< PreviousThe Power 50 hoteliermiddleeast.com October 2020 30 Wyndham further expanded its presence in the Sultanate of Oman with the introduction of two new brands in the market. Wyndham Garden Muscat Al Khuwair opened in December 2019 and boasts 143 modern rooms, state- of-the art leisure facilities. In addition, the group welcomed the Ramada Encore by Wyndham Muscat Al Ghubra in August this year, offering 163 rooms, a rooftop pool, tness centre and spa, as well as event facilities. Both openings marked a signi cant milestone as part of Wyndham’s expansion plans for the market, as it focuses on bringing diverse accommodation choices to travellers across the Sultanate. Amir Golbarg returned to Minor Hotels last year, taking up the position of vice president – operations Middle East, North Africa, Seychelles, Mauritius, during which time he has been leading the MENA Regional Of ce. In his role, Golbarg has successfully developed the group’s future Across all its brands, Minor introduced health and safety measures to stem the spread of COVID-19. Golbarg remains very open on the impact of the pandemic on revenues, but remains con dent things will recover and go ahead as normal. Future openings include the Anantara Mina Al Arab Ras Al Khaimah, Avani Palm View Hotel & Suites and Avani Muscat Hotel. All slated to open by the end of this year or the start of next, Golbarg’s time in the role has seen Minor pay more attention to its mid-scale Avani brand compared to the ve-star Anantara brand. He said: “Having rejoined it’s been a real pleasure to once again immerse in the company and have the opportunity to work closely with the MENA team and help drive the operations and business.” In Saudi Arabia, the group introduced Ramada by Wyndham Mekkah Al Rawda, offering 426 rooms set over 17 oors, as well as two F&B outlets. It also launched Ramada by Wyndham Mekkah Al Tayseer, with 278 keys over 11 oors. Both KSA hotels opened in December 2019. There was also the launch of two new Ramada by Wyndham hotel’s in Dubai’s Deira, with two more Wyndham hotels coming in the next 12 months. With plenty more in the pipeline, Panos Loupasis believes that by protecting his teams, they will be in a position to come of out of the current crisis even stronger. He said: “The focus is on the recovery and growth in a new era of travel. We are committed to our mission to be the region’s leading player in the mid-market hotel segment, striving to elevate the experience of the everyday traveller. “With a strong, growing and diverse portfolio, we are strongly positioned to continue to meet this objective and leverage the enormous opportunities that this region offers.” Numbers at a glance 1 YEAR, 6 MONTHS Time in role 5 YEARS, 6 MONTHS Time with company 18 YEARS Time in industry 20 Hotels 76,014 Keys 5,500 Staff 9 Pipeline Numbers at a glance 4 YEARS, 9 MONTHS Time in role 9 YEARS Time with company 20+ YEARS Time in industry 54 Hotels 10,000 Keys 4 Staff 21 Pipeline pipeline in the region, which stands at nine properties as of August 2020. Before coronavirus, Golbarg helped open the rst new-build Avani hotel in the region – the Avani Ibn Battuta Dubai Hotel and bring the Anantara brand into North Africa with the Anantara Sahara Tozeur Resort & Villas. Amir Golbarg Vice president – operations Mid- dle East, North Africa, Seychelles, Mauritius, Minor Hotels Panos Loupasis Vice president development, Middle East, Eurasia & Africa, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts 9 8The Power 50 31 October 2020 hoteliermiddleeast.com Aldar Properties has come a long way since its US$10 billion bailout 10 years ago, with its hospitality and leisure division now a re agged the iconic Yas Hotel as a W, converted management agreements at Yas Plaza hotels to a franchise agreement to create a cluster, and has attained management of three of the region’s largest golf courses. Into 2021, Rahman revealed: “The focus will be to have a greater emphasis on our sustainability strategy and digital transformation initiatives applied across the entire hotel group; to continue to build and grow our talent base and management teams. “In spite of the unconventional headwinds experienced during this turbulent year, the recent pandemic has provided an opportunity for the Abu Dhabi to cement itself as an exceptional global tourism destination providing world-class hospitality and unique experiences.” core part of the company. Leading the division is chairman, Aldar Hotels & Hospitality & executive director, Aldar Properties, Jahed Rahman, who, in his three years in the role, has turned things around. Since the last Power 50, Aldar has Coming in at 1,548 rooms, Atlantis Dubai from Kerzner International is not only one of Dubai’s largest hotels, but also one of its most popular tourist