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NEIL JACOBS STEPS DOWN AS PRESIDENT OF SIX SENSES AND LAUNCHES WILD ORIGINS
The visionary leader will bring his expertise, and much more, to hoteliers, starting with Capella Hotels & Resorts. |
Category: Worldwide - Industry economy
- Sustainability
Article written by Sylvie Leroy on Monday 21 July 2025
 Wild Origins has a simple mission: waste less, wonder more, and build with reverence
Photo credit © Wild Origins
At the time, the group founded by Sonu Shivdasani in 1995 had only eight resorts. Thirteen years later, there are 26 companies open around the world, all rooted in local culture, sustainability and well-being, and more than 30 projects in development. He orchestrated this remarkable growth with boldness, intuition and a unique vision deeply rooted in the values of sustainable luxury for which he is known.
One of the most significant turning points during his presidency was the acquisition of Six Senses by IHG Hotels & Resorts in 2019 for $300 million. While there were fears that this merger with a hotel giant would cause Six Senses to lose its DNA, Jacobs was able to preserve the brand's unique identity, which has remained true to its values: holistic and regenerative well-being, protection of the environment and communities, and deeply human hospitality.
“What matters most to me are the people”,he wrote in his farewell statement on LinkedIn, saluting his colleagues, partners, and mentors “who brought this vision to life with passion, creativity, and courage”. He also recalls his strong belief from the outset that “hospitality can be both deeply meaningful and genuinely regenerative” and his desire to build “a culture where sustainability, wellness, design, and experience were always in service of something greater”.
During his tenure, Neil Jacobs has pushed the boundaries of luxury by introducing cutting-edge practices in the fields of wellness, such as biohacking and cryotherapy, and sustainability, notably with zero plastic – almost 100%! – and local sourcing. He also launched the Six Senses Place concept, an urban social club focused on well-being, with the first opening planned for London this year. The creation of an Earth Lab in each property and the establishment of a local sustainability fund financed by 0.5% of turnover are also strong moves in the hospitality industry.
With his freedom regained, Jacobs is launching his new project called Wild Origins, with a simple mission that he describes in a new post on LinkedIn: "waste less, wonder more, and build with reverence".
More than a strategic consulting firm, it is "a creative collective built to bring soulful, sustainable projects to life across hospitality, wellness, lifestyle, land development, and beyond". For him, it is, above all, "a chance to explore fresh ideas, challenge assumptions, and collaborate with kindred spirits who believe, as I do, that hospitality can be a force for good".
By teaming up with visionary partners, he wants to "reimaginehow we live, create, and connect with each other and with the planet".
For him, "the best ideas are both inspired and inevitable—bold yet grounded in purpose".
In an interview with Jennifer Flowers in AFAR, Neil Jacobs also talks about his interest in the rise of smaller hotel brands and the importance of having strong values and a strong narrative, as travellers are looking for experiences with an identity and a story that help give meaning to their lives and create connections.
Capella Hotels & Resorts is already among his first clients, and we understand why, given Neil Jacobs' valuable expertise. The Indonesian lifestyle brand Desa Potato Head has also enlisted his services.
We can already see a federative, innovative and independent concept taking shape, one that is certainly free from constraints. We look forward to finding out more and discovering all the possibilities that Neil Jacobs will now be able to explore.
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