New CEO for RAK TDA

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority has appointed Steven Rice as its new CEO to oversee the emirate’s growing tourism infrastructure. Rice specialises in online travel, marketing, customer relationship management, and strategy and vision, and has worked across multiple European markets, North America, Asia-Pacific and the GCC.

Dean Huntsman has been appointed the GM of Guam’s first deluxe resort to open in over a decade – the beachside Dusit Thani Guam Resort. An accomplished hotelier, Huntsman joins the Dusit International team with more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality field.

Hotel Missoni Kuwait has announced the promotion of Wassim Tarabay from director of sales and marketing to executive assistant manager. In addition to managing the sales and marketing team, Tarabay will have additional areas of responsibility within hotel operations. A Lebanese national, Tarabay has more than 24 years of experience across the GCC.

Bana Toukan has been appointed to director of sales and marketing at Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi, following a distinguished career in hospitality and with more than 12 years of experience. Toukan will be responsible for the planning and induction of sales and marketing strategies, while tapping into relevant local and international market segments for business.

Bassam Abu Hassan has been promoted to hotel manager of Holiday Inn Resort Dead Sea. Abu Hassan has more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, specifically within IHG, in which he started out at InterContinental Jordan, and grew in its various properties in Jordan, including InterContinental Aqaba Resort, and recently Crowne Plaza Amman.

InterContinental Bali Resort has announced the appointment of Dewi Karmawan as assistant director of public relations. A graduate from International Hotel and Management Institute, Lucerne, Switzerland, Karmawan has worked with Le Meridien Nirwana, Hard Rock Hotel Bali and Grand Hyatt Bali.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts’ Dubai-based regional sales office (RSO) recently appointed Mohamed Taher as director of sales and marketing. Taher joins the RSO from Traders Hotel, Dubai, where he held a similar position. He has worked with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts for 10 years, following a six-year career with Accor Business & Leisure Hotels.

The Renaissance Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott and Marriott Executive Apartments Doha City Center have appointed Laurence Vanthier as director of HR. Vanthier will oversee all the areas of the HR department including recruiting, hiring and training for the three hotels. She was cluster director of HR with Marriott in Belgium prior to this appointment.

The Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City has announced the appointment of Loic Foucault as the new director of food and drinks. Foucault, a French national, brings more than 15 years of experience to the team having worked with InterContinental Vendome Beirut, Sheraton in Beirut, Sheraton Oran, Algeria and finally to Amman, Jordan.

Scott Bowen has been appointed as the GM of the Blue Marine Resort & Spa Phuket, managed by Centara Hotels and Resorts. Before his new appointment, Scott had been GM of Centara Villas Samui for three years. He has worked with Novotel Vines Resort and Country Club in Australia, Duxton Hotel in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, and Mai Ton Island Resort Phuket.

In his role as assistant director of sales at Ramada Downtown Dubai, Ansari is in charge of strengthening business ties with existing clients and stakeholders, as well as generating leads for new accounts. He will also support the director of sales in the development of strategies and carrying out sales activities to maximise hotel revenue.

Monica Majors has been promoted to the role of regional director of marketing communications in Vietnam, transferring from Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman. She is responsible for media relations and marketing communications support for Six Senses Con Dao, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay and Evason Ana Mandara.

Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, located on Palm Jumeirah, has appointed Kerstin Pundt as director of revenue management. Pundt has more than 24 years of industry experience and is skilled in tactical and strategic revenue management, pricing analytics and is fully engaged in room and non-room revenues targets.

Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit has appointed industry veteran William J. Haandrikman as GM. Haandrikman most recently served as general manager of the 503-room Sofitel Shanghai Jing’an Huamin, where he oversaw the pre-opening phase. The Dutch national has also managed the Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom and the Sofitel Paris La Defense.

Nabil Harbi has been promoted to resident manager at the Crowne Plaza Jeddah Hotel. Previously, he was operations director at the hotel. Harbi brings a proven track record of success with InterContinental Hotels Group Worldwide, since he joined the Group in 1996.

Renaissance Doha City Center Hotel has appointed Daniel Burstein as director of restaurants. Burstein will oversee the operations of eight restaurants of the three hotels including the New York Steakhouse, Champions Sports Bar, Cucina – Italian Kitchen and Ipanema –Brazilian Churrascaria.

The Board of Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management has announced that Al Tareq Al Ameri has been officially appointed CEO of Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. The UAE National previously ran the commercial division at the circuit and will now take forward the business as a whole.

Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah has welcomed veteran Middle East hotelier Abdo Kayali as the hotel’s new director of sales and marketing. Kayali joins Kempinski Palm Jumeirah from Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels by Al Rayyan Hospitality in Doha, where he held the position of group director of sales and marketing.

Glion Institute of Higher Education, one of the world’s top three institutions for an international career in hospitality management, has appointed Judy Hou as director general/CEO to manage Glion-branded institutions in Switzerland and the UK. Hou formerly served as the director of human capital for Hotel ICON in Hong Kong.

Six Senses Laamu appoints Katia Cuya as spa director for its Maldives property. Cuya brings extensive experience in the spa and wellness field, and has been managing leading spa properties in the Dominican Republic. The Six Senses Spa at Punta Cana Resort & Club was awarded Leading Spa of the World for three consecutive years under Cuya’s leadership.