NEW YORK, Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ace Group International today announces the appointment of new executive positions within the company, designed to strengthen the leadership team and foster accelerated growth as the company continues to expand internationally.
Former Ace Hotel London Managing Director, Chris Penn, rejoins Ace in the role of CEO. Throughout his 25-year hospitality career, Penn has operated independent hotels across a broad spectrum of markets, most notably the lifestyle sector. Penn opened Ace Hotel London in 2013, driving financial success for the asset while helping usher in a wave of business and cultural transformation in the Shoreditch neighborhood. He founded the UK-based lifestyle brand Birch in 2020 (The Times and Sunday Times‘ Hotel of The Year 2020) and has consulted on a diverse range of hospitality experiences, including longer-stay accommodations, eco-tourism and urban lifestyle hotels. Chris will oversee all facets of the business and be responsible for driving growth and commercial success across the portfolio.
Mostafa Abdella has been appointed Chief Operating Officer. Abdella’s 25 years of experience in the hotel industry has seen him hold positions of increasing seniority in finance before moving into managing director roles. Abdella was the Managing Director of Ace Hotel London following Penn’s tenure, and rejoins Ace following consulting projects in The United Kingdom, Egypt, the UAE, Canada and Greece. Abdella will oversee finance, revenue, operations, food and beverage, IT and HR, with a focus on delivering consistently high guest experience and increasing profitability.
Managing Partner of Ace Group International / Atelier Ace Brad Wilson says, “Chris and Mostafa are both seasoned, highly regarded operators with global experience and an intimate understanding of the Ace brand. Their long history of successful partnership will be a major advantage as we continue to seek development opportunities both domestically and internationally. I look forward to combining our expertise and working hand-in-hand to deliver growth and commercial success to our development partners.”
Ace is also pleased to announce the appointment of Meriem Soliman to the position of Chief Brand Officer. Soliman first joined Ace in 2012 in the role of General Counsel, through which she developed an understanding of every element of the business, from design and marketing to finance and operations. In 2021, Meriem took on the role of President in addition to the General Counsel role.
Wilson says, “Meriem knows the Ace brand inside and out, and has been a key part of its evolution over the last decade. Her relationships across art and design, food and beverage, and cultural and non-profit institutions are unmatched and there’s no one that makes a more natural steward of the brand at this moment in time. This role shift will allow Meriem to apply her enormous amount of knowledge about the commercial side of the business to the brand side, developing strategies that will drive audience acquisition and market share.”
While Wilson will remain at the helm of Ace Group International, this bolstered leadership structure ensures the brand can continue to deliver superior hospitality experiences at existing hotels while strategically growing its footprint across the globe.
About Ace Hotel
Ace Hotel invents communal spaces for people who make places interesting. Our approach to all our projects is simple — we seek to genuinely embrace the nuanced energies of the areas we inhabit. We bring together artists, materials and stories that speak to the building, to the neighborhood and to the city. From there, we welcome in the alchemy that’s created.
Ace was founded in Belltown, Seattle in 1999, with current locations in Seattle, New York, Palm Springs, Kyoto, Brooklyn, Sydney, Toronto and Athens. Ace Hotel Fukuoka will open in 2027.
SOURCE Ace Group International
