Ascott Strengthens its Middle East and Turkey Management Team

Dubai, UAE, 17^th March 2019: The Ascott Limited (Ascott) has bolstered its Dubai-based executive team by appointing Cyril Warsono as Business Development Manager to assist in increasing the portfolio of properties across the Middle East and Turkey.

Originally from Indonesia, Warsono is a seasoned hospitality professional with more than 20 years’ international experience across all facets of the industry and has worked for prominent global hospitality brands throughout Europe, North America, South-East Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

“I am very excited to join the Ascott team,” says Warsono. “the group has gone from strength to strength in the past four years and is now one of the leading serviced accommodation  players in the Middle East.

“This dynamic region continues to offer vast potential for Ascott to expand its presence. My goal is to build upon the success the team has already achieved by identifying new management opportunities and partnerships in the GCC nations, as well as develop the group’s property portfolio in newer markets such as Turkey,” he adds.

Warsono kick-started his career in hospitality in 1995 as Food & Beverage Trainee at the Kapplerhof Hotel in Switzerland. Progressing quickly through the ranks, by 1999 he was Food & Beverage Outlets Manager at The Westin New Orleans, USA; and General Manager of the Meritus Surabaya City Centre in Surabaya, Indonesia in 2012. Prior to joining Ascott, Warsono was the Dubai-based Area Manager, Pre-Opening (Middle East & Africa) at Frasers Hospitality.

He holds a higher diploma in hotel and tourism management from the renowned Swiss Hotel Management School in Montreux, Switzerland; as well as a diploma in hotel management from the American Hotel and Lodging Association in Florida, USA.

Vincent Miccolis, Ascott’s Regional GM for Middle East, Africa and Turkey, comments: “Ascott has been expanding aggressively in the Middle East.  In 2017 we successfully rolled out operations to Turkey, and last year to Africa – both of which are poised to be fast-growth and high yield markets.

“As we continue to grow and move towards our regional target of 5,000 units by 2020, it’s crucially important we expand our management team. We’re therefore delighted to welcome Cyril Warsono on board; he will strengthen Ascott’s leading position in the region’s dynamic serviced accommodation sector by maximising new commercial opportunities across the Middle East and Turkey.”

Ascott currently has 12 operating properties across 11 cities in KSA,  UAE, Turkey, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Ghana, featuring the group’s award-winning hospitality brands Ascott, Citadines, Somerset. An additional 11 properties (1,638 keys) are currently under development throughout the region - six in KSA, with the remaining five spanning the UAE, Turkey, Ghana and Oman. 

About The Ascott Limited

The Ascott Limited is a Singapore company that has grown to be one of the leading international lodging owner-operators. It has more than 58,000 operating units in key cities of the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as close to 42,000 units which are under development, making a total of more than 100,000 units in over 660 properties.

The company’s serviced residence and hotel brands include Ascott, Citadines, Somerset, Quest, The Crest Collection, lyf, HARRIS, FOX HARRIS, YELLO, POP!, Préférence and HARRIS Vertu. Its portfolio spans more than 170 cities across over 30 countries. Ascott’s properties can be found in cities including New York, London, Paris, Brussels, Berlin and Barcelona in Europe; Singapore, Bangkok, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong in Asia; Melbourne and Perth in Australia, Bangalore and Chennai in India; Dubai, Doha and Manama in the Middle East as well as Ghana in Africa.

Ascott, a wholly owned subsidiary of CapitaLand Limited, pioneered Asia Pacific’s first international-class serviced residence with the opening of The Ascott Singapore in 1984. In 2006, it established the world’s first Pan-Asian serviced residence real estate investment trust, Ascott Residence Trust. Today, the company boasts over 30 years of industry track record and award-winning brands that enjoy recognition worldwide.

Ascott’s achievements have been recognised internationally. Recent awards include DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards 2019 for ‘Best Serviced Residence Brand’; World Travel Awards 2018 for ‘Leading Serviced Apartment Brand’ in Asia, Europe and the Middle East; TTG China Travel Awards 2018 for ‘Best Serviced Residence Operator in China’; Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Awards 2018 for ‘Best Serviced Residence Brand’; Business Traveller UK Awards 2018 for ‘Best Serviced Apartment Company’ and Business Traveller China Awards 2018 for ‘Best Luxury Serviced Residence Brand’. For a full list of awards, please visit https://www.the-ascott.com/ascottlimited/awards.html.

About CapitaLand Limited

Ascott’s parent company, CapitaLand is one of Asia’s largest real estate companies. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, it is an owner and manager of a global portfolio worth over S$100 billion as at 31 December 2018, comprising integrated developments, shopping malls, lodging, offices, homes, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and funds. CapitaLand's market capitalisation is approximately S$13 billion as at 31 December 2018. Present across more than 180 cities in over 30 countries, the Group focuses on Singapore and China as core markets, while it continues to expand in markets such as Vietnam, Europe and the U.S.   

CapitaLand’s competitive advantage is its significant asset base and extensive market network. Coupled with extensive design, development and operational capabilities, the Group develops and manages high-quality real estate products and services. It also has one of the largest investment management businesses in Asia and a stable of five REITs listed in Singapore and Malaysia – CapitaLand Mall Trust, CapitaLand Commercial Trust, Ascott Residence Trust, CapitaLand Retail China Trust and CapitaLand Malaysia Mall Trust.