Rajat Chatterjee has been appointed as the hotel's General Manager, and Hagop Tchaparian has been named Director of Sales. The new team members will play a vital role in building on the success achieved by the hotel in 2012, and will further develop the properties positioning within Dubai and the Middle East.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) will be hosting investor and analyst day presentations in Dubai, UAE, on Wednesday, March 13. Beginning at 12:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, or 8:30 a.m. local time in Dubai, the presentations will cover Starwood's strategy, investment proposition and 3 year outlook, as well as a review of Starwood's Middle East and South Asia operations. Presenters will include: Frits van Paasschen, President & CEO; Vasant Prabhu, Vice Chairman & CFO; Guido de Wilde, Senior VP, Regional Director, Middle East; and Dilip Puri, Managing Director - India & Regional Vice President - South Asia. Following the prepared remarks, there will be a question-and answer session.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announced the beginning of a month-long relocation of its global headquarters from Stamford, CT to Dubai. From now until April 5th, Starwood President & CEO Frits van Paasschen and the company's top executives will conduct day-to-day business from Dubai, an increasingly important global destination and travel hub. Following the company's successful relocation to China in June 2011, this second leadership move reflects Starwood's innovative management approach to cultivating a more global culture by understanding, appreciating and leveraging different societal perspectives and approaches to business and hospitality.
Hotels in Dubai continued to surpass previous year performances as regional and international tourists flock to the city for the 18th Dubai Shopping Festival, boosting key performance indicators across the market, according to the latest HotStats survey of full service four and five star hotels by TRI Hospitality Consulting.
Tolga Lacin will also continue in his current role of hotel manager at The Westin Dubai and Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina.
Women business leaders from the Middle East and Gulf States gathered today at the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai to discuss "Women as Dynamic Forces of Change," as part of a three-day celebration honoring the iconic new hotel. Created as a forum to empower women, the luncheon and panel discussion sparked the beginning of a longer-term strategic brand partnership between JW Marriott and Vital Voices, a global non-profit that trains and mentors women to enhance their leadership and economic opportunity. The Dubai Business Women Council, the leading organization of women entrepreneurs in Dubai, also partnered on this women's forum, the first of many sponsored by the JW Marriott brand around the world.
Gisele Clark has been appointed Hotel Manager of Mina A’Salam. Prior to joining the Jumeirah Group in 2010, she worked for well-known groups such as Firmdale Hotels and Thistle Hotels in London, The Swiss Grand Hotel in Australia, and Marriott. Clark brings with her an exceptional 22 years of experience spanning 8 countries.
The JW Marriott brand officially celebrates its newly opened landmark luxury hotel today in the Middle East – the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai. Acquiring the coveted title of World's Tallest hotel from the Guinness Book of World Records, the 72-story property is the first JW Marriott Marquis outside of North America and the 59th addition to the brand's global luxury portfolio. A host of international VIPs, including Marriott International's President & CEO Arne Sorenson are in Dubai this week for the official unveiling.
Azar Saliba has been appointed Hotel Manager of Jumeirah's Al Qasr and Dar Al Masyaf hotels. The Lebanese national has over 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry, and 7 years with the Jumeirah Group in the UAE. Azar’s talent for dealing successfully with both guests and staff, together with his bi-lingual skills, were quickly recognized leading to his progression up the managerial ladder.
Rotana has promoted Dana Hlavnova to general manager of the Jumeirah Rotana from her previous role as executive assistant manager at Amwaj Rotana, also in Dubai. Hlavnova started her hospitality career 16 years ago as a front office receptionist and succeeded in progressing to manager, director, executive assistant manager and now general manager positions while working in various countries such as the Czech Republic, Tanzania and Sudan.
Radisson Royal Hotel Dubai has recently appointed Agnes Hlavacs as director of revenue management. Agnes, originally from Hungary, joins Radisson Royal Hotel Dubai from Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre, where she served as pre-opening revenue manager for the 460-room hotel. Prior to her position in Bahrain, she worked in Radisson Blu Portman Hotel, London as revenue manager and held various positions in reservations and front office. With over 7 years of experience in the hospitality field, Agnes Hlavacs will lead the revenue management and reservations team for Radisson Royal Hotel Dubai. Agnes will be in charge of revenue optimization and pricing strategy to grow market share while overseeing the reservations department enhancing personalized and exceptional service delivery for the guests of the five star property.
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, has announced that 10 scholarships will be made available to potential students who wish to begin their studies in 2013.
Jumeirah Group, the global luxury hotel company and a member of Dubai Holding, is delighted to announce the appointment of its first Emirati General Manager, Samer Khanfar, for Jumeirah Living World Trade Centre Residences in Dubai.
Andrew Abram has been appointed General Manager of Raffles Dubai, with immediate effect. Andrew Abrams succeeds Peter French, who was promoted last year to President of Raffles Hotels & Resorts, having held the position of Regional Vice President - Europe, Middle East & Africa for Raffles Hotels & Resort as well as General Manager of Raffles Dubai. Mr Abram, who is British, joins Raffles from the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, where he has held a number of positions since 2003. He was most recently General Manager of the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He joined the group as Resident Manager of The Excelsior Hong Kong, and went on to lead the renovation and reopening of the Mandarin Oriental Jakarta, holding the role of General Manager for eight years.
Minor Hotel Group is pleased to announce that it will expand its presence in the United Arab Emirates with the launch of its first hotel in Dubai. The Anantara Dubai Palm Jumeirah Resort & Spa is a five star resort on the crescent of Dubai's iconic Palm Jumeirah, and will open in September 2013.
Moevenpick Hotels & Resorts has opened its fifth property in Dubai, becoming the first international hotel company in the city's Al Mamzar area of Deira. Moevenpick Hotel Apartments The Square opened on 20 January with 180 superior and deluxe rooms, as well as one- and two-bedroom hotel apartment suites. The property is close to the Al Mamzar Beach Park and other landmarks within Deira,Dubai's historical centre.
In November 2012, Mr. Michael Nugent was appointed as General Manager of the Mövenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta Gate Dubai. He brings more than 30 years of international experience in the hospitality industry and over 17 years at the forefront of the region's expanding hospitality sector, with executive level roles at Le Méridien and Mövenpick hotels in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Following graduation from Assiut University in Egypt, Mohamed took advanced courses in English and Hotel Services at the American University in Cairo before embarking on a career in hospitality as a Reservation Agent at the Semiramis InterContinental Hotel in the city.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts debuts a new addition to its growing portfolio in the Middle East – Fairmont The Palm. The property is owned by international residential and resort developer IFA Hotels & Resorts (IFA HR). The luxurious resort is located in the heart of the iconic Palm Jumeirah, the world's largest man-made island shaped in the form of a palm tree. It is ideally located next to key leisure areas and business districts, major city landmarks and two 'world firsts' – Burj Khalifa, the tallest free standing building and The Dubai Mall, the largest retail development.
Kumar, who graduated with a Diploma in Catering and a Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel Management from the Griffith University in Australia, took on the role of general manager of the Manila property following its extensive refurbishment and headed up the re- launch of the property. Prior to joining Dusit International, he was responsible for the pre-opening of Ascott Raffles Place in Singapore’s financial centre. He also worked for Raffles Group, Starwood and the Renaissance Group.