attractions. Managing the US$1.5 billion resort is executive vice president and managing director Timothy Kelly. As 2020 got under way, Atlantis completed its three-year, $100 million refurbishment programme which updated rooms and suites, the Imperial Club and a range of F&B and entertainment venues. The programme has also seen the introduction of four new restaurants over 2019 and into 2020, including Wavehouse, Hakkasan and Beach Buns. Under the guidance of Kelly, Atlantis had a swift response to the coronavirus, unveiling its own COVID-19 PCR testing service to guests, free of charge. Shedding light on 2021 plans, Kelly said: “We also couldn’t be more excited by the launch of Atlantis, The Royal in late 2021. Formerly known as The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Atlantis, The Royal has undergone a major re-brand in the past 12 months.” “The Royal will be the new sub-brand that embodies the more luxurious arm of Atlantis while still retaining the key essence of bringing the extraordinary to every holiday and experience. “Both Atlantis, The Palm, and Atlantis, The Royal will now sit under one iconic destination, Atlantis Dubai.” Numbers at a glance 3 YEARS Time in role 7 YEARS Time with company 7 YEARS Time in industry 14 Hotels 3,505 Keys 5,792 Staff 2 Pipeline Numbers at a glance 2 YEARS 10 MONTHS Time in role 2 YEARS 10 MONTHS Time with company 27 YEARS Time in industry 1 Hotels 1,548 Keys 3,000 Staff 1 Pipeline Jahed Rahman Chairman, Aldar Hotels & Hospitality & executive director, Aldar Properties Timothy Kelly Executive vice president and managing director, Atlantis Dubai 10 11The Power 50 hoteliermiddleeast.com October 2020 32 “Our strategy is unchanged we will continue to expand“ COVID-19 was not only a crisis, but also “an opportunity to think differently and change the way we run our business,” believes Cenk Unverdi. Finishing 2019 strongly with a revenue increase year-on-year of 35 percent for its four UAE hotels, Rixos also hit the ground running in 2020 with a 16 percent increase in the rst two months of the year versus 2019. While admitting that the effects of the pandemic have been of a magnitude never seen before by the hotel industry, Unverdi’s “think differently” approach meant that a focus on the local market has led to Rixos getting a signi cant share of staycation demand and led to the highest ever ADR received in summer time for its UAE hotels. Unverdi expects longer international leisure trips to be slow to return to the region, and so the focus on domestic travellers staying close to home will remain. But that won’t require Rixos to cheapen its brand, says Unverdi. “We will not be dropping our rates to attain better share, but we will be creating more additional values for guests to help them make the right decision,” he said. “We are con dent in our proposition since three out of our four Rixos in the UAE already offer all-inclusive packages, which we have seen as value-for-money incentive for families looking at staycations over the past few months. “During this phase, we also managed to create alternative source of revenues and our long-term development strategy remains unchanged – we will continue our expansion programme as planned.” As we head into the unknown, Unverdi will be keeping one eye on the emerging trends from leading regions such as China, to give a glimpse into the weeks ahead and to stay one step ahead of his competitors. However, he also believes that it could be a quicker return to normal than some of the pessimists expect. He added: “We are hopeful that recovery will happen sooner than we think in the Middle East region. Since the start of the pandemic, the UAE has been one of the countries been able to manage the period most effectively. “The country’s ability to reinvent itself puts it at the top of the list of countries that can swiftly emerge from this pandemic.” But for now, Unverdi says “the biggest priority for hoteliers today is to ensure health and safety without compromising the guest experience. “The one thing we know is that change is constant, and we will adapt to whatever the future brings. Our aim is not to survive; we are keen on changing challenges into opportunities. Welcome to the new world of hospitality.” Numbers at a glance 5 YEARS Time in role 13 YEARS Time with company 15 YEARS Time in industry 15 Hotels 9,000 Keys 2,000 Staff 4 Pipeline Cenk Unverdi Regional general manager, Rixos Hotels 12The Power 50 33 October 2020 hoteliermiddleeast.com Since last featured in the Power 50, Laurent A. Voivenel’s list of responsibilities have grown to now cover HR and talent development across the group, now acting as SVP – perations & development, EMEA & India; SVP – group human resources & talent development, Swiss- Belhotel International. Over the past 12 