Hakan Ozel has been appointed Vice President of Operations for Europe at Shangri-La Group, taking responsibility for three of the group’s flagship luxury hotels: Shangri-La The Shard, London; Shangri-La Paris; and Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul. With more than 28 years of international hospitality experience, including over two decades with Shangri-La Group, Ozel brings extensive expertise in luxury hotel operations, regional leadership, business performance and guest experience to his new position.
Ozel assumed his new responsibilities in July 2026, following an extensive leadership career with Shangri-La Group across the Middle East and Asia. His appointment places him in charge of overseeing operational performance, strengthening commercial results and supporting the continued development of the guest experience across three established European luxury hospitality destinations.
Before his European appointment, Ozel served as Vice President of Operations for the Middle East and General Manager of Shangri-La Dubai. His association with Shangri-La Dubai dates back to October 2017, when he was appointed General Manager. During his tenure, he progressed through additional regional leadership responsibilities, becoming Area General Manager in September 2023 before advancing to Vice President of Operations in September 2024. These appointments strengthened his experience in managing luxury hospitality operations and overseeing hotel performance across multiple markets.
Prior to Dubai, Ozel served as General Manager of China World Summit Wing, Beijing – A Shangri-La Hotel. Located within the China World Tower complex, the luxury hotel provided an opportunity to further develop his expertise in managing high-end urban hospitality operations in one of China’s major commercial centres.
Between December 2013 and April 2016, he held the position of General Manager at Shangri-La Tianjin, following earlier responsibilities as Resident Manager at Shangri-La Beijing from September 2012 to December 2013.
Ozel’s experience with Shangri-La Group also includes leadership appointments across Indonesia and China. He served as Resident Manager at Shangri-La Jakarta from May 2010 to September 2012 and previously held the same position at Shangri-La Wenzhou from November 2008 to May 2010. These positions contributed to his operational management experience across diverse Asian hospitality markets.
Earlier in his career with Shangri-La, Ozel held the position of Executive Assistant Manager – Food & Beverage at Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa in Muscat, Oman, from April 2006 to November 2008. He also served as Director of Food & Beverage at Shangri-La Shenzhen between October 2005 and April 2006.
Before joining Shangri-La Group, Ozel developed his hospitality management experience with Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, holding food and beverage leadership positions across Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
His early career included serving as Food & Beverage Manager at Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul from April 2002 to July 2003, followed by Mövenpick Hotel Bur Dubai from July 2003 to March 2004. He subsequently held the same position at Mövenpick Jolie Ville Luxor Resort in Egypt between March 2004 and May 2005.
From May to October 2005, Ozel served as Executive Assistant Manager – Food & Beverage at Mövenpick Resort Taba, further expanding his expertise in resort operations, food and beverage management and hospitality service delivery.
Across his career, Ozel has progressed from food and beverage management into resident management, hotel general management and regional executive leadership. His professional experience spans luxury city hotels, destination resorts and international hospitality markets across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
In his new role, Ozel will oversee three important properties within Shangri-La Group’s European portfolio. Shangri-La The Shard, London, located within one of the British capital’s most recognisable landmarks, represents the group’s luxury hospitality presence in the United Kingdom. Shangri-La Paris, housed in a historic Parisian building, is among the group’s prominent European luxury properties, while Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul, offers a distinctive waterfront hospitality experience in Turkey.
Commenting on his appointment, Ozel described the opportunity to lead the three flagship properties as an exciting new chapter in his career. He outlined priorities around strengthening hotel teams, creating memorable guest experiences and expanding engagement with the Shangri-La Circle loyalty community, while maintaining the group’s distinctive approach to Asian hospitality.
With extensive experience in hotel operations, commercial performance, team development and guest experience, Ozel brings a strong international leadership background to his new regional responsibilities. His appointment marks another significant milestone in a career that has developed across multiple hospitality markets and leadership positions within Shangri-La Group.
Tourism Insights congratulates Hakan Ozel on his appointment as Vice President of Operations for Europe at Shangri-La Group and extends best wishes for continued success in his new leadership role.
About People on the Move
People on the Move is an initiative by Tourism Insights, a SECP-registered tourism think tank and hospitality media platform, spotlighting leadership appointments and career milestones across the global hospitality and tourism industry.
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