Francois J. Cnockaert appointed GM of Ritz-Carlton Tokyo

Mr. Francois J. Cnockaert has returned to Japan, joining The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo, as General Manager. A native of France, Mr. Cnockaert has spent the last three years in China, where he opened The Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou.

Mr. Cnockaert’s Ritz-Carlton career began in 1993, when he was appointed the director of food and beverage at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, in Southern California. Subsequently, his efforts earned him the position of hotel manager at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, after which he moved to Japan to assist in the opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka. In 1999, he was named the opening general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia.

His work experience also includes general manager positions with hotels in Jakarta, Indonesia; Mumbai, India; Osaka, Japan; and Seoul, Korea.

“I am extremely happy to be back in Japan, and honored to be the general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo,” said Mr. Cnockaert. “I was fortunate to be apart of the ‘birth’ of The Ritz-Carlton brand in Osaka, and I am looking forward to building on that solid foundation to further enhance the guest experience, provide exceptional service, and, on a personal note, become a passionate supporter of the local community.”

Mr. Cnockaert, fluent in English and French, earned a Bachelor of Accounting degree from Rouen, France and a Degree in Hotel Management from the Lausanne Hotel School in Switzerland.

He also completed a course on “Executive Leadership Certification” from Cornell University, and in 2008, was named the “Outstanding Volunteer of the Year” by the Guangzhou government, an honor never before bestowed on a foreigner.

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