months, the group has opened, pre- opened or are in advanced stages of development for ten properties across the region. It has also launched four new brands in the Middle East, helping it reach into each corner of the market. During 2020, Swiss- Belhotel merged EMEA and India operations, managing the international portfolio from a new Dubai HQ. In charge of that HQ is Voivenel, who know handles group 2020 for Jumeirah Group has been a year of diversi cation, with the opening of Capri Palace Jumeirah in Italy, to Jumeirah Living Marina Gate in Dubai – growing the group’s serviced residence portfolio. Steering the hospitality giant in this direction has been CEO Jose Silva, who has been keen to roll out new concepts across Jumeirah. Into 2021, Silva will spearhead openings in the Middle East, with Jumeirah Muscat Bay in Oman and the Jumeirah Al Sahel Resort & Spa in southern Bahrain, together bringing in more than 400 keys. Tapping into the religious tourism sector in Saudi Arabia, Jumeirah Jabal Omar, Makkah is set to open within walking distance of the Holy Mosque, boasting 1,126 rooms. Amid social distancing rules, Silva sees a rise in popularity for pop-up short- term dining concepts. He says: “From a dining perspective, we envision pop-ups continuing to gain in popularity, as the concept allows us to trial new dining concepts with our community, maintaining that all-important interaction with guests, giving them something fresh and new to be excited about.” operations in Europe from the emirate. Looking ahead, the group plans to open eight new properties in the region. Voivenel added: “The desire for innovation remains one of the top priorities for us to ensure ef ciency, manage cost components and drive revenue. We remain focused on working with our owners to identify synergies and increase ef ciencies across hotels by implementing shared services and remote solutions.” Numbers at a glance 2 YEARS, 6 MONTHS Time in role 2 YEARS, 6 MONTHS Time with company 35 YEARS Time in industry 16 Hotels 6,500+ Keys 10,000+ Staff 4 Pipeline Numbers at a glance 3 YEARS 6 MONTHS Time in role 3 YEARS 6 MONTHS Time with company 34 YEARS Time in industry 8 Hotels 21,503 Keys 10,000 Staff 8 Pipeline As the pandemic began to snowball in the Middle East, Jumeirah Al Naseem became the rst hotel in the world to receive the Bureau Veritas Safeguard Label, now standard for the industry and in place at six other Jumeirah hotels in the region. José Silva Chief executive of cer, Jumeirah Group Laurent A. Voivenel SVP – operations & development, EMEA & India; SVP – group human resources & talent development, Swiss-Belhotel International 13 14The Power 50 hoteliermiddleeast.com October 2020 34 BHW Hotel Group considers itself a family that stands together, shoulder to shoulder, during a time of crisis. With measures that provided immediate relief to its hoteliers in are more concerned than ever about cleanliness, it launched a new program, which ensures an even higher level of cleaning standards and operational best practices. Managing director Baran Turkel believes that remaining calm throughout these tough times is the most important thing, while being optimistic but realistic. He said: “As we look to the future, we believe that hotels will see road travel to be the transportation of choice for travellers. Shorter travel, road trips and staycations will provide opportunities for those concerned about the continued COVID-19 risks.” Turkel will be hoping that 2021 can replicate the success of 2019, which saw BWH Hotel Group pick up a number of accolades including two at the 30th Annual TTG Travel Awards. the face of the pandemic, it has tried to maintain constant communication. At the beginning of COVID-19, BWH rolled out enhanced cleaning protocols and breakfast standards throughout its Best Western brands. Recognising that travellers Hassan Ahdab is approaching this third year in Dur Hospitality as its president of hotel operations, with the company’s focus on Saudi Arabia’s holy cities rapidly gaining momentum as the country hurtles towards Saudi Vision 2030. Dur has signed an agreement with Al Manakha Development Holding Co which added 1,365 rooms and tripled Makarem’s portfolio within only one year. It also entered a new partnership with the General Authority for Awqaf to develop a ve-star hotel tower with 400 keys in the central area of Madinah, and completed a SAR120 million expansion of the Riyadh Airport Marriott, adding a further 100 keys. Dur’s Saudi portfolio was hit hard this year by the scaling back of Umrah and Hajj, though stayed operational by acting as a quarantine facility for Saudi nationals. Over the next 12 months, Dur will open its rst hotel in Madinah, spanning three buildings and adding 1,365 keys to the portfolio. It will also complete