Mr Kikuhiko Okura appointed as President of both Okura Europe BV and Hotel Okura Amsterdam as well as Corporate Advisor of Hotel Okura Co., Ltd.

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Press release: Mr Kikuhiko Okura appointed as President of both Okura Europe BV and Hotel Okura Amsterdam as well as Corporate Advisor of Hotel Okura Co., Ltd.

7 January 2020 – Hotel Okura Co., Ltd. is honoured to announce the arrival of Mr Kikuhiko Okura, MBA (49) as President of both Okura Europe BV and Hotel Okura Amsterdam, as well as Corporate Advisor of Hotel Okura Co., Ltd. Mr Okura will operate from the hotel chain’s property in Amsterdam.

Mr Okura brings extensive international experience from the finance sector in both the United States and Japan. His last assignment prior to joining Hotel Okura Co., Ltd. was Managing Director of Brown Brothers Harriman. He holds a Master Degree of Business Administration from Cornell University in New York and a Bachelor Degree in Law from Keio University in Tokyo.

In anticipation of the retirement of Mr Marcel P. van Aelst, Executive Vice Chairman of Hotel Okura Co., Ltd., Japan and President and CEO of Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co., Ltd. Japan, Mr Okura will work closely with Mr van Aelst to ensure that the Hotel Okura Group continues investing in international hospitality knowledge beyond Asian borders, while maintaining its integrity, highest service standards and its praised gastronomic offerings. Based in Amsterdam, Mr Okura will focus on further developing the global footprint of Okura Nikko Hotel Management through management contracts and/or equity positions, primarily but not limited to expansion opportunities in Europe.

Mr Michiel Roelfsema, General Manager of Hotel Okura Amsterdam states: “I feel privileged to support Mr Okura to familiarize him with the operational aspect of our industry. His in-depth experience in international finance and investment, combined with the Okura family history, offers the group a unique opportunity to further expand on a global level.” The roles and reporting lines of the management team of Hotel Okura Amsterdam will not change with the arrival of Mr Kikuhiko Okura.

About Hotel Okura Co., Ltd.

Hotel Okura Co., Ltd., founded in 1958, opened its flagship Hotel Okura Tokyo in 1962 as a first-class hotel that quickly became renowned worldwide for its blending of traditional Japanese beauty with the very best in accommodation, cuisine and service. It closed its doors in August 2015, and after four years of rebuilding work, it reopened as The Okura Tokyo in September 2019. Hotel Okura has extensive expertise in the hospitality world, including asset ownership and hotel development, as well as hotel management, restaurant business and chain operations through its subsidiaries and other group companies. The brand unites member hotels under its “Best Accommodation, Cuisine and Service” philosophy to ensure that all guests enjoy Okura’s signature hospitality, which combines Japanese attention to detail and Western functionality. The subsidiary Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co., Ltd. operates 74 properties (49 in Japan and 25 overseas) encompassing some 23,207 guest rooms (as of January, 2020) under three hotel groups: Okura Hotels & Resorts, Nikko Hotels International and Hotel JAL City.