Capella Hotel Group has appointed Christian Westbeld as Regional General Manager, Southeast Asia, placing him in charge of operations across Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Westbeld will oversee the strategic direction and operational excellence of three key luxury properties: Capella Singapore, Capella Ubud, and Capella Hanoi, reinforcing the brand’s positioning in the ultra-luxury hospitality segment.
A 25-Year Global Hospitality Career
Hailing from Frankfurt, Germany, Westbeld brings more than 25 years of international hospitality experience spanning four continents.
His career includes senior leadership roles with Raffles Hotels & Resorts across Dubai, Beijing, and Singapore, followed by executive operations leadership at MGM China.
He later returned to Raffles Singapore as General Manager in 2017, where he played a key role in one of the region’s most significant heritage transformation projects, overseeing restoration, relaunch, and repositioning of the iconic hotel.
Most recently, he served as Managing Director of Raffles Singapore and also held regional oversight responsibilities as Regional General Manager for Raffles Indonesia.
Capella Singapore: Flagship in a Heritage Landscape
In his new role, Westbeld will lead Capella Singapore, the brand’s flagship property, which opened in 2009.
Set across 30 acres of tropical rainforest on Sentosa Island, the resort blends restored 1800s colonial Tanah Merah buildings with contemporary architecture by Sir Norman Foster, reflecting Capella’s signature philosophy of heritage-meets-modern design.
The property features:
- 113 rooms and suites
- 10 private manors with plunge pools
- 81 serviced residences ranging from one-bedroom suites to three-bedroom duplexes
- Signature dining venues and event spaces
Recognised on Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List and holding Forbes Five-Star status for 14 consecutive years, Capella Singapore remains one of Asia’s most awarded luxury resorts.
Leadership Philosophy: People Before Process
Westbeld is known for a leadership style grounded in “people before process,” emphasising strong team culture and hands-on operational engagement.
His approach focuses on:
- Building service culture through daily presence
- Anticipating guest needs before they arise
- Strengthening team cohesion through direct involvement
- Elevating guest experience through personalised service delivery
This philosophy aligns closely with Capella’s emphasis on intuitive, personalised luxury hospitality.
Executive Commentary
Roland Fasel, President of Capella Hotel Group, welcomed the appointment:
“Christian brings a valuable combination of market knowledge, operational rigour and a deep understanding of the Capella brand… what sets him apart is his belief that hospitality is ultimately about people.”
Fasel added that Westbeld’s deep roots in Singapore and long-standing industry relationships position him strongly to enhance regional synergy across Capella’s Southeast Asia portfolio.
Strategic Outlook for Southeast Asia
Westbeld’s appointment comes as luxury hospitality competition intensifies across Southeast Asia, particularly in Singapore, Bali, and Hanoi—three of the region’s most dynamic high-end travel markets.
His leadership is expected to further:
- Strengthen brand consistency across Capella properties
- Elevate guest experience standards
- Enhance operational synergy across Southeast Asia
- Support long-term expansion of Capella’s luxury footprint
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