AICR was founded in 1964 by the front office leader of several grand hotels in the south of France.
Grage, formerly Vice President of Operations for Hilton Worldwide's Egypt & Levant region, brings over 25 years of hospitality management experience to the role. Based at the company's Dubai area office, he will be responsible for regional strategy development as well as overseeing all operational matters for 13 hotels across the GCC including UAE, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. A graduate of the renowned Swiss Hotel Association, Grage, a German national, has a hospitality career which spans six countries and four continents. He is also a founder member of La Chaine des Rotisseurs in Czech Republic, one of the most famous global organisations in international gastronomy.
Andreas Searty, currently serving as General Manager at Hilton Doha in Qatar, has been appointed to the role of Cluster General Manager for Dubai with responsibility for three Hilton Hotels & Resorts branded properties - Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Resort, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Residences and Hilton Dubai Creek. Andreas Searty reports to Christian Grage, newly appointed Vice President of Operations for Arabian Peninsula. Searty, a fluent Arabic and German speaker, is a seasoned professional with a 30-year international hospitality background. He has worked across the world including UK, Kenya, Oman as well as Qatar, where he was responsible for the opening of Hilton Doha, the company's first hotel in the country which, in its first year of operation, has become an attractive and popular addition to the city landscape.
New director of sales Hagop Tchaparian has over 14 years of sales & marketing experience and first joined Marriott in January 2008 as a senior sales manager at the Doha Marriott Hotel being promoted to director of corporate sales in 2010.
With 20 years of hospitality experience, Rajat Chatterjee first joined Marriott in 2002 as director of rooms before becoming director of operations at the 355 room JW Marriott, Mumbai. In 2005, Rajat was a part of the pre-opening team of the 236 room Courtyard by Marriott, Chennai as General Manager and helped establish the Courtyard brand in India.
Laurent Chaudet brings over 30 years of international and regional experience at various Accor properties across Asia and the Middle East to his role as the new GM of the Pullman Dubai Deira City Centre Hotel.
A British national, Nettleton has 16 years’ experience of working in the UAE, with previous marketing and public relations positions held within the hospitality industry, with Rotana Hotels and Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.
The Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City announces the appointment of Mr. Dany Cherfane as the new Director of Sales and Marketing, effective from the 1st of April 2013.
AHIC 2013 organised by MEED and Bench Events, and taking place at the Madinat Jumeirah from 5-6 May 2013, is going to look at the broader outlook of the global hotels industry, as well as the impact of the changing world economy and growing population on hospitality, at two of its primary panel discussions this year.
Marking the conclusion of Starwood’s month-long relocation to Dubai, Frits van Paasschen, President & CEO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., today shared highlights and insights from the company’s immersion in the Middle East.
A Lebanese national, Ossama brings with him a solid background in sales in the hospitality industry, with more than 20 years' experience around the region. Ossama began his career within various F&B and sales positions in Dubai. From 1998 until 2007, he worked for Marriott properties in Dubai, including JW Marriott , Marriot Executive Apartments and Courtyard by Marriott, where he took up to the position of cluster senior sales manager. Then in 2007, he joined to Monarch Hotel - currently known as H Hotel – where he worked during the opening as assistant director of business development. In 2008, Ossama moved to Hyatt Regency and Galleria Dubai where he worked as an associate director of sales. His latest position prior joining the Radisson Royal Hotel Dubai was director of sales, MICE for Millennium Plaza Hotel, Dubai.
Nigel Tisdall recently visited the JW Marriott Marquis in Dubai, the world's tallest hotel, which opened last month. It is 355 metres tall and has 1,608 rooms split between two identical towers. The jagged design is inspired by the trunk of a date palm. Surprisingly perhaps, given its size, the decor within is "quiet and understated". Views, of course, are superb. Here are some other lofty places to spend the night.
“There are a lot of Emiratis who want to join the hospitality industry; it’s changed since four years back. There was a resistance at first caused by not knowing what a hotel is, the alcohol, certain culture barriers…” said Al Murooj Rotana Dubai director of human resources Wissam Beiruty. Many UAE hotels have implemented Emiratisation schemes to encourage Emirati employees, offering attractive packages and training opportunities, as the government continues to push the private sector to hire more local citizens.
Mexican and Spanish national Amado has 10 years of hospitality experience in Central America, Europe and the Middle East working at properties such as Hotel ME Barcelona by Melia in Spain, Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa and One & Only The Palm in Dubai where he held his most recent position as Concierge Services Manager. As an active member of Les Clefs d’Or UAE, Amado will use his vast knowledge to lead the concierge team at Raffles.
A Lebanese and French native, Krystel’s hospitality journey began at the Four Seasons George V in Paris as reservations agent before moving up to manage the guest relations team. She then joined the four seasons in Beirut as sales manager before moving onto the Mandarin Oriental in Paris as sales representative EMEA Region. Krystel then moved back to Front Office at the St. Regis Hotel in Doha where she held her last position as Front Desk Manager.
Akira Tanaka has become director of food and beverage at IHG’s Crowne Plaza Dubai. Tanaka began his hospitality career working for various stand alone food and beverage businesses throughout Japan and moves to the Crowne Plaza from within IHG, having previously worked at the Yokohama Grand Hotel.
The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management (EAHM), one of the world's leading hospitality business management schools and a part of the global luxury hotel company Jumeirah Group, was honoured to welcome President and CEO of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Mr. Frits van Paasschen on 4th March 2013.
AHIC 2013 advisory board chose Mr. Al Habtoor to receive this Award, for his invaluable contribution to the region’s hotel industry. He has also played a major role in driving the tourism industry forward in the UAE, by meeting the growing demand of the number of tourists with significant hotel projects.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) and Majid Al Futtaim Properties today celebrated the opening of Sheraton® Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel. With this opening, Starwood now operates 14 hotels in Dubai, representing the highest concentration of Starwood hotels in any individual city outside of New York. Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel is directly connected to Dubai's leading shopping destination, Mall of the Emirates, which features more than 560 international retail brands and is also home to the iconic Ski Dubai snow dome.
Hagop Tchaparian has over 14 years of sales & marketing experience and rapidly established himself in the markets he performed at, by winning and securing new businesses and retaining customer's loyalty. Hagop joined the company in January 2008 as a Senior Sales Manager in Doha Marriott Hotel.