Insider Stories

Located on Mudhdhoo Island in Baa Atoll – the Maldives’ first UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve – Dusit Thani Maldives is just 35 minutes by seaplane from the capital city, Malé, or a 25-minute domestic flight and 10 minutes by speedboat from Dharavandhoo Airport. A French-Canadian, Jacques Leizerovici brings to the role more than 30 years of experience working in senior management positions for renowned hotel brands under the Accor group across South America, Malaysia, and Canada. Most recently, he held the position of General Manager of Pullman Vung Tau and Convention Center, an Executive Director of Dutaland Group, and President of the CCIFM (Chamber of Commerce and Industry French Malaysia). Since starting his career in 1984 at Le Meridien Montreal, followed by a stint as Maitre d’hôtel and Front Office Manager at Novotel Fleur d’ Epée, he has gone on to develop a well rounded skillset across hotel operations, sales, and marketing, revenue management, and distribution. This includes serving as Regional Director of Sales & Marketing for Accor’s Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure, and Ibis brands in the French Caribbean, and playing a key role in several pre-opening projects.  Mr Prateek Kumar, Senior Vice President – Operations, Dusit International, said: “Jacques’s appointment is another key milestone in the journey of Dusit Thani Maldives. His energy, enthusiasm and international experience are great assets which we value enormously. His expertise will no doubt play a significant role in the continued success of Dusit Thani Maldives, as he oversees day-to-day operations, maintains exceptional guest services, drives financial performance through strategic partnerships, and, most importantly, provides our guests with memories to treasure.”

The Italian native joined Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek in 2020 as Executive Assistant Manager.  From his beginnings as a pastry chef in Italy to Hotel Manager of Dubai’s first five-star hotel, Rossi has been with Radisson Hotel group for almost 15 years and held positions such as Italian chef, executive chef, Director of F&B, Director of Operations and most recently Executive Assistant Manager. Over his career, Rossi has lived and worked in eight different countries including Italy, USA, Spain, Poland, The Netherlands, Libya, Egypt, Ukraine, Georgia, Latvia, Russia and the UAE. In his new appointment, Rossi will lead the 5-star hotel which includes 288 rooms, 15 F&B outlets, a health club, spa, weddings, and M&E. Niccolo takes over from his predecessor Jan Hanak, who will remain with Radisson Hotel Group in his new position of Managing Director of Arabian Peninsula. Jan said of the appointment: “I’m delighted to appoint Niccolo Rossi as the new Hotel Manager of Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek. Over the last two years, he had led the hotels operational team to great results. His expertise in F&B has helped us exceed all revenue and quality targets across all of our outlets. It’s been a pleasure to work with Niccolo and I have every confidence he will thrive in the role of hotel manager and continue to bring the hotel success.” Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek is currently putting the finishes touches to a newly renovated spa, café, and all-day dining. The hotel has recently celebrated success in the inaugural Dubai Michelin Guide 2022 where Persian dining experience Shabestan featured as a Bib Gourmand restaurant. Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek, looks forward to continuing the hotel’s legacy within the city under the leadership of Niccolo Rossi as it continues to deliver memorable moments to its guests.

Kengo Tomito has been appointed as the new Executive Chef at The Nautilus. With more than 27 years of culinary experience, he brings a wealth of knowledge and creativity to The Nautilus’s culinary space. Having worked at multiple Michelin-star restaurants during his career, as well as six years of experience as Executive Chef, Kengo has gained vast culinary expertise. Born in Japan, Kengo continued his career across Spain, Dubai, Thailand, Fiji, Moscow and the Maldives, where he worked in some of the world’s most prestigious hotels and resorts. “Bringing in his extensive knowledge and expertise, Kengo will take The Nautilus’s concept of Unscripted Dining to new heights. At The Nautilus we strive to deliver the highest quality to our guests. I am certain that with Kengo and his award-winning culinary team, The Nautilus will rise to new heights,” says Andre Miethig, General Manager of The Nautilus. With the objective of creating exquisite dishes served with international flavour and unique charisma acquired over the years in the Mediterranean and Japanese cuisine, Chef Kengo looks for simplicity and taste to make his statement. Chef Kengo held most recently the position as Executive Chef at Six Senses Fiji, where he managed a team of 35 members and three different restaurants. With a passion for sustainability and health, he brings a holistic approach to culinary practices at The Nautilus.

