JAL Hotels Co., Ltd., Nikko Hotels' Operator, Appoints New CEO
	JAL Hotels Co., Ltd., which operates Nikko Hotels International, a group of luxury hotels, and Hotel JAL City, a mid-priced business hotel chain in Japan, announced at its annual shareholders meeting and board of directors meeting today the appointment of Katsumi Chiyo as president and CEO. He will succeed Mamoru Tsutsumi.
Chiyo's previous position was as president and CEO, JALways Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (JAL), JAL Hotels' parent company. He has been with JAL for 38 years, since graduating from Waseda University with a degree in Political Science and Economics. He has held numerous executive positions both inside Japan and in the United States over the years, including serving on the board of directors of JAL. "Over the past two years, JAL Hotels Co., Ltd. made significant progress towards its goals in further internationalization, especially noteworthy in the Middle East, where no other Japanese hospitality company has ventured," said Katsumi Chiyo. "This is thanks in great part to the positive leadership of Mamoru Tsutsumi. I am confident in the ability of our staff to continue moving to the next level of growth in the global marketplace." Story continues below ↓ Advertisement Tsutsumi became president and CEO of JAL Hotels Co., Ltd. in June 2006. During his tenure, the company expanded in China, and opened its first Middle East hotel while signing contracts for two others. Nikko Hotels International is an international luxury hotel group operated by JAL Hotels Co., Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo. In addition to Nikko Hotels, JAL Hotels also operates Hotel JAL City, a chain of 13 mid-priced hotels for business travelers in Japan. The company currently has 59 hotels with 18,829 rooms worldwide, in Europe, the Middle East, the Americas and throughout Japan and the Asia/Pacific region. Future openings include two hotels in China: 388-room Hotel Nikko Shanghai in Summer 2009 and 500-room Hotel Nikko Wuxi in Autumn 2009, as well as two Nikko Hotels International properties in the Middle East: 478-room Hotel JAL Tower Dubai in 2009, and 300-room Hotel JAL Bahrain Resort & Spa, also in 2009.