Crafting Resonant Brands: Marloes Knippenberg, CEO of Kerten Hospitality, Pioneers Brand Building Excellence
As hospitality evolves, luxury alone is no longer enough. Kerten Hospitality, led by CEO Marloes Knippenberg, takes a holistic approach, delivering on sustainability, memorable experiences, uniqueness and personal touches. The global hospitality group operates award-winning hotels, serviced apartments, commercial spaces, and a wide range of F&B and lifestyle concepts, with over 50 impactful projects spanning 12 countries.
According to Knippenberg, Kerten Hospitality is inspired by the modern consumer and develops mixed-use projects that stretch across industries and sectors. Sustainability is in the company’s blood, as shown by its home-grown brand UBBU, which stands for United Building a Better Universe. Knippenberg says sustainability is embedded in everything Kerten Hospitality does, and that message truly resonates with its team members and its wider audience.
Kerten Hospitality has multiple brands, and while sustainability connects all of them, each has its own identity. The group operates F&B concepts, as well as hotels and residences under the Cloud7 and The House brands, and communal workspaces under its Ouspace brand. All these brands fall under the Kerten Hospitality umbrella.
What’s next for Kerten Hospitality? Knippenberg shares that the company is working on new mixed-use developments. In the MENA region, it has projects underway in Saudi Arabia and an exciting venture coming up in Dubai. In Egypt, a significant market, it plans to operate 2,500 keys in different destinations. The group recently entered Kuwait and also celebrated the third anniversary of its Cloud7 brand in Aqaba, Jordan. Oman and Morocco are also on the radar as potential markets for future growth.
Beyond MENA, the group sees growth in Europe. It will be opening Cloud7 in Rome next year and has plans for developments in Spain, France, and Portugal. With its focus on mixed-use developments, Kerten Hospitality is reshaping the hospitality industry, meeting changing demands and leaving a lasting impact across continents.
