Wyndham Hotel Group, whose portfolio is 16 brands encompassing nearly 8,000 hotels globally, has named Philippe Bijaoui its chief development officer for Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa (EMEA). In this role, he will oversee Wyndham's expansion across the region.
Bijaoui comes to Wyndham after serving as VP of development Europe for InterContinental Hotel Group. He has more than 20 years of hotel real estate and development experience in markets across EMEA. Bijaoui also previously held senior development roles with Rezidor, Club Med, HVS International, City Hotels S.A. and Groupe Immobilière Hôtelière. Bijaoui has a Master of Business Administration with a focus on hotel and catering management from I.M.H.I. Cornell, and speaks multiple European languages.
"All around the world a rapidly growing middle class is discovering the excitement of international travel. Wyndham Hotel Group's development strategy is bold but simple—we work with local partners to bring quality accommodation to a diverse number of locations, so that, no matter where adventure leads, our guests can find the hotel brands they know and love," said Daniel Ruff, president and managing director EMEA for Wyndham Hotel Group. "Philippe has a stellar reputation in the EMEA development community, and I am confident he is the best person to lead our aggressive expansion plans for the region."
"I am very much looking forward to accelerating Wyndham Hotel Group's growth in EMEA. Destinations across the region are in need of an international standard of hotel accommodation for growing inbound and domestic visitor numbers, and Wyndham Hotel Group has only begun to tap the potential in these markets," said Bijaoui. "In addition, the breadth of brands ranging from economy to luxury, as well as the power of being part of Wyndham Hotel Group and Wyndham Worldwide, gives us tremendous opportunity to introduce new innovative products in markets where certain segments may be currently under represented."
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