the expansion of Holiday Inn Tabuk to add 57 keys and complete development of the Shada Hotel – Al Satwa for another 104 keys in Dubai. Ahdad explained: “The pandemic has taught us a lesson for the future: we have to always be optimistic under any circumstance because even situations that are out of our control can push us to be more creative and innovative, ultimately leading us to shift perspective and think of different solutions for complex problems.” Numbers at a glance 5 YEARS, 7 MONTHS Time in role 5 YEARS, 7 MONTHS Time with company 21 YEARS, 9 MONTHS Time in industry 40 Hotels 6,841 Keys 4 Staff 8 Pipeline Numbers at a glance 2 YEARS, 11 MONTHS Time in role 2 YEARS, 11 MONTHS Time with company 43 YEARS Time in industry 19 Hotels 3,630 Keys 946 Staff 17 Pipeline Baran Turkel Managing director, Turkey & Middle East, BWH Hotel Group 15 16 Hassan Ahdab President of hotel operations, Dur Hospitality The Power 50 35 October 2020 hoteliermiddleeast.com Since the company’s inception just 8 years ago, it has grown to cover 15 hotels, 2,669 keys and 1,200 members of staff. As the company continues to leave its Dubai home for opportunities across the region, CEO Mohamed Awadalla has been at the forefront of the expansion. Earlier this year, TIME debuted the TIME Express Hotels brand with the opening of a three-star property in Sharjah. It also signed the TIME Onyx Hotel Apartments Al Qusais and TIME Moonstone Hotel Apartments in Fujairah. This year, Awadalla rolled out company- wide initiatives. “Health, safety and hygiene has become a top priority. We launched our new and improved sanitisation protocol, ‘Sanitised & Ready’ in partnership with Diversey, a global leading hygiene solutions provider. “We have also turned our focus on personal development Having worked with The Ascott Limited for 23 years, Vincent Miccolis has held senior roles in the UK, Belgium and France. As the regional general manager for the Middle East, Africa, Turkey and India, he has been instrumental in streamlining overall operations in the region, alongside that Ascott maintained 70 percent of its long-stay base at the high of the pandemic, helped in part by its Ascott Cares hygiene programme with WHO. Somerset Downtown Al Khobar and Ascott Villas Riyadh in KSA; Citadines Culture Village Dubai in UAE; Citadines Racine Casablanca in Morocco; Somerset Westview Nairobi in Kenya; Citadines Maslak Istanbul in Turkey and Somerset City Centre Atyrau in Kazakhstan are planned to open within the next year. Planning further into 2020 and beyond, Ascott aims to grow across the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, with 15 hotels currently in the pipeline. It will also continue to push into the African and central Asian markets, in an expansion campaign credited to Miccolis. and training of our team members and introduced a series of initiatives to boost positivity in the workplace. Moreover, we provided more exibility in our offerings as well as worked non-stop in supporting the community through a range of CSR programmes.” In 2021 new openings include a four-star hotel in Dubai, two hotel apartments – one in Dubai and one in Fujairah – and a four- star hotel in North Coast, Egypt. Numbers at a glance 2 YEARS 8 MONTHS Time in role 23 YEARS Time with company 23 YEARS Time in industry 12 Hotels 116,769 GLOBAL Keys 904 Staff 15 Pipeline Numbers at a glance 8 YEARS Time in role 13 YEARS Time with company 30 YEARS Time in industry 15 Hotels 2,669 Keys 1,200 Staff 6 Pipeline managing a lengthy expansion schedule for new property openings. Ascott has performed well in 2020 thanks to the rise of the long-stay format across the region. Miccolis told Hotelier Middle East Vincent Miccolis Regional general manager, Middle East, Africa, Turkey & India, The Ascott Limited Mohamed Awadalla Chief executive of cer, TIME Hotels 17 18The Power 50 hoteliermiddleeast.com October 2020 36 With the launch of a new Emirati-owned and operated hotel, The Manor by JA, in January 2020, JA Resorts & Hotels added a signi cant milestone, but since then COVID-19 has forced a rethink. The downtime enforced by the pandemic has seen the company do a complete upgrade of all its digital systems, including the introduction of a new booking technology with direct connectivity. For Anthony Ross, the priority has now been focusing on the staycation market with international travel at a standstill, and both JA The Resort and JA Hatta Fort Hotel have seen the bene t, with both performing “exceptionally”. Asked about the future, Ross said: “My prediction is that it will be a few more challenging months as we wait for the governments of other countries to ease restrictions and restart ights. Once they do this, Dubai is Starting out as a dishwasher in a restaurant, over 35 years ago, Simon Casson has