Jan Michael Svoboda joins KEE Club as MD / Partner

KEE Club International has appointed Mr. Jan Michael Svoboda as Managing Director and Partner. KEE Club International is the management company which currently operates KEE private members clubs in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

In his new position, Jan Michael will be responsible for the overall planning and management of the present two clubs including operations, finance, marketing, design, art acquisition as well as strategic planning of the group’s expansion and management of new projects.

Prior to KEE, Jan Michael was Hotel Manager of The Peninsula Hong Kong since June 2004, having spent the previous four years as Resident Manager of The Peninsula Bangkok, where he worked to create an identity and build up the reputation of the newly-opened hotel in a competitive market.

Born in Rome to an Austrian father in the oil business, he travelled around the world as a child and decided to use his widespread talents and fulfill his desire to travel by embarking on a career in the hospitality industry.

After graduating from Vienna’s College of Hotel and Tourism Management with a diploma in hotel and tourism management, Jan Michael headed to New York where he worked as a bartender in a champagne bar, experiencing the thrill of the hospitality industry in a cosmopolitan city. In 1987 he joined the Mandarin Oriental group as a management trainee in their Macau hotel.

Jan Michael worked his way up through the ranks in Food & Beverage in Macau and at The Oriental Singapore, subsequently becoming Director of Food & Beverage at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong before joining the Peninsula group in 2000.

“After 21 years of being in the hotel industry in Asia, the move to KEE is certainly an exciting challenge and one which I welcome greatly. I have always admired the vision and creativity of the Rhombergs and the uniqueness of the KEE concept and am delighted at the opportunity of working with them, particularly on the development of new projects” said Jan Michael.

KEE Hong Kong was founded in 2001 by Austrian Christian and Maria Rhomberg. Their concept was based on creating a private members club with an exclusive salon culture incorporating convivial fine dining, an international nightclub as well as unique lifestyle, corporate and cultural events. Located in the heart of Central, KEE Hong Kong is a sanctuary where members, their international guests and visiting celebrities gather to eat, meet, do business, party, or just be.

KEE Shanghai opened in October 2008 in the beautifully restored 1921’s Twin Villas in the prestigious French Concession. It shares the building with the Richemont Shanghai headquarters, sitting above the flagship stores for China of distinguished brands such as Alfred Dunhill and Vacheron Constantin. Serene landscaped gardens take you to the villas where you enter KEE either directly or choose to walk up the stunning wooden staircases with sunlight streaming through original stained-glass windows. KEE Shanghai comprises a cosy, elegant brasserie style restaurant serving French & Mediterranean cuisine, an exquisite yet relaxing lounge and bar, both with outdoor balconies overlooking the gardens, and four intimate rooms for private dining. All-wood floors, high ceilings and French windows add wonderfully to the ambience of the club.

The group is currently working on a project in Jakarta, Indonesia which is expected to open in 2010 and also on a spiritual health resort in Bhutan.

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