Appointment | Kerten Hospitality announces strategic COO appointment Commercially-savvy leader, Wafik Youssef will rollout upcoming openings & grow footprint

Kerten Hospitality announces strategic COO appointment

Commercially-savvy leader, Wafik Youssef will rollout upcoming openings & grow footprint

DUBAI, UAE, August 2021: Kerten Hospitality, a mixed-use and lifestyle operator, announces the strategic appointment of hospitality industry expert Wafik Youssef as its Chief Operating Officer. Wafik, a seasoned leader with a proven track record of growth with global hotel players, and a career spanning across 3 continents over two decades will further contribute to Kerten Hospitality’s footprint expansion and multiple project openings rolling out 2021 onwards.  

Wafik will be responsible for all operational properties and upcoming mixed-use project openings across the Middle East, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia driving the Group’s global vision for growth and expansion. He will be based in the Group’s corporate office in Dubai. 

Marloes Knippenberg, CEO of Kerten Hospitality said, ”Wafik brings a breadth of knowledge from global organisations, regional expertise and the knack to nurture teams that deliver success and innovation and further aspire to become the industry disrupters and out-of-the-box thinkers. We are glad to have a commercially-savvy leader who believes that our employee-centric culture can create sustainable global operations, unique guest journeys, and ultimately deliver value to our owners and industry stakeholders.”  

Wafik Youssef, COO of Kerten Hospitality said, “The Kerten Hospitality philosophy aligns perfectly with my personal approach: to take pride in evolving and proactively elevating hospitality norms, to lay emphasis on community build rather than just operation of properties - hotels, Residences, Offices, Food and Beverage and everything else that Hospitality touches. This is what has inspired me to join this entrepreneurial team and contribute to the evolution of our industry through the prism of flexibility and lifestyle. The pioneering vision of the Group combined with the efforts of a driven team, I trully believe will help us create home-like guest experiences and further ride and conquer the emergent industry trends.”

During his career, Wafik has played important roles in various hotel groups including Emirates Palace, Kempinski Hotels and Rotana in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. His last role was as a Vice President of Operations for Kempinski Hotels in the Middle East and Africa region where he was managing almost 20 properties after having led the MEA Region operations function for the Group. He is well versed in hotel management, capacity building, pre-opening of hotels, value creation and capacity build across many functions in MENA. 

Langham Hospitality Group names new COO

The managing director at The Langham London has been ushered into the newly-created role of chief operating officer at Langham Hospitality Group.

In his new role, Bob van den Oord reports directly to CEO Stefan Leser and work out of the company’s corporate office in Hong Kong.

As COO, van den Oord will oversee the group’s cohort of regional vice presidents, hotel managing directors and general managers across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. He will be expected to steer the group’s F&B, spa, rooms and quality divisions.

A veteran of the industry, van den Oord brings more than 20 years of experience to the table, first working with Langham in 1999 at The Langham Boston. He has been managing director at the flagship London hotel since 2015, during which time revenues shot up and F&B concepts were introduced.

“I am honored to lead as COO for Langham Hospitality Group as it has been an important part of my life for more than 20 years,” said van den Oord. “As we look toward long-term recovery, future growth and opportunity for our group and industry during these challenging times, I feel incredibly fortunate to work with outstanding colleagues who are dedicated and passionate in their service delivery and care for our guests and each other.”

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Park Inn by Radisson opens new hotel in South Carolina

Park Inn by Radisson has announced the opening of its latest property, Park Inn by Radisson Florence, South Carolina. This marks one of the first new-build Park Inn by Radisson Hotels to open in the US.

With the health, safety, and security of guests and team members as its utmost priority, Park Inn by Radisson Florence, SC has begun implementing Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol program. This program is designed to ensure guest safety and peace of mind from check-in to check-out.

For More Information Click Below :

tradearabia.com/news/TTN_370079.html

Dream Hotel Group Signs Three New Locations In Tulum, Mexico

Key Take Away

Celebrated hotel and brand management company Dream Hotel Group announced today a new partnership with leading Tulum-based real estate development group Los Amigos to operate three new properties in Tulum, Mexico.

With 16 hotels open today and another 20+ locations in various stages of development worldwide, Dream Hotel Group remains one of the fastest-growing independent lifestyle hotel companies in the world.

For more Information

www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4098748.html

ET Hospitality Leadership Forum: Leela Group’s Anuraag Bhatnagar on 'Work From Hotel' model

Key Take Away

The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, Indian luxury hotel chain have received enquiries for work from hotel availability.

The COO also mentioned that hotels can look at mini staycations, as people will tend to move out from their houses and stay in a hotel for a change. Safety and sanitisation are going to be a new luxury

The group has partnered with leading certification company Bureau Veritas to revamp the hygiene protocol of all its hotel

For More Information

https://hospitality.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/hotels/et-hospitality-leadership-forum-leela-groups-anuraag-bhatnagar-on-work-from-hotel-model/75766444

Vande Bharat Mission: Authorities seek hotel rooms across the country

India begins its biggest repatriation exercise to bring back 14,800 nationals stuck in 12 countries, the government is earmarking a range of hotel rooms across the spectrum, from one star properties to plush five-stars, for quarantining these travellers who will be landing in different cities
Hotels newly earmarked in Delhi include the Taj Palace Hotel, Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel and Le Meridien, according to people aware of the matter. Besides Taj Palace, the Indian Hotels Company Limited ..
(IHCL) has earmarked rooms in five of its hotels in Bengaluru for the exercise, including in Taj MG Road, Taj West End and the Vivanta hotel in Whitefield.

