Top 12 hoteliers to watch in 2012

Rupprecht Queitsch

6 Rupprecht Queitsch
General manager, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai

A 40-year-veteran of the hotel industry, German national Rupprecht Queitsch is, in his own words, “a little bit different than your average general manager”. He has held GM roles for the past 23 years, and rather than moving into corporate office as many do, he clearly relishes his hands on role and position within the community in which his hotel operates.

Wherever he is based, Queitsch endeavours to forge strong ties within the local community. He is a past president of the Lions Club in Prague, a member of the Skal Club and the Chaine des Rotisseurs and has been a member of the board of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic and France, where he was elected vice president of the Chamber in 2007.

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Now based in Dubai for the first time, Queitsch has a fairly formidable challenge on his hands; the opening of the first JW Marriott Marquis branded hotel in the Middle East.

At a height of 355 metres — just 26 metres shorter than the Empire State Building — it will become the tallest dedicated hotel building in the world. In quarter four this year, 804 rooms and the majority of the 12 F&B outlets will open and 1100-1200 staff will join the team in the ramp-up. When an additional 804 rooms open a year later, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai will become the largest hotel in the emirate.

It will also be, according to Queitsch, the first property to bring to Dubai a meetings, convention and events market of a scale never seen in the UAE before. It is this specific goal, coupled with the strength of the Dubai market — last year, the city was one of the top five global RevPar performers worldwide with strong occupancies averaging 75.4% (STR Global) — that gives this GM confidence in having such a significant room inventory.

Considering his position at the helm of such a large investment by owner Emirates Group — which is ploughing AED 2.2 billion ($599 million) into the hotel — and his own ambitious goals, Queitsch is definitely one to watch in 2012.

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