Jordanian born culinary maestro, he has spent his entire career elevating the gastronomical taste across Middle East. He recently worked with Dukes The Palm, Dubai as Executive Chef where he managed a busy kitchen of 45 chefs, restaurant and bar, and in-room dining for 270 rooms and 260 hotel apartments. Starting at Dukes as Executive Sous Chef in 2016, he was then promoted to Executive Chef at the young age of 33, due to his exceptional leadership skills. “When I originally moved to the UAE from Jordan, I took big leap of faith. It wasn’t without challenges, but it’s where I’ve grown the most professionally and started a family. With me, having this strong crave for new flavors and appetite for more, taking over the kitchens of Maldives has become my next goal allowing me to have some new ingredients to master with. It exhilarates me even more knowing that it will be W Maldives – a luxury island playground packed with special happenings and activations.”  No stranger to luxury hotels, Chef MO has led and rocked kitchens all over the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, including the Shangri-La, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, The Atlantis, and now ready to put W Maldives in flame.  Guests can expect the unexpected with W Maldives’ creative dining across four vibrant restaurants and two bar concepts – KITCHEN, international all day dining; FIRE, elevated backyard grill and charcoal dining experience; FISH, signature overwater restaurant serves ocean-to-table gastronomical treats; KADA, Malvidian pop-up dining venue; WET, gourmet poolside bar; and SIP, pulsating outdoor bar with breathtaking sunset views. Beautifully dispersed amongst the island, restaurants and lounges are perfectly positioned for guests to soak in the beauty of the Maldives in every dining experience. Barefoot, surrounded by palm trees and the Indian Ocean, diners are guaranteed fresh seafood, straight from the ocean and dishes bursting with Maldivian flavors.

Tobias Ammon, a long-time Radisson GM, will oversee the only international four-star hotel in Dammam Second Industrial City. This is his first property in KSA, having extensive experience leading multiple properties across Radisson portfolio. Commenting on his appointment, Tobias says: “As a passionate hotelier, I am delighted to join the hotel at this exciting time, my international exposure has given me a unique perspective on all aspects of the hotel operation, and together with the hotel team, I am looking forward to creating unforgettable experiences for our guests, delivering Radisson’s renowned Yes I Can! Service.” Ammon has worked on and off with Radisson for a combined 15 years. Coming from a restaurant background, he began his path in Frankfurt as a restaurant manager back in 2005. His experience in a General Manager position includes Radisson Blu Hotel Klaipeda, Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort Cesme, Dorint Hotels, Radisson Blu Muscat and Sohar, and Radisson Blu Bosphorus.

Grand Hyatt Amman has a new executive chef.  Michele Prevedello lands in Jordan having previously spent three years in Saudi Arabia. A long-time Hyatt member, chef Prevedello has traveled the world through the group. His most recent role was as executive chef of Grand Hyatt Al Khobar Hotel and Residences for three years. When asked about his new position and life in Jordan, Prevedello replied: “New places, new excitement, new city, new people.” He will now lead outlets including The Lombard, The Lounge and 32 Degrees North. Italian outlet The Lombard is the signature restaurant of the hotel. Opened in March of last year, The Lombard in Amman provides classic Milanese cooking, regional Italian dishes and beverages, and a commitment to celebrating Italian culture and traditions.

Jérôme is joining with three decades of management experience in luxury hotels and resorts across Europe, North Africa, Asia, and French Polynesia.  He began his hotel career in 1992 as part of the opening team at the Hyatt Regency, Charles de Gaulle Paris. He then quickly went abroad taking on numerous managerial operations roles in U.A.E, North Africa, or Spain.From 2011, Jérôme took on the role of General Manager in several hotels from Asia to French Polynesia, leading him to significantly broaden his leadership and operational skills: Hotel Manager at the Westin Sohna Resort & Spa and The Westin Gurgaon, General Manager at Le Meridien Bora Bora, or part of the pre-opening team as General Manager at The Renaissance Dhaka Gulshan, Bangladesh, marking the beginning of the Renaissance hotels brand in the country.Jérôme's extensive experience coupled with his knowledge of French Polynesia and its specificities make the company confident that he will reach great success in his new role and as part of the Pearl Resorts family.

Edwin Gomes will oversee six bars and two restaurants including the Italian- Mediterranean signature restaurant Basilico. Originally from Kolkata India, Gomes’ passion for the culinary arts comes from a young age, as he hails from a family of chefs. After a number of apprenticeships, Gomes fine-tuned his craft at The Park Hotels in Kolkata. His career soon took him across the globe to work with brands such as Hilton, JA Resorts and Spa, Royal M and Royal Caribbean Cruise Liners. Edwin Gomes comments his appointment: “I look forward to setting marks to achieve the unachieved. Simply put, luxury is not just a statement, but rather it’s something you literally must taste. There are prime standards to set and consistently meet, one of them being freshness. Freshness has always been vital for me as a chef. I live up to our farm-to-fork philosophy and quality produce is the key.”

