Shangri-La Group has appointed Hakan Ozel as Vice President of Operations for three flagship properties in London, Paris and Istanbul. Bringing more than 28 years of international hospitality experience, including over two decades with Shangri-La, Ozel will focus on operational excellence, commercial performance and strengthening the group’s luxury guest experience across Europe.

Shangri-La Appoints Hakan Ozel to Oversee Luxury Hotels in London, Paris and Istanbul

Shangri-La Group has appointed Hakan Ozel as Vice President of Operations, placing him in charge of three of its prominent luxury hotel properties in Europe: Shangri-La The Shard, London; Shangri-La Paris; and Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul.

The appointment brings an experienced hospitality executive into a role covering three internationally recognised destinations. Ozel has more than 28 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including over two decades with Shangri-La Group. His background spans luxury hotel operations, strategic leadership and guest experience management across different markets.

In his new position, Ozel will focus on strengthening operational standards, improving commercial performance and maintaining the distinctive service associated with the Shangri-La brand. His responsibilities cover properties operating in three major cities that attract international leisure travellers, business visitors and luxury tourism customers.

The appointment also follows his previous leadership role in the Middle East, where he served as Vice President of Operations for the region and General Manager of Shangri-La Dubai.

Hakan Ozel Takes Charge of Three Flagship Properties

Ozel’s new responsibilities span three hotels with distinct locations and market characteristics.

Shangri-La The Shard occupies a prominent position within London’s hospitality market, while Shangri-La Paris serves guests seeking luxury accommodation in the French capital. Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul, operates in a destination connecting European and Asian travel markets.

Overseeing these properties requires an understanding of different customer expectations, competitive environments and operational priorities. London has a substantial international business and leisure market, Paris attracts visitors through its cultural heritage and luxury retail offering, and Istanbul benefits from its position as a major tourism and commercial gateway.

Although the three hotels operate under the same group, their local markets require tailored commercial strategies and service delivery. Ozel’s remit is to support operational excellence across the portfolio while preserving each property’s individual identity.

The group has not disclosed specific operational targets or financial objectives associated with the appointment. However, its stated priorities include stronger commercial performance and further development of the guest experience across all three hotels.

More Than 28 Years of International Hospitality Experience

Ozel brings more than 28 years of international hospitality experience to the position, including over two decades working with Shangri-La Group.

His career has involved senior leadership responsibilities across Asia and the Middle East, providing experience in managing hotel operations across different markets and customer segments.

Luxury hospitality requires coordination across several areas, including service standards, staffing, guest relations, financial performance and property operations. Senior executives overseeing multiple hotels must also ensure that brand expectations are maintained while responding to local market conditions.

Ozel’s experience across different regions provides a foundation for managing these responsibilities in London, Paris and Istanbul.

His appointment also reflects the value hotel groups place on experienced internal leaders who understand their operating standards and brand positioning. Executives with established knowledge of a company’s service culture can help maintain continuity while introducing operational improvements and commercial initiatives.

Previous Leadership in Dubai and the Middle East

Before taking up his new position, Ozel served as Vice President of Operations for the Middle East and General Manager of Shangri-La Dubai.

During this period, he played an important role in strengthening the Dubai hotel’s market positioning, operational performance and reputation for service excellence, according to the group’s announcement.

Dubai is a competitive luxury hospitality market, attracting international visitors through business travel, premium leisure experiences, shopping and major events. Operating in such an environment requires hotels to maintain service standards while responding to changing guest expectations and competitive pressures.

Ozel’s previous regional responsibilities also provided exposure to broader operational priorities beyond an individual property.

That experience is relevant to his new role, which involves oversight of three hotels across different European markets. The position requires coordination between property-level teams and group leadership, alongside attention to commercial performance and the consistency of the guest experience.

Operational Excellence and Commercial Performance

Shangri-La Group has identified operational excellence and commercial performance as central priorities for Ozel’s new role.

Operational excellence in luxury hotels involves maintaining service standards, improving efficiency and ensuring that departments work together effectively. It can include staff development, quality control, guest feedback management and the coordination of front-office, housekeeping, food and beverage and other hotel functions.

Commercial performance is equally important. Hotels must balance room rates, occupancy, distribution costs and additional guest spending while responding to seasonal demand and competitor activity.

The three properties operate in major international destinations, where customer expectations and demand patterns can vary significantly throughout the year. Effective operational oversight therefore requires local market knowledge alongside a consistent group-wide approach.

Ozel’s remit combines these priorities, with the objective of strengthening performance without compromising the service standards expected of a luxury hotel brand.

The company has not announced specific revenue, occupancy or profitability targets for the three properties.

Strengthening Shangri-La’s Luxury Guest Experience

Guest experience remains a central element of Shangri-La’s positioning in the international luxury hospitality sector.

Travellers choosing premium accommodation often expect personalised service, attention to detail and a consistent standard of hospitality throughout their stay. Meeting these expectations requires investment in staff capabilities, operational systems and the overall quality of the guest journey.

Ozel will focus on further elevating Shangri-La’s hospitality experience across the three properties. His responsibilities will involve supporting service excellence while taking account of the individual characteristics of London, Paris and Istanbul.

The hotels also serve different combinations of leisure travellers, business guests and international visitors. Their teams must respond to these varied requirements while maintaining the standards associated with the group.

A coordinated leadership approach can help align service delivery and operational priorities across properties while allowing each hotel to respond to its own market.

What the Appointment Means for Shangri-La Group

The appointment strengthens Shangri-La’s operational leadership across three of its flagship European hotels and places an experienced executive at the centre of their continued development.

The group operates in a luxury hospitality sector where service quality, brand reputation and commercial performance are closely connected. Leadership across multiple properties can help maintain operational consistency while supporting strategies tailored to individual destinations.

Ozel’s international experience and previous responsibilities in the Middle East and Asia provide relevant background for this position. His new role also brings together three properties in markets with established international tourism profiles and competitive luxury accommodation sectors.

The effectiveness of the appointment will ultimately depend on how successfully the group translates its priorities into operational improvements, stronger commercial results and a consistently high-quality guest experience.

For Shangri-La, the move represents a leadership development focused on maintaining the strength of its luxury hospitality offering across London, Paris and Istanbul.