New general manager appointed at Jumeirah Carlton Tower

Katie Benson has resigned as regional vice-president for Europe of Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts and general manager of the five-red-AA-star, 216-bedroom Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London after nearly three years in the role.

She has left the group to pursue "a new career opportunity outside the group in the New Year" and will be replaced replaced by Luc Delafosse on Thursday 30 November.

Delafosse has spent the past two years as managing director of the Waldorf Astoria in Los Angeles, having previously been based in Paris as general manager of the Hotel de Crillon. He previously worked for Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts as general manager of Burj Al Arab in Dubai from 2003 to 2008.

His new role at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower will mark a return to London for Delafosse who last worked in the capital as managing director of the Ritz London from 1996 to 2003.

Marc Dardenne, chief operating officer of Jumeirah Group, said: "We are hugely grateful for Katie's outstanding contribution over the past three years. Her experience has been instrumental in enhancing the guest satisfaction of our European hotels and we wish her every success in her new role".

He added: "We are pleased that Luc will be returning to Jumeirah to take up the reins of our European Hotels. His experience managing some iconic hotels around the world, including Burj Al Arab, means he is uniquely placed to build on the platform of success that Katie has established."

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