UK: The founders of lifestyle aparthotel brand Locke, part of hospitality group edyn, have announced they will depart the business after almost 10 years.
Investment director Merzak Kaddour, group acquisitions director Andrew Fowler, and chief development officer and creative director Eric Jafari, have announced they will move on from edyn after co-founding the company’s Locke lifestyle aparthotel brand almost 10 years ago.
Kaddour, Fowler, and Jafari initially co-founded the Urban Villa aparthotel brand which launched in 2014.
The following year, alongside Charles Cresser, the foursome launched the Locke Hotels brand with the first property opening in London 2016. Since then, the portfolio has grown to 14 sites with Cresser remaining in his role as development director to oversee the launch of an additional four.
By the end of 2024, the Locke portfolio will represent 18 hotels. Upcoming openings include Zurich, Lisbon, Copenhagen and Paris.
Kaddour wrote on LinkedIn: “During my tenure, I have had the opportunity to co-conceive and launch the Locke brand which is now widely regarded as the gold standard for lifestyle extended stay, be part of ground breaking projects all over Europe, collaborate with talented teams, develop and nurture young talent, and grow both personally and professionally. These experiences have not only shaped my career but have also enriched my life in ways I couldn’t have imagined.
“As I move forward, I am excited about the prospect of taking on new challenges and exploring fresh opportunities that will allow me to apply the skills and insights I’ve gained over the past decade. I am eager to embark on this new chapter with a sense of gratitude for the learnings and relationships I’ve acquired.”
Fowler said: “We owe a monumental debt of gratitude to Oaktree Capital Management, for believing in our vision and backing us to launch Locke. Our heartfelt gratitude to Brookfield Asset Management for providing us the support and insights necessary to elevate Locke into the distinguished pan-European platform it is today.
“We have always dared to challenge convention and rewrite the rulebook, and I am confident this legacy will continue to thrive and evolve. Now, it’s time for us to pass the baton, and I leave with utmost confidence, knowing that the future of edyn is in the most capable and dedicated hands.”
Jafari said: “It is with a heart full of gratitude and anticipation that I step down from my role, eager to see the new heights that edyn will reach in the hands of its capable and vibrant team.
“Thank you all for your support over the years. Enriched by our collective journey, I say goodbye(ish) to edyn, looking forward to working on my next passion project and watching edyn’s ever-evolving story from a new vantage point. I’ll be there to support edyn over the near future – and working with Brookfield and edyn to explore potential partnerships when the opportunities present themselves.”
A company spokesperson from edyn said: “We’d like to thank Merzak, Eric, and Andrew for their incredible work at edyn over the past years, which has seen the company transform into a pan-European extended stay pioneer.
“Since the founding of Locke, the company has expanded into eight new countries in as many years and we are now looking towards future openings in Paris, Zurich, and Lisbon. We are committed to building on our past successes to continue delivering innovative, design-led experiences to guests across the continent, and are excited for what the future holds.”
