Jim Petrus named CEO of Lotte Hotels & Resorts Americas

Lotte Hotels Corp. has appointed Jim Petrus CEO of Lotte Hotels & Resorts Americas, effective immediately. Over the course of more than 30 years in the industry, Petrus has held senior roles in Blackstone/BRE Hotels & Resorts, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and Hyatt Hotels Corp. 

“[Petrus] was instrumental in building the best culture and business strategy for all the brands he has touched. We are tremendously optimistic for all that Jim has to offer to Lotte Hotels & Resorts and we are thrilled to have him usher in the next generation of success for the brand in the Americas,” said David Kim, Lotte Hotel Corp. president and CEO. “He understands our business, our company and our people, and I'm confident he is the right leader to drive our culture and business forward.”

Jim Petrus
Jim Petrus (Lotte Hotels Corp.)

Before joining Lotte Hotels & Resorts, Petrus was with Blackstone/BRE, where he was SVP of asset management - Hawaii hotels and resorts. Petrus also held several key roles with Starwood within the St. Regis brand, including global brand leader and SVP of operations. Earlier, he held several senior-level positions with Hyatt. Petrus is a graduate of the hotel school at Michigan State University.

“I am honored to be given the opportunity to take the helm of Lotte Hotels & Resorts in the Americas,” Petrus said. “I see so much potential for our Lotte Hotel brands, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to bring awareness of these brands to both the luxury and lifestyle travel markets in this corner of the world. With the support of our exceptional team in Korea, I am confident that we will advance the expansion strategy that we now have in place, while also building on an exceptional hospitality culture and providing new growth opportunities for our team members, guests and investors.”

Lotte Hotels & Resorts entered the North American market in 2015 with the acquisition of Manhattan’s Lotte New York Palace hotel and further expanded its footprint in 2020 with the opening of Lotte Hotel Seattle. Lotte plans to open more than 20 hotels over the next five years, targeting key gateway cities, tech centers and resort destinations in the Americas. Lotte currently has 34 properties with 11,200 rooms and an additional three properties in the pipeline. Lotte Hotel brands include the luxury Signiel brand, the lifestyle L7 brand and the signature Lotte Hotels brand.