Dubai, United Arab Emirates
I have enjoyed a progressive 20-plus year career, managing the pre-opening, resourcing, brand development and marketing of prestigious 4 and 5 star hotels across the Oman, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, KSA, Georgia, Jordan, Bahrain and Iraq. With a ‘service excellence’ approach to all operations, I have improved the performance of Operations, Marketing, Branding, Communications and Quality and maximised customer satisfaction, efficiency, and brand reputation. Central to this success is championing high performance cultures and inspiring teams to provide flawless attention to detail in order to deliver excellent standards of service to discerning international business and leisure guests. Highlights - Coached and inspired teams to deliver unparalleled service levels - Operations Excellence Award - InterContinental Hotels Group MEA - President’s Award 2009 - InterContinental Hotels Group EMEA - Achieved Owner Relations targets: Agility, Speed, Accuracy, TQM - Improved guest satisfaction and loyalty via service enhancements
My role has encompassed full P&L for the 2016 and 2017 business plan to strategically develop and manage 30 operational properties and 35 under construction through six brands across eight countries, with a total revenue of US$ 400M+. I have also co-developed the balance scorecard for Millennium Hotels & Resorts in MEA focused on monthly measure of 5 KPIs. Successes include enhancing employee relations with the introduction of a communication cascade to the operation, and leading the Corporate Commercial Team, including sales, marketing, revenue and brand. As a Member of the Steering Committee, I have contributed to the launch of the Millennium Hotel and Resorts, Middle East and Africa loyalty programme, Central Reservation System direct connectivity and development of the Customer Relations Manager.
During this period I developed and managed: Oman 6 Hotels, Kuwait 3 Hotels, and Bahrain 2 Hotels comprising of the InterContinental; Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn brands, and established IHG as a powerful, committed employer enrolling 4 partners in Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain to IHG Academy. Initiatives & Highlights include: • InterContinental Muscat achieved 10/10 winning metrics 2014 (IHG Balance Scorecard) • Drove action plans and created initiatives to deliver unparalleled guest service across all functions. • Created and aligned the pricing strategy ensuring with seasonal and market trends. • Developed programs and tools to up-sell, reduce costs and maximise revenues. • Ensured all functions delivered a truly unique and world class offering. • Facilitated strong emphasis on performance via training and encouraging staff development.
Headed the opening and launch of this 360 guestroom and 176 resident suite, five star hotel located in the upmarket West Bay area of the city in January 2012: • Attracted and built a strong opening team from within the IHG family. • Inspirational leadership resulted in the hotel achieving recognition as the ‘one to watch’. • Managed the pre-opening budget and ensured cost savings were applied to meet budget. • Received the prestigious IHG ‘Our People Award’ at the AMEA Leadership Conference 2011. • Diligent financial management of a six-month delay in opening ensured no additional costs. • Embedded ‘Where we play ‘within the IHG systems, Hotel Opening Manager and Hotel Content Manager – key tool for enhancing your digital presence. • Awarded ‘AMEA Certificate of Recognition - Our People 2011’ for recruiting 90% of leadership team from in-house.