risen the ranks to president of hotel operations, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. In his role, he oversees 40 hotels in the MENA region, together making up such as a brand-new private jet, the rst standalone private residences in London, and major enhancements to the Four Seasons application. In the last 12 months, Four Seasons opened the doors to three new properties including Les Chalets du Mont d’Arbois, Megève, A Four Seasons Hotel, Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas, and Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort with great response,” he told Hotelier Middle East. Now focusing on health and safety, Casson has been instrumental in the implementation of the group’s Lead with Care campaign against the virus. As far as openings go, it’s internationally focused, with properties slated to open next year in Spain, Madrid, Tokyo, Bangkok, San Francisco and many others. completely ready to welcome them. It’s a safe destination that you have to see at least once in your lifetime. “The United Arab Emirates has, as usual, done a stellar job in managing this situation and we are very blessed to be here in this well-managed country.” In the immediate-term, the future is bright, with JA Enchanted Waterfront Villas opening in Seychelles in October, and the re-opening JA Manafaru Maldives. Numbers at a glance 4 YEARS Time in role 31 YEARS Time with company 35 YEARS Time in industry 40 Hotels 23,500 Keys 13 Pipeline Numbers at a glance 2YEARS, 5 MONTHS Time in role 2 YEARS, 5 MONTHS Time with company 38 YEARS Time in industry 7 Hotels 1,717 Keys 1,000+ Staff 0 Pipeline approximately 23,500 rooms and 16,201 members of staff. “Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, we were experiencing exceptional highs in regards to guest satisfaction, industry award recognition, and expanding our products and portfolio with exciting developments Simon Casson President of hotel operations, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Anthony Ross CEO, JA Resorts & Hotels 19 20The Power 50 37 October 2020 hoteliermiddleeast.com Emaar Properties and its hospitality arm – Emaar Hospitality Group – have been busy these last 12 months, from the of cial opening of the much-anticipated Address Sky View, to the opening of the rst Address hotel beyond the UAE. One of the masterminds behind Emaar Hospitality this year, and many before, it has been Chris Newman, its COO. Newman is the man responsible for the launch of The Address Boulevard, as well as establishing platforms to rapidly grow Emaar’s hospitality division. During his near-six years in of ce, he has been credited with elevating The Address Hotels and Resorts brand, Vida Hotel chain and the rst-ever Armani Hotel in Dubai. He also leads and manages the company’s joint ventures with the likes of Meraas Holding and Giorgio Armani. As the pandemic began to take hold across the globe, Emaar Properties donated AED100 million (US$27 million) to the UAE’s Social Solidarity Fund Against COVID-19. The money goes towards vital medical equipment and treatment for all those across the country. There are 13 Address properties in the pipeline, including hotels planned for Fujairah, Sharjah, Makkah, Istanbul and the Maldives, with Newman likely to play a pivotal role in the success of all of them. Like many others in the region, Swiss International Hotels & Resorts CEO Naji Al Shiha has seen the potential of the Saudi market over the past 12 months. Swiss International’s latest success was signing a 2,070 key hotel in the Makkah region welcoming more 7,000 Hajj pilgrims since the signing. Speaking about the pandemic, Al Shiha said: “During this period, the group opened its doors and collaborated with the Ministry of Health to welcome quarantine groups in the region. From Saudi Arabia with all its regions to Bahrain and Jordan. Also this period was very important for staff training and developing our team members’ skills.” Over the next 12 months, Swiss International has plans for openings in Al Khobar, Madina, Dammam, Egypt and other areas of the region. Together, it will boost the portfolio by 3,300 keys. Shiha added: “No doubt, our industry faced many challenges in the past few months, though we at Swiss International believe that with unity and faith, we can overcome this tough period and put ourselves back in service. Our industry will rise again and hospitality will shine again as the pearl of the service industry.” Although the year started on a high note for the Dubai-born brand, the devastating effect of COVID-19 led to an almost overnight drop of all revenue to zero, with all properties having to close except the Sharjah Collection. However, the Sharjah Collection remained open throughout the pandemic and actually performed extremely well, way