JLL today announced the appointment of Luke Xie as Director, Hotel Project Services for South East Asia. Based in Singapore, this newly-created role coincides with the evolving demand for differentiated guest experiences across the Asia Pacific hotels sector.

Luke’s appointment comes as the hotel industry continues to recover regionally and interest from value-add investors grows significantly, with many seeking opportunities to refurbish, reconfigure and rebrand existing assets. Luke’s deep expertise in hotel asset advisory, due diligence and on-the-ground project management experience will enable investors to make more informed decisions as they look to provide guests with a more authentic hotel experience.

As part of his role, Luke will partner closely with JLL’s regional Energy and Sustainability Services team to meet the demand for shaping and implementing sustainability solutions from clients. He will also draw on the expertise of over 100 members of JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group and 2,500 Projects & Development Services professionals in the region who have collectively completed over 200 major hotel renovation and construction projects.

“The demands of hotel guests have shifted significantly with more currency placed on authenticity and unique experiences across the region. To meet changing expectations, hotel investors are increasingly seeking to reinvent offerings through design and amenities, and Luke’s expertise will better position our clients to create the spaces and services guests will increasingly gravitate towards,” says Xander Nijnens, Managing Director, Head of Advisory & Asset Management, Asia Pacific, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group.

Luke joins JLL from Oakwood, a leading provider of hotels and serviced apartments, where he was Director of Technical Services. At Oakwood, Luke led multiple teams, consultants, and specialists in design and project works including the Oakwood Premier Jakarta, Oakwood Hotel & Apartments Manila, Oakwood Premier Kuala Lumpur and Oakwood Suites Tiwanon, Bangkok. To JLL, he also brings experience from MDP Associates, where he led the design development and project management of numerous property investments regionally, and from L-Pine Design.

“Hotels will always seek a differentiating factor to attract guests and increasingly we see that project scopes are rooted more deeply in tailored design, embedded sustainability features and user-friendly technology. Luke will provide our clients with a clear advantage and a unique perspective as we service a diversifying group of hotels regionally,” says Mike Walsh, Managing Director, Investor Solutions,  Asia Pacific, JLL.