“We are glad to be able to offer support and care for our community,” said a Shangri-La spokesperson. “The hotel will accommodate some of these returning travellers as and when required. During this period, we will take all necessary precautions and strictly abide by the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,”.

“We have got 200 rooms. The Delhi government had approached us. As per the instructions that we have received, all the guests are supposed to pay for the rooms. The government is not footing the bill. In our case it’s Rs 4,000 for a single room and Rs 4,800 for a double room, inclusive of meals plus taxes,” said Tarun Thakral, Chief Operating Officer at Le Meridien. “I think they are giving options to arriving passengers to choose from hotel categories and rates.”
The Delhi government has reportedly allocated 1,200 rooms in Delhi and National Capital Region for the purpose.

The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) said it has been in constant touch with the authorities in Maharashtra and has arranged more than 1,500 rooms at discounted rates in Mumbai across categories
At IBIS New Delhi Aerocity, there are 200 rooms which have been committed for the repatriation exercise
Lemon Tree Hotels said it has been approached by different state authorities on room availability and quotation in locations like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Alleppey, Kochi, Amritsar and Lucknow.
Besides IHCL, hotel chains such as Lemon Tree, Accor and Radisson Hotels have been offering quarantining services for asymptomatic people during the lockdown.

Contactless Check-In/Check-Out and Keyless Room Entry Now Available to Hotels Via the Fuel Mobile App

Fuel, a leading provider of guest-facing hotel software solutions and digital marketing services for the global hospitality industry, has expanded the digital-key functionality of its industry-leading mobile application for independent and boutique hotels.

Enabled through a successful integration with ASSA ABLOY™, the world's largest provider of hotel locking systems, the newly incorporated technology allows hotel properties with the Fuel Contactless Mobile App and ASSA ABLOY™ locking systems to let guests access their assigned guestrooms using their mobile phone as a digital key. With this feature enabled, guests can check in remotely, bypass the front desk, and go directly to their rooms upon arrival at a hotel property.

 The app can be customized with the hotel's color palette and logo, and it provides additional digital-concierge features such as Itenerary, Weather, Maps, Local Information and Special Offers.

The full feature set of the Fuel Contactless Mobile App is enabled by its ability to communicate with the hotel's Property Management System. Fuel has integrations with most of the hotel industry's leading PMS software providers, including Oracle Hospitality, SMS, Maestro, IQware, Megasys and Resort Data Processing.

"We have been developing and perfecting our Contactless Mobile App for over three years," said Stuart Butler, chief operating officer of Fuel.

Starting at $250 per month, the Fuel Contactless Mobile App & Digital Key is the most feature-rich and cost-effective custom mobile app for independent hotels.

Las Vegas Sands Announces Temporary Closure of Las Vegas Properties

Las Vegas Sands announced that, out of an abundance of caution and in line with recent guidance from federal and state governments, it is closing its Venetian and Palazzo resorts in Las Vegas until at least April 1. A decision on whether to extend the closure or re-open will be made at a later date. The process of closing the properties will begin immediately and be completed as soon as possible.

"These are clearly challenging times for our country and our community. We are in the hospitality and entertainment business and our team members work very hard to provide a great experience for the thousands of people who come through our doors daily. However, our most important commitment is the one we have made to the health and safety of our team members and guests.

Right now, the best way to fulfill that commitment is by asking people to not come to work. While we hope this closure is a short-term necessity, we are realistic it may be a prolonged event. Like we have done in the past, we are fully prepared to support our team members over an extended period should it be needed," said Rob Goldstein, president and chief operating officer of Las Vegas Sands.

The company also announced it is donating a total of $250,000 to several important local organizations to serve our community during this time of need. Those organizations include Three Square, Communities In Schools and Share Village Las Vegas. In addition, the company plans to bolster that financial support with donations of meals and needed equipment.

MGM Resorts International Announces Appointment Of Bill Hornbuckle As Acting Chief Executive Officer

MGM Resorts International has announced that Chief Operating Officer and President Bill Hornbuckle, has been named acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President, replacing outgoing Chairman and CEO Jim Murren.

Replacing Murren as the Chair of the Board of Directors will be Paul Salem, who currently is a member of the MGM Resorts Board of Directors and Chair of the real estate committee of MGM Resorts, which is in the process of executing the asset light strategy.

