Paul Kitamura

Bio:

Mr Kitamura is responsible for Pontiac Land Groups asset management function for its hotels involving performance optimisation and asset value enhancement initiatives across the portfolio including iconic hotels such as Ritz Carlton Millenia Singapore, Capella Singapore, Capella Sydney and Ritz Carlton Fari Islands Maldives. 

He has 38 years of experience in hospitality and previously served as Head, Asset Management for CDL Hospitality trust as well as Senior Vice President of asset management for GIC Real Estate where he led the fund’s Asia-Pacific hospitality portfolio comprising luxury full service hotels across Asia, serviced apartments and a retail portfolio in Australia. During the 2008/09 global downturn, he successfully drove cost efficiency initiatives and led the re-branding of the 1,053-room Hilton Fukuoka. 

His hotel management experience includes leading IHG’s business in Japan as country head from 2002-2008, and securing exclusivity with ANA for a 50 property JV partnership across in Japan. During this period, deal flow increased 200% including the 600-room Crowne Plaza Kobe and successful extension of the group’s presence in Tokyo, Yokohama, Kyoto and Nagasaki. Operationally, he led IHG’s business in Japan across a multi brand portfolio covering 10 cities. 

He has also held senior Asia Pacific brand management and marketing positions within IHG in Hong Kong and Singapore. He started his career with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group where he spent 10 years in a variety of sales & marketing roles at the property, regional and corporate levels. 

Mr Kitamura holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth Graduate School of Business and a B.S. in Hotel Administration from Cornell University.