
During the same meeting, Juan José Andrés Alvez was appointed new independent Director of the Board of NH Hotel Group. For the past 11 years, Andrés has been part of Swissport International, a leading handling company worldwide. Between 2007 and 2016, he was President and Board Member of its subsidiary Swissport Spain and between 2009 and 2016 he also held the position of Executive Vicepresident of its EMEAA and LATAM division.
The appointment of Ramón Aragonés and Juan José Andrés reinforces NH Hotel Group’s principles regarding corporate governance; principles aligned with the various recommendations included in the “Corporate governance code for listed companies” and previously analyzed and based on the needs of the Board of Directors. An independent headhunter, specialized in the search of Directors and C-level executives, participated in both recruitment processes.
