Kiyofumi Machida was born in Nagasaki prefecture on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands. He began his career in hospitality at some of the country’s leading hotels, including Park Hyatt Tokyo and Hotel Okura Fukuoka. He later joined KPG Hotel & Resort as a deputy general manager of high-end ryokans such as Hakone Suishoen and Atami Fufu; as a director in charge of development in the Kyushu area he worked on many projects. He joined ABBA Resorts in June 2019.