13 Mark Willis, area vice president for the Middle East & Sub Saharan Africa,The Rezidor Hotel Group 13 Mark Willis, area vice president for the Middle East & Sub Saharan Africa,The Rezidor Hotel Group

13 Mark Willis, area vice president for the Middle East & Sub Saharan Africa,The Rezidor Hotel Group

Mark Willis has been with The Rezidor Hotel Group since 1998, only leaving for a year to complete an MBA at Oxford University.

He took up his current role this earlier this year, replacing Marko Hytönen. Previously, he was regional director Radisson Blu & Hotel Missoni UK.

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Under Willis, Rezidor has debuted in Qatar this year following a conversion of the former Ramada hotel to Radisson Blu Doha, which was completed in July. The hotel features 583 rooms, six bars and 12 restaurants.

He has also overseen a raft of signings, including Hotel Missoni Doha, Park Inn Jeddah, Radisson Blu Mafaz and Park Inn Residence Riyadh. In total, Rezidor has 4000 rooms in the confirmed pipeline for the Middle East and 30 hotels operating in the region, nine of which are in the UAE. A highlight for 2013 is expected to be the opening of Radisson Blu Sohar in Oman, although the company has gone quiet on the opening of its second Missoni in the region at Sifah.

Further ahead, the group will open a 170-room property, Park Inn by Radisson Riyadh Al Sahafa, in 2014. The hotel will be Rezidor’s 12th in Saudi Arabia.

BY THE NUMBERS
Rezidor Hotels open in Middle East: 30 Hotels in confirmed pipeline for Middle East: 14 Middle East hotels opened in past 12 months: 1 Middle East hotels signed in past 12 months: 5 Middle East hotels due to open by September 2013: 1 Years in hospitality: 30 Years in Middle East: 5 Nationality: British

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