Ace Group International appoints new CEO

Ace Group International has announced the appointment of former Ace Hotel London managing director, Chris Penn, who rejoins the group as CEO. 

Throughout his 25 year hospitality career, Penn has operated independent hotels across a broad spectrum of markets, most notably the lifestyle sector. He 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 and has consulted on a diverse range of hospitality experiences, including longer-stay accommodations, eco tourism and urban lifestyle hotels. 

In his new role, he will oversee all facets of the business and be responsible for driving growth and commercial success across the portfolio. 

The hotel group has also announced the appointment of Mostafa Abdella as 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. 

He 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. 

In his new role, he 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, said: “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.” 

In addition, Ace has announced 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, she took on the role of president in addition to the general counsel role. 

Wilson added: “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.”