Eike Clausen Named GM of Park Hyatt London River Thames
Some hospitality careers are shaped by one city, one market, or one area of specialization.
Eike Clausen’s journey has taken a different path.
Over nearly two decades, the luxury hotel executive has lived and worked across four continents, eight countries and nine hotels. His experience has moved through sales, marketing, rooms division, hotel operations and executive leadership, giving him the kind of perspective that can only be developed by welcoming guests from many cultures and leading teams in very different destinations.
That international experience now brings him to London.
Park Hyatt London River Thames has appointed Clausen as its new General Manager, placing him at the helm of one of Hyatt’s most significant European luxury hotels. He succeeds Rike Erdbrink, who moved to Gleneagles earlier in 2026.
For Clausen, the appointment also represents a new chapter after spending much of his career with Kempinski Hotels, where he progressed from trainee to senior operational and regional leadership.
“I am honoured to join Hyatt and Park Hyatt London River Thames at such an exciting time,” Clausen said when announcing his appointment. He described Park Hyatt as a brand associated with refined luxury and personalized service and expressed his enthusiasm for working with the London team to build upon the hotel’s reputation.
His arrival comes less than two years after Park Hyatt London River Thames opened, giving him the opportunity to shape the next phase of a hotel that carries particular importance for Hyatt: it is the first Park Hyatt in the United Kingdom.
From Hospitality Student to International Hotel Leader
Clausen is a graduate of École hôtelière de Lausanne, widely known as EHL, where his education introduced him to the commercial, operational and human dimensions of hotel management.
He began his professional career in sales, joining Kempinski as a trainee in 2007. From that entry-level position, he gradually developed experience across several of the disciplines that define a hotel’s performance.
His progression is significant because it reflects a broad understanding of how luxury hotels operate.
Sales and marketing taught him how a property is positioned, how relationships are developed and how demand is generated. Rooms division brought him closer to the rhythm of the guest journey, from arrival and housekeeping to front-office operations and service recovery. Executive management required him to unite those disciplines while developing teams, protecting standards and delivering financial results.
That combination of commercial and operational experience would become a defining feature of his career.
Clausen later served as Hotel Manager at Kempinski Hotel Aqaba Red Sea in Jordan. In July 2019, he was promoted to General Manager, marking his first appointment to the leading role at a hotel.
Kempinski Hotel Aqaba sits on the shores of the Red Sea, a setting that brought together resort operations, luxury leisure travel, food and beverage, wellness, recreation and international guest markets. Leading a property of that nature required Clausen to balance the individuality of the destination with the expectations of a global luxury brand.
The role also became an important stage in the development of his leadership approach.
In a 2022 interview about his career, Clausen spoke about the meaning of hospitality, his years with Kempinski and the mentors who influenced his professional journey. The interview highlighted his progression from joining the company as a trainee in 2007 to becoming a General Manager.
Leadership Across Europe and the Adriatic
Before joining Hyatt, Clausen served as Cluster General Manager for two established Adriatic properties: Kempinski Palace Portorož in Slovenia and Kempinski Hotel Adriatic in Savudrija, Croatia.
The cluster assignment placed him in charge of hotels serving distinct markets while sharing a broader regional strategy.
Kempinski Palace Portorož was one of the most historic luxury hotels on the Adriatic. The original Palace Hotel opened in 1910 and became closely associated with Portorož’s emergence as a fashionable European seaside destination.
Kempinski Hotel Adriatic, located across the border in Croatia’s Istrian region, offered a resort experience shaped by the Adriatic coast, golf, wellness and Mediterranean travel.
Managing both properties required an understanding of heritage, seasonal demand, destination positioning and the needs of international leisure travelers. It also placed Clausen in a role that combined hotel operations with wider commercial responsibility.
His LinkedIn profile lists the cluster appointment from June 2025 through March 2026 and identifies EHL among his educational credentials. The public profile has attracted more than 5,000 followers, reflecting his established professional presence within the international hotel community.
Earlier industry references also identify him as Regional Director of Operations Europe for Kempinski Hotels, illustrating the expansion of his responsibilities beyond an individual property.
Across these assignments, Clausen developed experience in Europe, the Middle East and other international markets, ultimately building a career that has crossed four continents and eight countries.
A Leadership Philosophy Grounded in People
Luxury hotels are frequently celebrated for architecture, dining, design and location.
The experience itself is delivered by people.
Clausen has consistently placed employee development at the center of his leadership philosophy. He believes that service excellence begins with colleagues who feel supported, prepared and empowered to make thoughtful decisions for guests.
In an interview following his Park Hyatt appointment, he identified continued training and development as one of the hotel’s most important areas of investment. His view was clear: exceptional service grows from people who have the confidence and support to perform at their highest level.
That approach carries particular relevance in luxury hospitality, where memorable service often comes from judgment rather than procedure.
A colleague needs the confidence to notice what matters.
A guest may be tired after a long flight, quietly celebrating an anniversary, traveling with an anxious child, or searching for a moment of privacy during a demanding business trip. The ability to respond with sensitivity comes from training, awareness and a culture that gives employees permission to care.
