Palma de Mallorca, 7 February 2025

RIU Hotels & Resorts announces a new step forward in the generational handover process

  • On the proposal of the company's CEO, Luis Riu, and following approval from the group's governing boards, members of the fourth generation of the family will now take on a series of new responsibilities

RIU Hotels & Resorts is continuing to make progress in the generational handover that began with the retirement of Carmen Riu in July 2024. Luis Riu, who is the company’s sole CEO since last summer, has decided to embark on a new phase of this process in order to engage the fourth generation of the Riu family in the company’s operations and commercial areas. These changes are the result of a long training process and fit the skills and characteristics of each family member. The ultimate aim is to strengthen the company’s leadership positions and maintain the balance and understanding between the family and the professional executives. This has been a feature of the company during its 70-year history.

Following the agreements reached by the Family Board and the RIU Group's Board of Directors, chaired by Carmen Riu, the new responsibilities are organised as follows:

Roberto Riu Rodríguez (31) will continue to be involved in the Hotel Design and Construction Department and, as Managing Director, will take on responsibilities in the Corporate Sales and Marketing area, overlooking all the company’s destinations.

Naomi Riu Rodríguez (32) is the RIU Group’s current Financial Director and will now also be responsible for Procurement in EMEA and Corporate Social Responsibility. In addition, she has been appointed Managing Director and will join Operations for hotels in the Indian Ocean (Zanzibar, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Mauritius), as well as RIU Plaza hotels in Madrid, London and Dublin.

Luis Riu Rodríguez (33) will continue to be involved in the Hotel Design and Construction Department and, as Managing Director, will take on responsibilities in Operations for the Atlantic Region (Spain, Portugal, Cape Verde, Morocco and Senegal). He will also be responsible for the Group’s Corporate Engineering and Maintenance area.

After having successfully implemented the Proudly Committed Sustainability Strategy throughout the company and in all destinations, Lola Trian Riu (40) has decided to leave her position as Director of Sustainability to focus on managing the Riu family’s philanthropic funds.  This will enable her to apply her ample experience in this field to professionally manage relations with the various organisations and foundations that benefit from these funds every year, including the Fundación Joan Riu.

Last but not least, the eldest member of the fourth generation, Joan Trian Riu (41), who is already a member of the Executive Committee, will join Operations as Managing Director for hotels in the Americas (Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama, Aruba and the Bahamas) and RIU Plaza hotels in the USA, Toronto, Guadalajara, Panama and Berlin. He will also continue to be the company's institutional representative and will retain responsibility for departments which are currently under his supervision.

Meanwhile, Luis Riu will continue in his role as sole CEO and will directly manage Expansion, Hotel Design and Construction as well as Corporate Product Design.  As he has done until now, he will supervise the entire company.

About RIU Hotels & Resorts

The international RIU chain was founded in Mallorca by the Riu family in 1953 as a small holiday firm and is still owned by the family's third generation. The company specialises in holiday resorts and over 74% of its establishments offer its acclaimed All Inclusive by RIU service. With the inauguration of its first city hotel in 2010, RIU is expanding its range of products with its own line of city hotels called Riu Plaza. RIU Hotels & Resorts now has 98 hotels in 21 countries. In 2024, the chain welcomed 6,7 million guests and provided jobs for a total of 38.055 employees. RIU is currently the world's 40th ranked chain, one of the Caribbean's most popular, and the fourth largest in Spain in number of rooms.