The hospitality management group closed 2025 with a robust set of financial results. Operating revenues rose by 55% year-on-year, while gross operating profit (GOP) increased by 69%. Management fees also grew by 44%, reflecting sustained demand from owners and investors for Kerten Hospitality’s differentiated lifestyle hospitality platform.
These results were driven by a disciplined expansion strategy, broader geographic diversification, and ongoing optimisation of the group’s operating assets. In 2025, the company added several notable openings to its portfolio, including Ray Hotel by Cloud 7 in Kuwait, Cloud 7 Hotel Roma, and Colere 1600 by Cloud 7 Hotels in Italy. These openings further strengthened Kerten Hospitality’s presence across the EMEA region.
The group also secured a number of landmark projects throughout the year. Among them were:
- The House Residence Azure Zanzibar: a 93-unit ocean-view branded villa and lifestyle residential development.
- Cloud 7 Al Murjan Island Resort – Dammam: a new waterfront resort concept in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
- Cloud 7 Hotel Dersa Tetuàn: Kerten Hospitality’s entry into Morocco’s expanding hospitality market.
The company’s momentum continued into 2026, with the signing of a second project in Morocco in January: Casadora Resort by Cloud 7 Hotels, a resort and branded residences development in El Jadida, initiated by Groupe Ramos.
MENA Remains a Strategic Growth Engine
The MENA region remains central to Kerten Hospitality’s growth strategy. Government-backed tourism agendas, ongoing infrastructure investment, and rising demand for experiential and community-driven hospitality concepts are providing strong tailwinds for the group’s lifestyle brands. The company’s model is increasingly appealing to regional owners seeking flexible, design-led concepts supported by deep operational and development expertise.
Expansion Pipeline Poised for Further Growth
Looking ahead, Kerten Hospitality’s development pipeline reflects both entry into new markets and deeper consolidation in established regions. Expansion plans in Egypt, Italy, France, and Morocco are currently being finalised, alongside additional projects under evaluation across the GCC, Mediterranean Europe, and Africa. The company expects an even stronger performance in 2026.
Kerten Hospitality anticipates six further openings in the first quarters of 2026, with additional conversion projects in the pipeline. This will lay the groundwork for continued, diversified growth across multiple regions.
Strengthened Leadership Supporting Rapid Growth
The company’s accelerated development is underpinned by a strengthened leadership structure. In 2025, Kerten Hospitality appointed Ramine Behnam as Chief Development Officer, following the earlier promotion of Mina Anziani to Chief Operating Officer. These appointments aim to support the group’s international expansion while maintaining its distinctive brand DNA.
In his role, Behnam leads global development strategy, accelerating the lifestyle portfolio’s growth and strengthening strategic partnerships to support the expanding pipeline. Anziani has played a key role in shaping the operational framework that enables Kerten Hospitality to scale without dilution. She has developed a system that balances structure with creative agility, shaping the company’s concept of “Bespoke Scalability”, now central to its operating model.
“We are scaling faster than ever, entering new markets while delivering strong financial results,” said Marloes Knippenberg, CEO of Kerten Hospitality. “This is only the beginning, and we have a highly capable team in place to support our ambitious growth agenda.”
— TradeArabia News Service