Over the course of this week (having commenced on September 9) Hotelier Middle East will reveal the region's top 50 most influential hoteliers in the annual Hotelier Middle East Power 50, presented by Voglia. This third instalment of this five-part series of announcments names those ranking in positions 21 to 30 of the 2012 list.
In this fourth edition of the Hotelier Middle East Power 50, you will notice a few changes. This year for the first time, the list is entirely dedicated to hotel operators. Even those entrants who both own and operate hotels have been judged only on their management merits. This has meant that we have had to omit the specialists in tourism and development as well as owners and investors, but rest assured, the Hotelier team is already hard at work planning a list to recognise these hotel industry partners.
As always, however, the rankings in the Hotelier Middle East Power 50 are subjective and the opinion of the editorial team. Decisions are made based upon portfolio and pipeline, activity over the past 12 months and plans for the coming year, along with the reputation of the individual among their peers and their dedication to developing the Middle East hospitality and tourism industry generally.
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We are confident that each entrant deserves their place in the list and invite you to join with Hotelier in celebrating the achievements and accolades of so many hotel pioneers.
30 Simon Coombs, president and chief executive officer, Shaza Hotels
Simon Coombs was appointed president and chief executive officer of Shaza Hotels in September 2009 and since then the British national has brought a wealth of expertise to the niche market operator.
Prior to his current role, Coombs spent three years with Kempinski as executive vice president and chief financial officer, and before that spent 16 years with Hyatt International.
Following the opening of Shaza’s first hotel in Madina in December 2010, Coombs negotiated 15 Letters of Intent, signed an agreement for Shaza’s first resort hotel in Salalah, and is close to concluding management agreements for properties in Doha,
Jeddah and Dubai. By the end of 2012, Coombs expects to have 10 hotels under development. Currently, he is responsible for seven hotels under construction, including the Al Rawdatain Gardens hotel in Karbala, Iraq, and two in operation.
The expected future pipeline currently consists of Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Dakar (to be signed in 2012), Black Sea, Konya and Al Khobar. The aim is to grow the brand up to 25 hotels in the next four years, predominately located in the Middle East and North Africa, with south Asia and key European cities identified as secondary markets.
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Sep 12, 2012 , Singapore
I've worked directly under him during pre-opening stage. This is kind of leader hoteliers all over should emulate. Congratulations ya sire!
Sep 12, 2012 , Jordan
I am glad all the efforts came to those marvellous positive results on both fronts, business and human. This is a land mark team work in Saudi Arabia. Mr. Arkobi and his team did a marvellous job working at these hotels from day one. Congratulations for a deserved achievement.