Marcel van Aelst
Upon graduating from the Hogere Hotelschool the Hague in 1970 , Marcel van Aelst was selected to work at Hotel Okura Tokyo for one year in preparation for the opening of Hotel Okura Amsterdam September 1971. At that time both hotels were franchise members of Inter-Continental Hotels. In 1974 he transferred to Frankfurt Inter--Continental and became director of sales and marketing , in 1976 promoted to director sales and marketing Germany.
In 1979 resident manager IHC Vienna, 1982 General Manager d’Angleterre IHC Copenhagen thereafter GM San Francisco, opening GM IHC Atlanta. In 1988 special assignment to Sheraton World Headquarters Boston, before becoming Managing Director Sheraton Center Toronto , Canada’s largest hotel with 1400 rooms.
1994 return to Okura Amsterdam as VP and General Manager with additional responsibilities for the overseas (non-Japan based) hotels of the group. In 2000 President and GM Okura Amsterdam and member of the board of Okura Hotels & Resorts. 2010 after Okura took over JAL Hotels President & CEO Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co. Ltd and Exec Vice Chairman Hotel Okura Co. Ltd , the owning company of the group with presently 89 hotels.
Semi-retirement in 2022 and appointment to ViceChairman Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co. Ltd and several other supervisory board positions.
Officer Order of Oranje Nassau. Commander Order of the Rising Sun ( Japan), Bannick Cock medal city of Amsterdam, Paul Harris Fellow Rotary, Gold Pin Alliance Gastronomique, 2015 European Hospitality Award by HOTREC, 2010 nominated Independent Hotelier of the World by Hotels Magazine USA , named General Manager of the Year by Zakenreis Magazine.
Numerous professional and cultural board positions including member supervisory board Hogere Hotelschool den Haag ( 1996-2012) , Chairman Luxury Hotels of Amsterdam, Exec Committee Member Leading Hotels of the World and NBTC.