Just weeks after announcing his retirement from Six Senses, Neil Jacobs has stepped into a new role as senior strategic advisor to Capella Hotel Group.
The Singapore-based company, which operates the Capella Hotels and Resorts and Patina Hotels & Resorts brands, has brought on Jacobs to help guide its ongoing expansion and sharpen its competitive positioning in the global luxury hospitality space. Jacobs will work closely with the executive team to strengthen brand differentiation and ensure Capella and Patina remain focused on authentic, experience-driven guest journeys.
The role comes after Jacobs announced this week the launch of Wild Origins, a hotel advisory firm billed as a "purpose-driven advisory collective and creative studio." Capella and Desa Potato Head are the firm's first announced clients.
The Jacobs appointment at Capella comes at a pivotal moment for the group, which has grown from four to ten properties since 2020 and earned global acclaim—most notably, Capella Hotels and Resorts was named the No. 1 Hotel Brand in the World by Travel + Leisure for three consecutive years (2023 to 2025).
“Capella has established a distinctive position by creating hotels that are true expressions of their destinations, whilst Patina addresses the growing demand for transformative luxury experiences that foster genuine connections,” said Jacobs in a statement. “As we expand both brands into critical markets like Japan and Europe, our strategic imperative is leveraging this dual-brand architecture—Capella’s cultural immersion and Patina’s experiential innovation—to capture different segments of the luxury market whilst maintaining the intimacy that drives loyalty across both portfolios.”
Capella opened its first property in Taiwan this year, with Capella Taipei designed by André Fu to reflect the city’s Songshan district. Patina Osaka made its Japan debut in May and celebrated its official opening earlier this month. Additional developments are underway, including Capella Galaxy Macau later this year, Capella Kyoto in 2026, and Capella Florence — marking the brand’s entry into Europe — in 2027.
Jacobs, who spent more than a decade building Six Senses into one of the hospitality industry’s most progressive and purpose-driven luxury brands, brings decades of global hotel experience to his new advisory platform. His strategic guidance is expected to further elevate Capella Hotel Group’s next chapter of growth.
"Wild Origins is about building what's next," Jacobs said earlier this week of his broader advisory brand. "It is a space to reimagine how we live, create, and connect with each other and the world around us. We are partnering with people and projects that are bold and purposeful. I believe the best ideas feel both inevitable and inspired, while being deeply grounded in purpose."
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