Stuart Birkwood, the new chief executive officer for Fawaz Alhokair’s hotels division, reveals why he has stayed in Saudi Arabia, but moved from operations to ownership
What attracted you to the industry?
I should probably say that I had a passion for the business and always wanted to be a part of it. The honest truth is I did not deliver the A-level results I needed to be an estate agent and thus had to find a course that would accept me. I ended up (fortunately!) at Newcastle College doing an OND in hospitality management. The rest, as they say, is history.
Can you give us a brief career history?
I did the OND, then a HND, before joining Hilton on its graduate management training programme in 1991. I was one of 12 UK graduates they accepted and I did my programme at the Hilton National East Midlands.
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I was then part of the opening team at the Hilton National Coventry before moving to the Sheraton Skyline at Heathrow as assistant C&B Manager in 1994. I was with Sheraton, and then Starwood, as they became, for 18 years working in Poland, Finland, Brussels and the UK at both hotel and divisional office level.
What is your greatest achievement?
Getting accepted onto the Hilton UK graduate programme ahead of my wife, who is also a hotelier. She has never let me forget how I ‘stole’ her big opportunity! On a more serious note — probably leading the Sheraton Riyadh team to the number one spot on TripAdvisor, also having the number one restaurant in Riyadh on TripAdvisor and being the number one fundraising hotel for UNICEF in 2011 for Starwood in the Middle East. Such achievements are wonderful for staff morale and seeing associates’ pride in such honours is just wonderful.
What attracted you to Saudi Arabia, and why have you stayed?
The unique business and cultural environment. Saudi Arabia is not a destination you would have many opportunities to visit, and especially not to work in, so we jumped at the chance to do both. I see only endless opportunities for the Kingdom moving forward — it’s an exciting and motivating time to be here.
What are the challenges in the region and how will you overcome them?
I only see opportunities in this region. I am a firm believer that everything is as we choose to perceive it and I only see the opportunities that lie ahead. We must embrace the employment of Saudi nationals — both women and men.
We also need to focus on our GOP delivery — times will come when expenses will increase and thus owner profit lines will be squeezed. We must be innovative and flexible in our approach to managing this. We must also embrace the two-star and three-star hotel market — there are numerous opportunities for this type of product across the Kingdom. Middle class Saudis who want to travel internally in Saudi need good, clean, safe accommodation at a decent price.
What are you looking forward to?
Opening the doors of some fabulous new hotels and seeing guests and associates enjoying their hotel experience alike. I can see the Courtyard by Marriott Olaya site from my office window, so seeing it rise up day by day is inspiring.
What are your goals in the role for the next two years?
Opening the first of our projects — specifically Courtyard by Marriott Olaya and Aloft, both of which are in Riyadh, and then Aloft Dharran. Next would be to pipeline a company goal of 10,000 rooms for the Fawaz Alhokair Group.
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
Here in Saudi Arabia, definitely. We are building a very contented life here and feel very much at home in our surroundings. As a family we are all looking forward to being a part of the growth and development of this wonderful Kingdom.
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