Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) on Monday announced the appointment of Lothar Wilhelm Nessmann as its new chief executive officer, effective March 1, following the December departure of Bernold Schroder. Nessmann joins PPHG from Shangri-La, where he most recently was instrumental in the development and positioning of its Hotel Jen brand.
Nessman will be responsible for PPHG’s overall performance, operations management, growing the brands in key gateway cities and building stronger partnerships with its hotel owners.
PPHG, a wholly-owned hotel subsidiary of Singapore-listed UOL Group, owns and/or manages over 30 hotels, resorts and serviced suites, with nearly 12,000 rooms, across Asia, Oceania, North America and Europe under its two brands – Pan Pacific and ParkRoyal.
Lothar has close to 30 years luxury hospitality experience in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, the Middle East and Europe. He joins PPHG following a 20-year career with the Shangri-La Group, where he held senior management positions ranging from general manager to vice president of operations and as COO.
“The appointment of Lothar comes at a very strategic time for the group as it continues to expand its presence in major gateway cities across Asia Pacific and gears up to establish its presence in new markets,” said Gwee Lian Kheng, PPHG’s group chief executive.
Lothar joins PPHG in a year that will see the opening of its sixth property in China – the 220-room, flagship Pan Pacific Beijing – and also the Pan Pacific brand’s first foray into Myanmar with the opening of Pan Pacific Yangon, a joint venture project in which it has a 40% share. The Group will also unveil its refreshed ParkRoyal Penang Resort following a US$11 million investment.
Close on the heels of the Beijing and Yangon openings will be Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Puteri Harbour, Johor, the Pan Pacific brand’s first serviced suites product in Malaysia; ParkRoyal Langkawi Resort; and the UOL-owned Pan Pacific London, which will mark PPHG’s first entry into Europe.