Hendrik Jan Roel
Netherlands-based hotel company CitizenM has appointed Hendrik Jan Roel as the company's incoming chief financial officer.
Roel will start in his new role on May 1 when he replaces the company’s interim CFO Jurriaan Nienaber.
He has 22 years of financial experience and a degree from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. Roel was formerly CFO of European retail giant Ahold Delhaize.
In another key move, CitizenM has promoted its head of development and investments in North America Ernest Lee to become the brand’s first chief growth officer.
Ernest Lee
Prior to joining CitizenM six years ago, Lee had been senior director of hospitality for equity, debt and structured finance for Cushman & Wakefield Capital Markets.
Lee is expected to work with chief commercial officer Lennert de Jong to implement growth initiatives, products and programmes, pursuing strategic partnerships, and developing a long-term commercial strategy.
The first CitizenM opened at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport in 2008. In November 2021, CitizenM raised $1 billion from existing investors to fast-track an expansion plan to grow from 20 to 24 hotels by the end of 2021, and then up to 40 hotels by 2024.