Neil Palmer has taken on the role of chief operating officer at Six Senses.

He will be looking after a growing portfolio of hotels, resorts and spas in 20 countries, with a further 34 properties in the development pipeline.

Palmer has 37 years of international hospitality experience, most of which he spent with Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

In his role as senior vice president of operations, Asia Pacific, he developed the company’s hotel portfolio and oversaw the pre-opening hotel pipeline within the region.

Following his 25-year tenure with Starwood, Palmer became chief executive and co-owner of Per Aquum Retreats & Resorts.

In recent years, he has been chief executive of Elements HSC, a company he co-established, specialising in global hospitality consulting and asset management.

A graduate of Westminster Hotel School in London and a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality UK, Palmer is a driven leader who believes learning and developing should always be a constant in life.

“With his boundless experience, energy and integrity, Neil is an exciting new protagonist in the Six Senses story as we continue to unite our vision of hospitality and reconnection in our places and spaces,” says Six Senses chief executive, Neil Jacobs.