JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group has named Julien Naouri as the new Head of Investment Sales for Asia. The appointment becomes effective on 1 April 2026. Naouri will work from the Singapore office and report directly to Nihat Ercan, the CEO of JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group for Asia Pacific.

Naouri joined the company in 2020 as a Vice President. Since then, he has become a prominent leader within the Singapore investment team. He has worked in hotel brokerage since 2008 and has been active in the Asian market for sixteen years. During his time at JLL, he has managed several major deals in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. These include the sales of the W, Sheraton and The Standard hotels in the Maldives. He also oversaw the sale of the Parkroyal Kitchener in Singapore and the Waldorf Astoria in Jakarta. Recently, he helped the firm grow in Malaysia by completing the sale of the Thistle Johor Bahru.

In his expanded role, Naouri will focus on growing revenue and working with JLL’s wider capital markets team. He will also continue his work as the Global Hotel Desk liaison for Asia. This involves working with teams in Europe and the Middle East to attract investment into the Asia Pacific region. He will collaborate with regional heads in Japan, India and Australia to strengthen the firm’s sales platform.

“As our business diversifies and client demands evolve, we are confident that the sharp market insight, transparent approach with colleagues, and direct communication style Julien has demonstrated will be a major advantage on a regional level,” said Ercan. “Over the past six years, Julien’s rapport with clients has made him an invaluable asset to our platform and we firmly believe that he will continue driving growth and strengthening our position across Asia.”

The hospitality sector is currently seeing high levels of activity. JLL predicts that hotel investment volumes will hit $13.3 billion by the end of 2026. Naouri noted that the market is at a turning point where capital is being repositioned.

“We’re at an inflection point for hotel investment across Asia, with capital actively repositioning and compelling opportunities emerging regionwide,” said Naouri. “Clients are looking for partners who combine deep local expertise with global reach and can navigate market complexities with clarity and precision. I’m looking forward to working with our exceptional regional team to bring the full strength of JLL to every transaction and deliver meaningful results for our clients.”