Jumeirah Group, the luxury hospitality company and member of Dubai Holding, has appointed Niamh O’Connell as its first VP, well-being, group and corporate.
The move is part of the group’s renewed focus to elevate the wellness offering across its portfolio and craft distinctive experiences that meet the needs of today’s luxury traveler, according to the company.
With nearly three decades of experience in luxury wellness and hospitality across Europe, the U.S. and the Asia-Pacific region, O’Connell works alongside Jumeirah Group’s hotel and operations teams to craft an all-encompassing well-being strategy. This includes spa services, fitness offerings, longevity programs, therapies and holistic wellness, as well as branding, design and programming.
Katerina Giannouka, CEO, Jumeirah Group, said, “The relationship our guests have with wellness and well-being today has transcended from isolated treatments offering a functional fix to an all-encompassing guided approach to longevity, life balance and self-care. Niamh is a world-class expert in this space, and I’m delighted to have her join our team at Jumeirah Group as the VP of well-being. This is a new role we deemed essential as we begin to invest strongly in advancing our well-being offering through new concepts, therapies and partnerships, designed to enrich the life and wellness experience of our guests while staying at Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts.”
Prior to joining Jumeirah Group, O’Connell held senior roles at Hyatt, and most recently, was the group VP at Rosewood Hotel Group, where she was responsible for the strategic development of wellness and brand experience.
Commenting on her new role, O’Connell said, “It is a true privilege to join Jumeirah Group at this pivotal moment in the brand’s journey. Over the past three years, a remarkable shift in the landscape of well-being has been witnessed, and now the industry stands on the brink of an exhilarating transformation. I look forward to inspiring a new approach to well-being across our hotels and resorts, guided by the principles of lifelong learning, longevity and inclusivity. By adopting this approach, my aim is to ensure we empower our guests to enhance their physical and emotional well-being through sustainable wellness practices.”