Hakkasan Group this morning announced the addition of Khalifa bin Butti of KBBO Group, a private investment corporation based in Dubai, as its new chairman of the board.
Also announced today are three new directors to that board: Former Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., Mani Buttikhi and Ramez Attieh.
Remaining in their executive roles in the Hakkasan Group are Chief Executive Officer Neil Moffitt and President Nick McCabe.
Bin Butti steps in for outgoing Hakkasan Group Chairman Khadem al Qubaisi, the international investor and businessman also based in Dubai.
In a statement issued today, Bin Butti said, “I am excited to become chairman of Hakkasan Group’s Board of Directors and to work alongside Neil and my fellow Board members to steer the Group through an upcoming period of planned ambitious growth. I would also like to take this opportunity to state that, contrary to recent media reports, the shareholders have no intention of selling Hakkasan Group and are committed to supporting the executive team as they continue to expand into new markets and brands.”
Bin Butti did not specify those media reports, and in its statement, the company thanked Qubaisi “for his efforts during his tenure at the group.” The company operates Hakkasan at MGM Grand and Omnia at Caesars Palace, and it is set to open the uber-club Jewel at Aria on May 19.
Moffitt said in today’s statement: “I’m happy to be joined on the board by world-class businesspeople who I’m sure will add a huge amount of value in guiding Hakkasan Group’s global expansion, as we continue to implement our growth strategy. I am also pleased that our chairman has responded to, and firmly denied, recent rumors about the group’s future, enabling our team to move forward and focus on our continued success.”