Dorchester Collection, the British luxury hotel group, has announced the appointment of Christopher Cowdray as Chairman of the company, with Helen Smith and Eugenio Pirri becoming joint Managing Directors.
British luxury hotel operator Dorchester Collection has announced major changes to its management team.
Starting with Christopher Cowdray, Dorchester Collection’s current CEO since 2007, who will become Chairman from July 1, 2023. In his new role, Christopher Cowdray will work closely with the Board of Directors to preserve Dorchester Collection’s strategic vision, culture and financial performance. In particular, he will be responsible for leading all development and renovation projects.
Previously, Christopher Cowdray was General Manager of The Dorchester Hotel in London. With 40 years’ international experience, he has managed and developed hotels in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Europe and the USA.
New co-CEOs
Other appointments include Helen Smith and Eugenio Pirri, both promoted to joint CEO of Dorchester Collection.
Helen Smith joined the hotel group in 2005 as Head of Customer Experience at Dorchester. Prior to that, she was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Dorchester Collection for a decade and Director of Sales and Marketing for The Dorchester for three years. A graduate of Cornell University, she has held several key management positions at Sheraton, The Lanesborough, Four Seasons and Skibo Castle.
Eugenio Pirri, whose career spans 30 years, joined Dorchester Collection in 2011 as Vice President of Human Resources and Organizational Development, having previously served as Regional Director of Human Resources at Fairmont Hotels and Resort. In 2017, he was appointed Director of Human Resources and Culture before taking up, from 2021; his current position as Director of Culture and Operations. Prior to that, he was Regional Human Resources Manager for Fairmont Hotels and Resort. He studied tourism and hospitality, as well as labor law and human rights in Vancouver, Canada, before holding several management positions in the hotel industry.
“This decision ensures the continuity of our legendary culture deeply rooted in the community, and allows two of Dorchester Collection’s longest-serving executives, leaders in their fields, to step up. The company will benefit from their distinct and complementary skills in strategic vision, customer and employee focus, and analytical decision-making”, said Christopher Cowdray.
Prospects in Dubai and Tokyo
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