Jumeirah Group, a Dubai-based luxury hotel company and a member of Dubai Holding, has announced that its CEO Stefan Leser has officially resigned.

According to a report in The National, the company released a statement released confirming Leser's resignation, stating he left for “purely personal” reasons.

Leser, who was appointed to replace longstanding president and CEO Gerald Lawless in February 2016, stepped down from his position in May this year, it said.

Since joining the group in early 2016, Stefan was responsible for overseeing the delivery of the group’s performance and strategic vision. 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.  

A search for Stefan’s replacement has been initiated and in the meantime, Marc Dardenne, the group’s chief operating officer, will run the business, the group said.

Dardenne, who holds 30 years of experience as a hotelier, will work closely with Edris Al Rafi, chief executive officer of Dubai Holding, which owns Jumeirah Group.

“Dubai Holding and Jumeirah Group thank Stefan for his service and contribution to the development of the iconic Jumeirah brand,” the report said citing the company statement.