Capella Hotel Group has named Cristiano Rinaldi as its new president.

Rinaldi was previously chief operating officer of the Singapore-based luxury hospitality management company, whose brands Capella Hotels & Resorts and Patina Hotels & Resorts span eight destinations.

He will take over from former chief executive Nicholas Clayton who has decided to reunite with his family in North America, and will lead the group’s expansion plans beyond Asia Pacific

"Cristiano Rinaldi is a seasoned hotelier in our industry, lauded for his high and exacting standards in luxury hospitality and transformative ideas in elevating our guests’ experiences,” said Evan Kwee, vice chairman of Capella Hotel Group. 

“Having worked alongside him for the past year with the opening of Capella Bangkok, Capella Hanoi and Patina Maldives, Fari Islands, I witnessed first-hand his refreshing creativity and remarkable dedication to the group's philosophy and values. It Is truly an honour to have him chart the next phase of Capella Hotel Group.”

Rinaldi added: “I am honoured to have been chosen to lead the group on its next phase of growth. Together with my colleagues, we will further advance Capella’s position as a leading name in luxury hospitality.

“We are eager to continue building unparalleled value for our stakeholders, by upholding Capella’s strong culture of excellence and pioneering meaningful experiences in wellness, sustainability and gastronomy that will position our properties for long- term success.” 

Prior to joining Capella Hotel Group, Rinaldi spent four years as general manager leading the pre-opening activities for The Bangkok Edition and most recently The Tokyo Edition Ginza and The Tokyo Edition Toranomon. 

He has also held the position of vice president of operations for One&Only Resorts, where he oversaw the performance of the resorts within the group’s portfolio, as well as leading operational plans for future expansion. 

Rinaldi began his career with Hilton in several food and beverage management roles across London and Dubai and has held senior roles at Bulgari Hotels & Resorts and the Ritz-Carlton properties in Doha and Hong Kong. Throughout his career, Rinaldi has opened more than 35 luxury hotels across the globe.