Atef Elias has been appointed the new general manager at the Abu Dhabi Grand, a Rotana hotel.
A Rotana pioneer, Elias has spearheaded several Rotana opening projects throughout the UAE and North Africa. Heading the marketing team at the pre-opening of Beach Rotana Hotel in 1992, he steered the Rotana flagship on to the road to success. In September '98, he was selected to head the opening team at Al Ain Rotana as its general manager. Elias also played a role in the opening of new hotels in Sharm El-Sheikh and Arish in Egypt. Elias who has returned to his favourite city, says he is charmed by the changes in the city over the past 20 years. He also said he was looking forward to a prosperous year at Abu Dhabi Grand which is undergoing a grand expansion. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Grand has also appointed Rola Zaarour as its new public relations manager. Before joining Rotana Hotels, Zaarour worked in Canada, Greece, Kuwait and Lebanon.