COVER STORY
SIMON
SAYS
CORINTHIA HOTELS IS A CHALLENGER BRAND . ITS CEO IS LOOKING TO PUT AN END TO THAT .
By DAVID EISEN
H e is self-admittedly unschooled , but on this day has a meeting with Jamie Reuben , the scion of a real estate empire and graduate of Regent ’ s University London , one of the world ’ s toniest and priciest schools . But this is no “ Trading Places ” moment . Although Simon Casson has little formal education , the 57-year-old is the CEO of Corinthia Hotels , a position he assumed in 2024 , charged with leading the venerable , luxury hotel brand . He is in New York on a momentous occasion for the Maltese company — the opening of its first U . S . property , The Surrey , A Corinthia Hotel , an iconic Upper East Side property that once called John F . Kennedy and Bette Davis regulars . Reuben is the son of David Reuben , who , with his brother , Simon , are on a shortlist of the richest families in the U . K . and own the hotel .
Labeling Casson a rags-to-riches story isn ’ t entirely accurate , but there ’ s a modicum of fairness to it . Neither a high school nor college degree , he left his home in the north of England at 16 to wash dishes in a restaurant . “ They gave me a room above ,” he recalled . In fact , Casson ’ s rise could be the stuff of a novel . “ Were I to write it , it would have been called ‘ Pot Washer to President ,’” he said . The problem is that would be inaccurate : He ’ s now a CEO . And with it , deprived of the alliterative conceit .
THROUGH THE GAUNTLET Like others before him in the luxury hotel echelon , Casson honed his trade at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts . He was with the company for more than three decades , starting as an assistant manager in London to reaching his peak as president , EMEA . Four Seasons is kind of like the ultimate farm league for the hospitality C-suite : Contemporaries of Casson , and Four Seasons alumni , are aplenty , including
Omer Acar , CEO of Raffles & Fairmont , Christopher Norton , CEO of Equinox Hotels , and Ben Trodd , COO of Aman . It ’ s an exclusive club and there ’ s a reason why many have such long durations with Four Seasons before moving on . “ I stayed because of alignment in values , because it was a meritocracy where I could grow based on my talent and ability ,” Casson said .
It ’ s clear that lessons forged at Four Seasons carry forward into his role with Corinthia , which he is apt to refer to as a “ challenger brand ,” one that clearly has less recognition than his former employer , especially outside Europe . Ironically , Corinthia Hotels is as old as Four Seasons , founded more than sixty years ago by Maltese Alfred Pisani , who remains executive chairman . Ten Corinthia hotels are currently open , either owned and / or managed by Corinthia , with Bucharest set to swing its doors open this March . Corinthia London , the group ’ s flagship
Mar / Apr 2025 hotelsmag . com 29