MTM Luxury Lodging

James Simkins' Profile

Partner of MTM Luxury Lodging since early 2000, also has a distinguished international career in some of the finest Westin Hotels & Resorts.

Covering five countries on four continents, he began his career at The Carlton Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1972. During a period of 10 years, he gained significant exposure in all operating and support functions of this trend setting hotel. In early 1987, Simkins accepted a company transfer to the Kowloon Shangri-la as Executive Assistant (Resident) Manager. Operated by Westin, this Hong Kong hotel was regularly ranked in the top 20 in the world. A later transfer to the 1,473 room Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles resulted in his promotion to Managing Director with the specific mission of resurrecting this property from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the impact of the LA riots and the deterioration of the Los Angeles inner city.

Having successfully achieved these objectives in January 1993, Simkins was promoted to Vice President, Operations of Westin International Asia Pacific and Managing Director of The Westin Tokyo. He successfully opened this $620 million project in October 1994 and within 26 months, achieved the position of top performing luxury hotel in all of Japan. During the same period, he provided operational oversight to all Westin properties in Asia with particular emphasis on the opening of The Westin Osaka. A final assignment to Australia to open the landmark Westin Sydney in time for the 2000 Summer Olympics was successfully accomplished prior to joining MTM.

James graduated with a business degree from the University of South Africa and attended the University of Witwatersrand, where he studied Civil Engineering. Simkins also has the AH&LA Institute Diploma and has lectured in Engineering for Hospitality Management for that organization. In all locations, he has assumed a leadership role within the industry and was acknowledged in 1996 by Leaders magazine as one of the world’s leading Hotel Managers. For some years, the opportunity of participating in a hotel management company dedicated to innovative and entrepreneurial management of small luxury hotels has been a goal for Simkins. Being an officer and equity participant in MTM reunites him with his friend and colleague of many years, Jim Treadway, and fulfills that goal.

James is married with two adult children and resides in Redmond. His passions (in interchangeable order) are family, work, travel, classic cars, koi, gardening, fine wines and rugby.