Business

Fourth generation family take on larger roles at RIU Hotels

Loop News

October 9, 2024 7:45 PM ET

3 mins read

The RIU Group, established in Jamaica 24 years ago, announced that fourth-generation family members, Luis Riu Rodríguez and Roberto Riu Rodríguez —sons of CEO Luis Riu Güell—are gradually assuming greater roles in the company’s expansion efforts.

The brothers, who have been steering the hotel chain’s construction and design departments, are key promoters and managers of the hotel’s strategic decarbonisation project based on self-supply.

Since the start of this initiative, they have analysed and supervised the design and installation of 24 photovoltaic projects in 23 hotels, which have involved an investment of more than £8.6 million and a total of 7,375 tonnes of CO2 emissions avoided.

As part of its global sustainability strategy, RIU Resorts chose the recently opened 753-room RIU Palace Aquarelle in Trelawny to pilot a solar project which is projected to provide at least a quarter of the energy needed to run the Trelawny property.

The resort, which opened its doors to guests on May 4, is the seventh RIU property in Jamaica, is estimated to utilise 795 solar panels to produce 470,000 KW/h per year.

With innovative photovoltaic panels, the Riu Palace Aquarelle is a Caribbean pioneer in terms of solar energy, reducing its carbon footprint and embracing the power of the sun, contributing to the fight against climate change and caring for the planet by saving energy and reducing carbon emissions.

Meanwhile, according to a release from RIU, the siblings have been leading expansion projects and analysing investment opportunities, as well as working in the RIU Group’s Technical Advice Office (GAT), which is responsible for the chain’s major refurbishment projects and designing, constructing and fitting out all of the company’s new hotels.

“Having initially carried out this task alongside their father, they’re now flying solo and each of the brothers oversees certain regions and projects,” the release stated.