Stefan Leser joined the company in January last year; company searching for replacement

  DUBAI – Jumeirah Group has announced that its chief executive, Stefan Leser, has resigned "for personal reasons" and the Dubai hospitality company has initiated a search for Leser's replacement. The group, which owns Burj Al Arab, said in its website that Leser stepped down last May and that chief operating officer Marc Dardenne has been appointed as acting chief executive since then. Dardenne would be running the business with Dubai Holding chief executive officer Edris Al Rafi. Leser, who joined the company in January last year from the Swiss travel company Kuoni, took over as the group's chief executive from Gerald Lawless after the latter moved to Dubai Holding's corporate office to oversee tourism and hospitality. Lawless had been with Jumeirah Group since its founding in 1997. Meanwhile, Jumeirah Group recognized Leser for being "responsible for overseeing the delivery of the group's performance and strategic vision", the company said. "This included important milestone projects such as the Burj Al Arab Terrace and overseeing the completion and launch of Jumeirah Al Naseem, the group's latest luxury hotel destination that enhances the award-winning Madinat Jumeirah Resort," Jumeirah Group said. "Dubai Holding and Jumeirah Group thank Stefan for his service and contribution to the development of the iconic Jumeirah brand," the company added. GAC/Expat 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