"The nation is facing an unprecedented crisis, causing the travel and hospitality industry to grind to a near halt. It is clear that once the threat to the public health has subsided and we are ready to reopen our resorts and casinos, it will take an incredible effort to ramp back up," said Paul Salem, Chairman of the MGM Resorts Board of Directors. "We believe continued steady, skilled leadership is needed in this time of great upheaval and uncertainty. Bill is one of the most experienced operators in the business and we have confidence in his ability to bring this company back online. Jim Murren is an outstanding leader who transformed MGM Resorts during his 22 years. Since Jim announced his stepping down from MGM Resorts, we felt that now more than ever, continuity of leadership was of vital importance."

IHG Announces Senior Leadership Appointments in the Americas

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announces that it has named two versatile IHG leaders into new senior leadership positions – Jay Caiafa, Chief Operating Officer, Americas, and Brian Hicks, Senior Vice President, Commercial and Revenue Management, Americas

Caiafa has been with IHG since 2013 and has held multiple leadership roles with the company.  In his previous role as SVP, Hotel Lifecycle and Growth, he led multiple teams across all aspects of the hotel lifecycle, including architecture, design, construction, hotel openings, hotel ramp up, renovations and quality assurance, and also oversaw teams responsible for the delivery of the Americas growth strategy.

With his promotion to COO, Americas, he will lead the Americas Operations Leadership Team, with oversight of more than 4,000 IHG hotels across the U.S. and Canada, and will further strengthen and cultivate relationships with owners. In addition, he will continue his role as IHG’s representative on the Metro Atlanta Chamber Board of Directors, driving engagement with the broader business community in the home of the company’s Americas headquarters.

Prior to his time with IHG, Caiafa led teams at companies across multiple industries, including legal, commercial real estate finance, strategic consulting and biotechnology.

Hicks has more than 30 years of international hospitality experience – the majority of which has been with IHG, including more than ten years working in the Americas region. He was promoted from his previous role as VP, Global Revenue Management Strategy. In his new role, Hicks will lead the Revenue Management function and the Commercial team in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, and will be responsible for overseeing and integrating all revenue-generating strategies, initiatives, programs and plans to drive competitive commercial performance across the region. In addition, he will lead the Americas Revenue Strategy Committee, working with Global and Regional Revenue leaders.

Anil Chadha takes charge of ITC Hotels as their Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Anil Chadha has been named as the new chief operating officer (COO) at ITC Hotels

Before being appointed as the COO, He was Vice President, Operations at Hotels Division. Besides, in his previous tenure he was appointed as Vice President, Southern Region ITC Hotels and General Manager – ITC Grand Chola. As Vice President – South and General Manager, He was responsible for the growth and expansion in the Southern region in both the WelcomHotel and Luxury Collection brands such as WelcomHotel Coimbatore and Welcom Hotel Kences Palm Beach, Mahabalipuram which were opened under his aegis.

In his expansive career span, He has been accustomed with markets such as New Delhi, Agra, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Chennai which has facilitated his in-depth experience and understanding of the business dynamics of micro-markets within India.

His exemplary leadership distinguished by excellent people management and team building skills drives the result-oriented, passionate and ethical work culture that he has imbibed over the years.

Tarkett Names SVP For Hospitality Division

Tarkett, a worldwide leader in innovative and sustainable flooring, has promoted Kim Drautz to SVP, she has more than 25 years of hospitality and sales leadership experience, Drautz brings knowledge and expertise to the role.

Prior to joining Tarkett, she served as president/COO of Stoney Creek Hospitality, a hospitality management company that owns and manages 15 hotel properties in the Midwest, and also held various sales leadership roles in the industry.

She is the first woman to lead the hospitality business for Tarkett North America and will also serve as a member of the company’s senior leadership team

She will be responsible for leading the company’s hospitality business throughout North America

Drautz said. “Our customers are looking to create real connections with people and set the stage for important milestones—from weddings to weekend getaways

OYO Hotels & Homes elevates Gaurav Ajmera as COO, India & South Asia

Oyo Hotels & Homes appoint Gaurav Ajmera as Chief Operating 0fficer (COO) comes into high-quality from May 1, 2019

The mission behind this is to move a step closer to its goal of becoming the world’s largest and most preferred chain.

“In a short span of six years, we have expanded its footprints to over 800 cities in 80 countries. We have a robust, resilient and diversified group of leaders who personify distributed leadership. As we continue to grow from strength to strength and tap new opportunities, we need leaders who are passionate to create an impact and bring with them an entrepreneurial mindset so appointing him as COO will take us one step closer to our mission.

He is one of the early OYOpreneurs and individual at the back of the company’s growth and growth across Country during his 4-year stint as the head of the north region

His incredible insights and experience along with his customer-first and innovation-driven approach make him an excellent choice for this role. His appointment further strengthens OYO’s South Asia leadership that is dedicated and focused towards building the most loved and preferred hospitality brand.”

Reporting into Aditya Ghosh, chief executive officer, India & South Asia, OYO Hotels & Homes

As a key partner his responsibility are :

• Building and driving world-class capability in revenue management,

• Driving offline sales and

• Overall delivery of excellent customer experience for the core franchise business.

  Let’s know something about him

  Gaurav, a fitness enthusiast holds a B.Tech and M.Tech degree in Chemical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. Before OYO, He had a successful stint with Schlumberger.