Six Senses CEO Neil Jacobs Steps Down After 13 Years

Skift

3 days ago

Neil Jacobs is stepping down as CEO of Six Senses. After 13 years in the role, he is setting out on a new adventure. Plus, APAC hotel development news.
Malaysia welcomed 6.4 million international tourists in 1Q25, up 10% year-over-year. Tourism receipts rose to 27.5 billion Malaysian Ringgit, up 24% year-on-year, with the average spending per tourist climbing to 4,300 MYR. Chinese tourists accounted for 1.12 million visitors in the first quarter, making China the second largest source market after Singapore. Tourism Malaysia is targeting 31.3 million international tourists this year, generating 125.5 billion MYR in tourism revenue. For 2026, their target is 35.6 million visitors.
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the official opening of its first Brisbane property, InterContinental Brisbane. The hotel is positioned in the heart of Brisbane's CBD within the luxury shopping precinct of Queen Street Mall. The 319-room hotel will undergo a significant two-year transformation starting next year, with developer ISPT using this as part of the way to reimagine the Elizabeth Street precinct into a vibrant hub. InterContinental Brisbane spans 25 floors with a collection of rooms and suites with city views, event spaces with 19 meeting rooms and one of the city's largest event ballrooms, elevated amenities with an outdoor lap pool, gym and the new Latitude 27 Bar & Kitchen, serving as the hotel's all-day restaurant and lobby bar. A signature Club InterContinental lounge is on level 25, offering river city views. With the addition of Intercontinental Brisbane, the brand now has three properties across Queensland. IHG operates 69 hotels in total in Australasia under nine brands.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the opening of Hyatt House South Melbourne, the first Hyatt House–branded property in Australia, expanding the brand's footprint globally. The hotel is a joint venture led by Holder East Pty Ltd. and operated by Hyatt. The new hotel offers 97 residential-style rooms, including studios, one-bedroom suites, and accessible room options. The Market is open 24 hours, while The Bar offers specialty coffees and premium beers, as well as wine and cocktails. Other amenities include free breakfast, a 24/7 fitness center, and a necessities program.
Marriott International's Marriott Hotels brand announced the opening of the Pattaya Marriott Resort and Spa, located on the shores of Thailand's Eastern Seaboard. The resort is just steps from the golden sands of Jomtien Beach, just minutes from the resort town of Pattaya. The resort features 289 rooms and suites, ranging in size from 33-square-meter deluxe rooms to 57-square-meter family rooms with bunk beds and spacious premium suites with up to 88 square meters of modern, light-filled space. There are six restaurants and bars, four flexible meeting rooms for social and business events, Quan Spa, a 24-hour fitness center, a Kids' Club, and three pools.
Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide said it plans to open a hotel in Bangkok in fiscal 2029. Seibu Prince will be contracted to operate the hotel by a joint venture between Thai Obayashi, a subsidiary of Japanese construction company Obayashi, and major Thai consumer goods company Saha Group. The luxury hotel will be developed on a prime site in the Ratchadamri area and will feature 200 high-end guest rooms along with an array of facilities, including banquet halls, meeting rooms, fine-dining restaurants, and an international-standard spa. The hotel will form part of a larger mixed-use development, which will also offer office space and full-service retail areas. The hotel will span floors 26 to 36 of the tower, envisioned as the 'Garden in the Sky.' The main lobby will be on the 27th floor. There will be an infinity pool as well as a Japanese restaurant with private dining rooms, a lounge and bar, spa, fitness center, club lounge, and flexible banquet and meeting spaces.
Property developer Ayala Land, Inc. said it acquired the 580-room New World Hotel Makati to expand its hotel portfolio. Ayala said the acquisition is part of its broader strategy to invest in high-growth urban centers in the Philippines, where it already operates several businesses and lifestyle hotels. Ayala said it plans to invest $500 million to help double their hotel capacity to 8,000 keys by 2030. Its Ayala Land Hospitality unit operates the homegrown Seda hotels and the El Nido Resorts luxury chain in Palawan. Ayala Land Hospitality is also looking to build a five-star hotel in Cebu and another in Batangas, which will have 400 to 600 rooms. Ayala Land now has more than 4,000 hotel rooms in 15 locations.
BWH Hotels said it expanded its network in Indonesia with the opening of Best Western Setiabudhi Bandung, a new hotel in the city of Bandung, West Java. The hotel is strategically located on Jalan Dr. Setiabudhi, 2km from Bandung city center. The hotel features 63 rooms and suites and includes whirlpool baths in the Junior Suites. The hotel includes a restaurant, 24-hour room service, five meeting rooms, and a fitness center. This is BWH Hotels' second property in Bandung.
Personnel Moves
Neil Jacobs is stepping down as CEO of Six Senses. Skift, parent company of this publication, noted Jacobs' LinkedIn post where he said after 13 years in the role, he is stepping away from leadership of the company and setting out on a new adventure. Neither Jacobs nor IHG had responded to Skift's requests for comment at our press time. Jacobs first joined Six Senses as CEO in 2012 when Pegasus Capital Advisors bought the Thai-based brand. In 2019, IHG acquired the company for $300 million. Read more on Skift here.
Accor announced the appointment of Cyrus Madan as Director of Development for India and South Asia. Madan previously held senior roles with renowned hospitality brands over his 30 years of experience, including Lemon Tree Hotels and Atmosphere Hospitality, starting his career with the Taj Group in New Delhi. Madan is expected to play a pivotal role in accelerating Accor's footprint across the region.