Park Plaza Hotels Europe, master franchisor in
Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, has signed
a sub master agreement with Oak Hospitality Services AB to aggressively
expand the Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts brand across Scandinavia and Baltic
countries through both franchise and management contracts.  The agreement
with Stockholm-based Oak Hospitality Services AB will cover the countries of
Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. Boris Ivesha, president of Park Plaza Hotels Europe, is delighted to have
signed this agreement with Oak Hospitality and its CEO, Claes Livijn, formerly
vice president development with leading hotelier, Rezidor SAS Hospitality.

“We believe that there is no better time for us to enter Scandinavia and I am
certain that we have found the right partner to drive our development
operations in this exciting region,” said Ivesha.  “Claes’s extensive experience
in the industry, fantastic network of contacts and his previous knowledge,
understanding and experience of the brands’ parent company, Carlson Hotels
Worldwide, will prove invaluable for us,” he added.

Oak Hospitality’s CEO, Claes Livijn has an impressive hospitality background.
During his tenure with Rezidor SAS, he signed 23 hotels in 18 months for the
Park Inn brand.  He also developed three hotels in Sweden to join Radisson
SAS.  Both Park Inn and Radisson SAS are sister brands to Park Plaza Hotels
& Resorts, part of Carlson Hotels Worldwide.  Claes brings nearly 30 years of
hotel experience with him, including working within Pandox and Securum, two
well-respected hotel real estate companies in Sweden.  Livijin has a degree in
hotel management from Glion Hotel School, Switzerland.  Claes has also held
various management roles in more than 10 hotels across Sweden and the
Netherlands.  A Swedish National, Claes is fluent in English, Swedish and
French, with knowledge of Danish, German, Spanish and Dutch.

After a relatively recent affiliation with the Wren’s Hotel group in Croatia and
the FitzWilliam Hotel group in Ireland, Park Plaza Hotels Europe is in advanced
negotiations with companies in various other countries as sub master
agreements are currently the preferred development method for this rapidly
expanding hotel group.

With over a dozen franchising negotiations coming to fruition in the very near
future, expansion through sub master agreements was inevitable.  Initially
focusing on Sweden’s most principal cities, Claes will then move to expanding
the brand to other Nordic capitals.  Once this has been established, there are
firm plans to develop across the Baltic States and beyond.

Claes Livijn comments, “I am extremely happy to have the opportunity to
establish a close relationship with Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts.  I find the
brand fresh, modern, and fast growing backed up by a focused company.
Oak Hospitality Services AB will do its utmost to make sure that Park Plaza
Hotels & Resorts will have fast growth and achieve strong brand awareness in
the Scandinavian countries”.
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