above its initial 2020 budget, due to the natural distancing and private experience these retreats provide to guests. The retreat recorded one of the highest ADRs in the UAE, the highest in Sharjah, reaching more than AED3,000 net for a one-bedroom tent per night. Two openings that were planned for 2020, including Mysk Palm Jumeirah, have been pushed to 2021, but Simon Coombs remains positive about the future. He said: “We had some great news coming from the Sharjah Collection that we manage, where all thre retreats performed not only above budget, but above all expectations. “The pandemic acted as a catalyst. As we now start to reopen our hotels, and open new ones, the year 2021 promises to be a very exciting one despite the uncertainties, and we look forward to having our Mysk in Dubai open ahead of Expo.” Having kept all of its corporate staff on the books despite the crisis, Shaza is hoping to kick on in 2021 and is set to reveal another fantastic upcoming project before the year end. Chris Newman Chief operating of cer, Emaar Hospitality Group Simon Coombs President & CEO, Shaza Hotels Naji Al Shiha CEO, Swiss International Hotels & Resorts 21 22 23The Power 50 hoteliermiddleeast.com October 2020 38 FIVE Hotels and Resorts has had a busy year since we last checked in, jumping from 470 keys to 1,129 with the opening of FIVE Jumeirah Village. Now in his sixth year, chief nancial & operating of cer, FIVE Hotels and Resorts, Jaydeep Anand, has big plans for the Dubai-based rm. FIVE hit the ground running this year, with its agship FIVE Palm Jumeirah seeing ADR grow by 4.7 percent in January and February and RevPAR by 1.7 percent. Even once lockdown hit, the newly-opened FIVE Jumeirah Village hit 88 percent occupancy in August thanks to a string of long-stay offers. The Palm Jumeirah hotel meanwhile is still maintaining an occupancy of around 75 percent. During August 2020, FIVE announced it would make its debut outside of Dubai next year, with the planned opening of FIVE Zurich in Switzerland. Anand told Hotelier: “Culture is what sets us apart. We have a culture of freedom where our teams can think, express and execute freely without the fear of failure. Hence, we constantly innovate. We have a ‘learn it all culture’, not a ‘know it all culture’. We believe in learning every day from our guests, competition and colleagues.” Seven Tides has gradually been growing its hospitality portfolio, with ownership of DUKES London and management of Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort, DUKES The Palm, a Royal Hideaway Hotel and most-recently, Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate Dubai Hotel, guided by the steady hand of its CEO, Abdulla Bin Sulayem. Seven Tides recorded a 70 percent spike in sales during December 2019 and January 2020, worth AED100 million for its residential and hotel apartments, with the Seven Palm development generating the lion’s share of sales revenue. Despite the economic fallout and social restrictions due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Seven Tides witnessed a steady ow of enquiries particularly for the Seven Palm development during the March to April period. By August 2020, more than 450 were sold at Seven Palm with investors of more than 40 different nationalities. Sulayem told Hotelier Middle East about the string of COVID-19 measures put in place: “In an effort to give back to the local communities, our hotels in Dubai have offered a range of value-led staycation packages to suit most budgets, alongside ve-star relaxation in a luxurious setting and some respite, especially for parents, after months of isolation and social restrictions. “Our ambition for the future is to increase the number of iconic and unique hospitality properties in our portfolio. Dubai enjoys unparalleled potential and vision and we look forward to shaping its future.” This year has seen both the opening of new hotels group-wide and in the Middle East, as well as the rebranding of the Dusit Thani and DusitD2 brands. For Prateek Kumar, however, the coronavirus situation meant having to focus on the complete transformation of services and facilities across the region. Surviving mass cancellations and a dramatic reduction in rates is never easy, but Dusit has introduced its new ‘Dusit Care – Stay With Con dence’ program to enhance hygiene protocols and deliver additional convenience, experience, and value to guests while ensuring they feel safe and reassured. New technology has been introduced to enable contactless stays including mobile payments and digital menus, and to offer additional piece of mind, a Dusit Care Kit has been placed in every guest room and includes hand sanitiser and a face mask. As Dusit looks to the future, Kumar says the plan is to “expand our lodging spectrum through