Kempinski Hotels has introduced the appointment of three new Vice Presidents – Kristian Toivanen, Aurelia van Lynden and Dan Clayton – to its newly fashioned product and expertise workforce. Reporting to Chief Product & Expertise Officer, Rasha Lababidi, the trio will lead wellness and spa, property and vacation spot visitor experiences and gastronomy and ideas, respectively, as a part of the broader transformation technique of Europe’s oldest luxurious hospitality group. Kempinski’s product and expertise workforce will likely be liable for transformation throughout the whole lifecycle of bespoke experiences, from inventive ideation to design and meticulous planning to flawless execution and steady enhancement.
“That is an thrilling second as we reintroduce our company to experiences that mirror the magnificence of Kempinski and the distinct character of every vacation spot,” says Rasha Lababidi, Chief Product & Expertise Officer for Kempinski Lodges. “Kristian, Aurelia and Dan convey sharp perception and daring considering throughout the wellness, journey, experiential and gastronomy verticals. Collectively, we’ll form experiences which are emotionally wealthy, culturally grounded, and unmistakably Kempinski, in the end defining a contemporary customary of significant luxurious.”
Kristian Toivanen brings a wealth of experience to his new position as Vice President, Wellness & Spa. With a profession that features positions at iconic luxurious manufacturers together with The Savoy and Claridge’s in London, Toivanen specializes within the quickly rising wellness section inside luxurious hospitality. His complete expertise contains management roles at one of many world’s main integrative longevity resorts in Europe and international wellness resorts throughout Southeast Asia. Most just lately, he served as Government Director of The Aspen Tree, Thailand.
Aurelia van Lynden, has been appointed Vice President, Experiences, and joins Kempinski with over 13 years of world-class experience in luxurious journey and experiential hospitality. From her early years at luxurious journey firm Abercrombie & Kent, the place she was liable for constructing and rising the personal shopper division, she has proven a constant trajectory of creativity and excellence. Management roles at journey consultants Perowne Worldwide and Pelorus, honed her experience in curating distinctive experiences for ultra-high internet price travellers, mixed with a concentrate on high quality management and buyer satisfaction.
Dan Clayton joins Kempinski as Vice President, Meals and Beverage & Hospitality, bringing a broad strategic lens to the evolving visitor journey. A recognised voice in hospitality innovation, Dan’s experience spans meals and beverage technique and idea growth, expertise design, placemaking, and culinary storytelling. His latest position as Director of Technique and Insights at Keane, and beforehand at Meraki & Modus, noticed him advising international builders and governments on grasp planning and expertise technique. As well as, he’s additionally the founder and chief meals author at FoodSheikh, one of many area’s most influential gastronomy platforms. At Kempinski, Dan will assist form the way forward for in-hotel experiences – from eating places and bars to the on a regular basis rituals that outline fashionable luxurious.
The worldwide luxurious hospitality market, valued at greater than US$166 billion in 2025, is experiencing unprecedented transformation as travellers more and more prioritise wellness experiences and genuine cultural immersion over conventional luxurious facilities.
These strategic appointments strengthen Kempinski’s product and expertise workforce capabilities as the corporate continues to raise luxurious hospitality requirements throughout its international portfolio. The addition of Toivanen, van Lynden and Clayton provides to an distinctive workforce that permits Kempinski to ship distinctive experiences on the crossroads of native tradition, personalisation, luxurious, and excellence.