Thomas Meier joined Jumeirah Group as Chief Operating Officer in October 2021. Now he will take on the role of interim CEO of the group replacing José Silva. Having studied at the Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne, Thomas started his career in general hotel management roles in Asia and rose through the ranks to lead operations for Raffles globally. He then spent several years leading new openings and integrations globally for the Fairmont, Swissotel and Raffles brands, ahead of joining Minor Hotels as Senior Vice President, Operations (Asia) in 2016.Thomas brings extensive operations experience gained across multiple markets. His global responsibilities have spanned business performance, acquisitions, owner relations and transformation across all aspects of hotel operations, development, and systems integration.

Fairmont The Palm, Dubai has appointed Dominic Arel as general manager. Well-versed in sales, operations and revenue management, he was hired for his strong leadership skills and strategic thinking, particularly as the property builds up to a busy Q4 2022.Arel has a proven track record of leading international luxury hotels in the GCC, Europe and the Americas. He started his career with Accor in 1996, when he worked in the front office operation and revenue department at Novotel Montréal. He played an instrumental role as director of revenue management in the successful opening of Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile in 2002, which was the first Sofitel to open in Canada. He was then promoted to director of operations followed by hotel manager.In 2011, Arel moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as hotel manager for Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach and managed the property for two consecutive years. He then moved to Portugal in 2013, where he was the general manager at Sofitel Lisbon for three years before returning to the Middle East.  Arel is a graduate from the Institut de Tourisme et d’Hôtellerie du Québec in Hotel Management and from the University of Montréal (HEC), Canada. He also completed the International Hospitality Management Program at the Accor Academy in Paris, in partnership with ESSEC School in France.

DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island appoints new commercial and sales directors. Mahmoud Hegazy, originally from Egypt, joins the team from Hilton Doha and brings 19 years of experience in hospitality sales and marketing. Experienced in revenue, sales, marketing, finance and business development. While at Hilton Doha, he started as a director of sales, followed by business development manager and lastly commercial director. He is a long-time Hilton member, starting as a sales executive in 2003. He has also worked as a cluster senior sales manager in Kuwait for the group and director of sales across Egypt. Turkish-born Bahar Yildirim is already well-versed in the UAE luxury market. She joins the team from Marriott International where she oversaw several of the brand’s key properties. Prior to Marriott, Yildirim was with the Rixos brand which has seen strong growth in the market since launching in the last decade. Managing sales strategies and activities, Yildirim will be responsible for capitalising on untapped markets and ensuring the hotel is always top of mind for an unforgettable experience.

In a continued effort to achieve industry benchmark standards for quality tourism in Goa, Mr. Vincent Ramos, Senior Vice President – Goa of the Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) is empanelled as member of the Empowered Committees for the Goa Tourism Board, an apex body for planning, policy making, strategizing and overseeing the implementation of various tourism programs and initiatives in the state. In his new role, Mr. Ramos will contribute towards the various Land and Infrastructure development programs and initiatives in Goa.Spearheading the largest hospitality operator in the state, Mr. Ramos brings with him exceptional leadership skills and a multitude of management experience from within the tourism industry. Hailing from the beautiful island of Chorão in Goa and being son of the soil, he has been actively involved with the local state authorities to enhance tourism in Goa as Mentor for the Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) Committee – Tourism vertical and asan Executive Member of the Managing Committee of Travel & Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) as well as the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Goa.Speaking on the appointment, Mr. Ramos said, “Goa has immense potential to position itself as the world’s best travel destination. With a combined and unified effort of all the partners and stakeholders in the industry, I am certain that Goa can achieve exemplary standards in tourism. It is an honour to be in service of the state and we look forward to empowering the State Government with all the required support and achieving our common goal of repositioning Goa as a world-class leader in tourism.”Since inception, IHCL has always been synonymous with Goa, having inclusion and business responsibility embedded in its DNA. Thus, constantly striving for the local communities to share in the benefits of its presence with maximizedlocal employment and generating new avenues for business opportunities with a collaborative approach towards helping improve the quality of life and giving back to the community. IHCL comprises of a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and remarkable service including Taj, SeleQtions, Vivanta, Ginger, amã Stays & Trails, Qmin and TajSATS.With a footprint of 21 unique destinations in the state and over 1500 rooms across the length and breadth of the state, IHCL continues to define the changing landscape of tourism in Goa as the largest hospitality operator andleader in the tourism sector.About The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL)The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and its subsidiaries bring together a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and world-class service. These include Taj – the iconic brand for the mostdiscerning travellers and the World’s Strongest Hotel Brand and India’s Strongest Hospitality Brand as per Brand Finance 2021, SeleQtions, a named collection of hotels, Vivanta, sophisticated upscale hotels, and Ginger, which isrevolutionising the lean luxe segment.Incorporated by the founder of the Tata Group, Jamsetji Tata, the Company opened its first hotel - The Taj Mahal Palace, in Bombay in 1903. IHCL has a portfolio of 236 hotels including 60 under development globally across 4continents, 11 countries and in over 100 locations. The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) is India’s largest hospitality company by market capitalization. It is primarily listed on the BSE and NSE.