the new ASAI hotels brand – the hotel for millennial travellers by opening three to four hotels by end of 2021; focus on wellness and sustainability initiatives by launching wellness programs across the Dusit Group, and rebrand and roll out f our new customer loyalty program”. It’s all part of Dusit’s aim to regain its momentum post-pandemic and ful l its target of opening eight to ten hotels per year going forward. Jaydeep Anand Chief nancial & operating of cer, FIVE Hotels and Resorts Prateek Kumar Regional vice president, EMEA, Dusit International and general manager, Dusit Thani Dubai Abdulla Bin Sulayem Chief executive of cer, Seven Tides 24 25 26The Power 50 39 October 2020 hoteliermiddleeast.com An eventful 2020 has seen the rebranding of Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Dubai JBR, expanding R Hotels portfolio of Ramada-branded hotels in the UAE and strengthening its partnership with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Its property at Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah, the rst holistic wellness resort in the UAE, The Retreat Palm Dubai, has also been recently upgraded to a ve-star wellness resort by DTCM. As part of its enhanced digital strategy, R Hotels also launched its own website and mobile app, allowing guests to directly and conveniently book their stay at its properties in a bid to stay ahead of the constantly evolving hospitality sector. Speaking about the future, Sumair Tariq is optimistic, saying: “R Hotels remains resilient and optimistic that our group and the tourism sector will be able to bounce back. We’ve faced crises in the past and this period has enabled us to be more prepared and future-proof our business. As a home-grown brand, we are well- positioned to recover sooner and we are con dent that we will emerge stronger when travellers’ con dence returns.” The R Hotels managing director is predicting an increase in international leisure and business travellers by the fourth quarter of 2020, and an upsurge of tourist arrivals in 2021. Sumair Tariq Managing director, R Hotels Having added Egypt and North Africa to the KSA and Levant remit he already had, Kamel Ajami has strengthened his role and in uence at Hilton and he now oversees more than 50 percent of Hilton’s total pipeline hotels for the MEA&T region. Ajami was rmly involved in national efforts in KSA and Jordan to quarantine and repatriate citizens returning from abroad by quickly adapting the operations at multiple Hilton properties, leading the process as the contact for owners and government of cials and providing expert advice and guidance to ensure the safety of team members and guests. He said: “I am proud of the way our teams have reacted and responded to get through the crisis and play a major role in supporting national government initiatives during this time. As hoteliers we have the opportunity to act as ambassadors for our country and guardians of our rich shared history of Arabic hospitality and I was delighted to see this shine through in the way we adapted our hotels and continued to deliver the best possible guest experiences. Our teams were often volunteering to take on extra work such was the strength of this desire to do their part and help those who were going through quarantines or repatriations.” Now attention turns to delivering Hilton’s largest pipeline in the region, with seven hotels slated to open by the end of 2021. Kamel Ajami Area vice president, KSA, Egypt, North Africa, & Levant, Hilton Number 43 on last year’s Power 50, Colin A. Baker was chosen for his strong pipeline and ambitious plans, and even during a pandemic, this hasn’t changed for him. As regional director – Middle East, Staywell Holdings Pty Limited, Baker brings 40 years of hospitality experience to his role. Speaking about COVID-19, he said: “As a result from COVID-19 and following our temporary closure, we have taken the time to re ect and re-strengthen our identity and offering. “In recognition of our efforts, we received the Bureau Veritas Safeguard label and Dubai Assured Stamp, certifying our stringent standards and giving our guests peace of mind.” Despite challenges, the group has plans to raise brand awareness in the region and is in nal negotiations with an owner for a 142-key hotel on Palm Jumeirah. Right now, StayWell has a pipeline of four hotels in the MENA region. Even during a tricky year of brief closures, Baker said he’s still con dent: “Having worked in the industry for over 40 years, I am con dent that as we move into this phase of recovery it is imperative that we use this time to plan ahead for the future by training and developing our people, which as we know is any hotel’s greatest asset.“ Colin A. Baker Regional director – Middle East, StayWell Holdings Pty Limited 27 28 29Next >