Emirates Palace appoints new GM
Emirates Palace has appointed Hans Olbertz as general manager.
Olbertz moves from the InterContinental Hotel Seoul, where he held a dual role as general manager and director of operations for Korea. He returns after having worked at the InterContinental Abu Dhabi from 1988 to 1990.
New role for Vetry
Hossein Vetry takes charge in his new position as general manager of the Sharq Village & Spa. Prior to his appointment, Vetry was hotel manager with the Ritz-Carlton Shanghai. Prior to joining the Ritz-Carlton group, he has worked as director of restaurant outlets at the Park Hyatt Hotel in San Francisco.
New GM at Movenpick Mauritius
John Wood has been appointed as general manager for the Movenpick Mauritius. He brings with him a wealth of expertise in successfully running spa and golf resorts. He joins Movenpick from Le Méridien, where he most recently opened a resort in Split, Croatia.
New role for Omar
InterContinental Hotels Group has appointed Sherif Omar as its first global account manager, travel industry, Saudi Arabia. Omar joins IHG with more than seven years’ experience in the tourism trade, primarily working within agencies, consultancies, and wholesalers in the UAE, Egypt and KSA.
Movenpick Hotels & Resorts expands team
Joining Movenpick Hotels & Resorts as director of human resources for the MEA is Craig Cochrane (left). He began his career as a management trainee and has worked his way up to HR director. Jerome Van Gramberg joins the group as director of technical services in the groups effort to expands their Asia presence.
Promotion for Lotfi
Al Bustan Centre & Residence has promoted Shehab Lotfi to the post of general manager. Lotfi joined the property as operations manager in 2003. Prior to this, he was the resident manager and was handled various critical assignments related to the standard of service in addition to the sales and marketing.
New GM at Mِvenpick Tower & Suites
Philippe Bonnot has been appointed as general manager of Mِvenpick Tower and Suites, Dubai.
Bonnot has held various senior positions in France, England, French Polynesia and Switzerland including Hotel des Bergues in Geneva. He takes up his new role following four years as general manager of Le Meridien Hotel in Brussels.
Chef Ballendine joins Four Seasons SES
Cameron Ballendine is the new executive chef at Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh. He moves to Sharm El Sheikh from the UAE where he worked for The Fairmont Dubai as senior executive sous chef. He has also worked for The Fairmont group in Canada in a variety of different properties.
New faces at Millennium Towers
The pre-opening team of Millennium Towers welc-omed three new members: Lacra Bubutanu (left) joins as the spa manger of the Jasmine Spa. She moves from the Doha Marriott where she was senior spa therapist. Abigail Fernandes and Ekaterina Kuptsova have joined as sales account managers at the new hotel.
New manager for India
Etihad Airways has appointed Neerja Bhatia as its new country manager for India.
Neerja joined Etihad Airways in 2004 as sales manager for Western India. She was appointed manager for Western and Southern India in 2005 before becoming the airline’s acting manager for India in 2007.
New GM at the Radisson SAS, Muscat
Eirik Bergvoll has been appointed general manager of the Radisson SAS Hotel in Muscat. Bergvoll’s began his career with the company in 1984. He was previously general manager for the Radisson SAS Astorija Hotel, Vilnius in Lithuania. This historical hotel received the Rezidor President’s Award in 2007.
Rezidor appoints Erhardt
The Rezidor Hotel Group appointed their first female general manager in the Middle East with Cornelia Erhardt at Radisson SAS Residence, Dubai Marina, opening in the second quarter of 2008. Erhardt’s most recent position was as general manager of the Radisson SAS Hotel in Klaipeda, Lithuania.
New role for Woodward
David Woodward moves to Marbella with Propertylogic as commercial and hotel operations director. Woodward was previously COO of the Corinthia Hotels International EMEA. He moved to the region in 1998 to Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort, Bahrain.
New role for Elaraki
Mohamed Abbas Elaraki has been appointed human resources manager at Burjuman Rotana Suites. He moves from an international hotel chain in Dubai where he was the assistant human resources manager. Elaraki will work closely with all departments in promotion and marketing the suites across the UAE.
New PR director at The Ritz-Carlton
Vivienne Gan has been named regional director of public relations, Middle East for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Gan brings over 14 years experience with the industry, five of which as director of public relations with The Ritz-Carlton hotels in Bahrain and Singapore.
Sayees joins Four Seasons Riyadh
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts have appointed Rami Zaki Sayees as general manager at Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh. Sayees moves to Riyadh from Four Seasons Hotel Amman in Jordan where he was hotel manager. He has also worked with various luxury hotels in Geneva, London, Dubai, Beirut and Mauritius.
Moretto joins Sonesta Hurgahada
Renato Moretto has joined the Sonesta Pharaoh Beach Resort Hurghada as the general manger. He was previously general manager for the Sonesta Great Bay Beach resort & Casino on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten. He has also worked as hotel manager for Sonesta Beach Resort & Club Sharm El Sheikh.
Sng joins Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain
Martin Sng has been appointed as director of rooms at the Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa. Prior to his new role, he was managing director of Filoxeni., a hospitality consulting company. He has also worked as assistant executive housekeeper at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes.
New appointment at Crowne Plaza AUH
Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi has appointed Sayed Tayoun as the new director of sales and marketing. Tayoun was previously with Inter-Continental Doha, where he was promoted to director of sales. A graduate in Hotel Management, he started his career in Beirut, before moving to Dubai with Rotana Hotels.
Rotana appoints Najm
Chantal Bou Daher Najm has been appointed as director of sales & marketing at Gefinor Rotana Hotel. She moves from the InterContinental Hotel Group where she was employed for eight years. She was previously assistant director of sales at InterContinental Le Vendome Beirut.