Clausen’s interest in developing future leaders also extends beyond the hotels he manages.
He has participated in hospitality education as a guest lecturer connected with EHL. In a public LinkedIn post, he described the importance of meeting hotel-school students, sharing practical insight and explaining the opportunities available within the industry.
Recent reporting on his appointment also notes his work as a guest lecturer and his commitment to lifelong learning within hotel organizations.
For a profession facing constant shifts in technology, guest expectations, workforce development and global travel patterns, that belief in continued education feels especially timely.
Leading Park Hyatt’s First Hotel in the United Kingdom
Park Hyatt London River Thames opened on October 8, 2024, marking the Park Hyatt brand’s debut in the United Kingdom. The hotel is located in Nine Elms, a rapidly developing riverside district in southwest London.
The location places the property near Battersea Power Station, the new U.S. Embassy and the River Thames, with views across some of the capital’s most recognizable landmarks.
For Hyatt, the opening represented more than the addition of another London hotel. Park Hyatt is one of the company’s principal luxury brands, and its arrival gave Hyatt a flagship property designed to participate in one of the world’s most established high-end hotel markets.
The hotel contains 203 guestrooms, including 31 suites, many with floor-to-ceiling windows and views of the river or London skyline.
Its interiors combine residential warmth with contemporary London design. References to local history, art and craftsmanship appear throughout the property, connecting the hotel with the evolving character of Nine Elms.
Clausen has described the property as a distinctive interpretation of modern London luxury, highlighting its natural light, generous spaces, art, skyline views, destination dining and dedicated wellness floor.
Dining with a Sense of Place
Food and beverage will form an important part of the hotel’s continued positioning under Clausen’s leadership.
Park Hyatt London River Thames currently offers several distinct culinary experiences.
The Nine Elms Kitchen and Terrace focuses on seasonal British ingredients interpreted with international influences. Yú Gé presents authentic Cantonese cuisine, while The Nine Elms Bar and Lounge offers cocktails, spirits, aperitifs and a relaxed residential atmosphere.
Together, these venues allow the hotel to engage several audiences: international guests, London residents, business travelers and visitors exploring the emerging Nine Elms neighborhood.
For a luxury city hotel, that local connection matters.
A restaurant or bar can become the first point of contact between a property and its community. It can create familiarity among residents who may later return for celebrations, wellness experiences, meetings or overnight stays.
Clausen’s background in sales, marketing and hotel operations gives him a useful foundation for developing that relationship while supporting the consistency expected of the Park Hyatt name.
Wellness Above the River
The hotel’s entire first floor is dedicated to wellness.
Facilities include a naturally illuminated 20-by-8-meter indoor heated swimming pool, six treatment rooms, sauna facilities, a double-height fitness center and a relaxation lounge overlooking the Thames. Two Somadome meditation pods offer guided experiences designed to encourage mental clarity and deep rest.
The setting reflects the broader evolution of urban luxury hospitality.
Guests increasingly look for hotels that help them preserve a sense of balance during a journey. A wellness floor with natural light, space for movement and views of the river can become an important part of the stay, especially in a city as energetic as London.
The spa also offers holistic treatments centered on recovery, renewal and emotional well-being, giving the hotel an opportunity to create a restorative identity within the capital’s competitive luxury market.
The Opportunity Ahead
Clausen takes over Park Hyatt London River Thames at a formative stage.
The hotel has moved beyond its opening year and is now developing the traditions, relationships and service culture that may define it for decades.
His responsibilities will extend across operations, commercial strategy, guest service and workforce development.
That combination aligns closely with the experience he has accumulated throughout his career.
He understands commercial positioning from his background in sales and marketing.
He understands the guest journey from his rooms-division experience.
He understands resort and city-hotel operations through assignments across several markets.
He also brings an appreciation for heritage, having led a landmark Adriatic hotel, alongside experience managing contemporary luxury properties serving international travelers.
At Park Hyatt London River Thames, these strengths will support a hotel seeking to deepen its identity within London while remaining connected to the global standards of the Park Hyatt brand.
A Career Shaped by Curiosity
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Clausen’s appointment is the breadth of experience behind it.
Four continents.
Eight countries.
Nine hotels.
Each destination would have introduced a different interpretation of hospitality.
Cultures express welcome in their own ways. Guests arrive with different expectations. Teams bring local traditions, languages and rhythms into the workplace. A leader who moves across these environments learns to listen carefully before deciding how to lead.
That sensitivity can become an important strength.
Park Hyatt London River Thames welcomes travelers from around the world while serving a neighborhood that is creating a new chapter in London’s story. Leading such a property requires global awareness and a clear sense of place.
Clausen appears to understand both.
His career has been built through movement, learning and a willingness to grow across disciplines. He began as a sales trainee and eventually became responsible for landmark luxury hotels. Along the way, he remained connected to education and the development of the people entering the profession behind him.
His appointment brings those experiences together at one of London’s newest luxury addresses.
The hotel may be young.
Its new General Manager arrives with a lifetime of perspectives to share.
