HOTELIER AWARDS 2012: Engineer finalists revealed

These five finalists will compete for the Engineering Person of the Year 2012 in the Hotelier Middle East Awards to be held on October 31 at The Ritz-Carlton DIFC.

Below you will find extracts and testimonials from the shortlisted nominations for each of the five candidates...

Muhammad Ramzan, Holiday Inn Embassy District

About Muhammad
Muhammad Raman has enjoyed a 13 year career working in the engineering sector starting in 1998 with Habib Ullah Associates, Faisalabad as a HAVAC technician. From there he joined Quetta Serena Hotel, in the same designation and he was quickly designated as Engineer (HVAC & Mechanical) in Islamabad Serena Hotel. He then moved to Towers Rotana Hotel, Dubai as Engineering Coordinator. He later worked in Millennium Airport Hotel /Copthorne Dubai UAE as an assistant chief engineer before joining in Holiday Inn Embassy District Bur Dubai as chief engineer.

Above and beyond the call of duty…

He took the initiative with the hotel’s Property Improvement Plan. Previously there was no water treatment chemical dozing system in the hotel. The water parameter also was not up to the Dubai Municipality standard. We were getting guest complaint due to discoloration of water. Muhammad installed a chemical dosing system and started chemical treatment and testing on daily basis and maintaining the logbook, also cleaned all taps and shower head with chlorine. He also took the initiative to cut costs through careful maintenance. He has replaced incandescent lights to CFL lights in all guest room to increase the lux level in the guest room as required by IHG. A study was done by our chief engineer and we are saving on rooms light approximately 57%. In addition his dedication and attention to details made huge impact in hotel operations without affecting the standards. He is always doing extra miles to help other departments too; I have attached the Utility Comparison Sheet wherein we can see the big difference in electricity and water consumption and the saving we made till date.

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Rajeev Chopra, Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi

About Rajeev
Rajeev Chopra is a qualified mechanical engineer with specialisation in refrigeration and air-conditioning and graduated with distinction. Previous to his employment at the Rotana Group, he was a senior project manager for the Utility Engineers Limited which he designed, installed and handled several projects independently. Later he was hired as a senior project engineer for the India Tourism Development Corporation before entering the hospitality industry. He joined Oberio Group of Hotels, New Delhi as senior maintenance / project manager, his special achievement during that time was the introduction of various energy conservation techniques resulting in reduced power use/cost of by 15%. In addition, he later was employed as chief engineer at various international hotel chains carrying out major renovation projects and maintaining the hotels to a higher standard. Rajeev was part of the team that opened the Kuwait Hilton Resort, a challenging and time intensive process; especially it was days of the pre-invasion and invasion of Iraq by coalition forces in 2002. He received the Hotelier Best Chief Engineer Award for Middle East in year 2004. Rajeev is an essential part of the maintenance of the hotel.

Above and beyond the call of duty…

Rajeev has an excellent knowledge of the hotel engineering and under his guidance he continued to improve the overall efficiency of the department. Due to better maintenance and not outsourcing several projects the total POM (property, operation, maintenance) cost for Beach Rotana were controlled. As of yearend of 2011, 11.89% total expenses was saved from the budget and reduced to 5.89% compared to the actual total expenses from previous year (2010). In addition, as of year to date of the POM, the actual cost saving percentage is 4.43% versus the budget. The actual expenses and store inventory were also reduced by AED. 100,000 as of July 2012. Rajeev continuously supported not only the hotel but also other Rotana preopening properties by sending his teams for assistance, despite of having a shortage of his own department’s manning. Rajeev is also very pro-active; he had been handling several snagging works for other Rotana manager’s accommodations / housings. Rajeev never refuses works that comes to his hand, for him it’s a gift that you need to handle with care

Testimonials for Ranjeev
“What I remember with Mr. Rajeev is that during evening briefing, his asking every supervisor the results of the task delegated to us. Sometimes I can’t answer him because there are points that I forgot. I remember him saying “every one are busy and have lot of works to do, for me not to forget or miss any point is I have to write them down.” It’s a simple sentence, but I realized how meaningful it is. Mr. Rajeev trying to is lead by example, he could have told me, “Dissa write down so you will not forget!” He doesn’t try to dominate or control his team instead he leads and inspired them. I am where I am now because he inspired me. I truly believe Mr. Rajeev deserves to win the Hotelier Award; he works for customer satisfaction, hotel profits, quality of the work and takes care of his team.” Upali Dissanayake assistant chief engineer, Erbil Rotana – Iraq.

“Mr. Rajeev is capable to win the award as he is well experienced in all aspects in the engineering field. He always motivates his employees to the best of his knowledge and ensures that the departmental activities are well organized. He is easy to be with as most of his employees, colleagues and department heads enjoy his company resulting to good camaraderie.” Elisa Hernan, engineering secretary, Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi.

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Mohamed Dole , Dar Al Iman InterContinental

About Mohamed
Mohamed Dole has more than 30 years of vast experience in the hospitality industry which is remarkable and an example to all. He spent 15 years with IHG and hold Chief Engineer position in various hotels in Middle East. He joined our hotel in 2010. Since then he made a big difference in terms of manage risk, reduce impact on the environment and make our hotel a safe one using his professional expertise & precision. Lately he was promoted as Director of Engineering for IHG Madinah Hotels.

Above and beyond the call of duty

Mohamed Dole is available for 24/7 for any operational needs which is an example for others. Dole and his team always advanced to made any staff related functions colorful in terms of eye catching decorations which creating a good impression to our employees. He initiated to handle and manage the staff housing, assigning a team to make proper maintenance and fix any defective equipment. Since then all colleagues are satisfied and this helped enhancing our ES engagement scores. He is a leading person to participate and arrange any kind of community and environment support programs. Below are some examples of his care towards community and environment during the recent period where he participated strongly and encourages his team. Having 33 of extensive years in the hospitality industry and currently tireless working to keep our hotels well maintained as well as doing hard to reduce impact on the environment through an effective energy saving plan which led us to nominate him as Engineering person of the year.

Testimonials for Mohamed
“He is very cooperative, flexible and can handle many issues at a time in different departments.” Executive housekeeper.

“I worked with many Chief Engineers, but now I found out that Mr. Dole is the most active person.” Team member.

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Mohamed Fayoumi, Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea

About Mohamed
Fayoumi started his career with Movenpick Hotels and Resorts in 2000 in his home country of Jordan first as Assistant Chief Engineer and then Chief Engineer for both Movenpick Resort Petra and Movenpick Nabatean Castle Hotel. Since then he has undertaken several roles with the company as Director of Engineering in the Gulf helping open three major properties before coming back to Jordan in 2009 in the role of Director of Engineering Jordan. In his current role, he leads and oversees the technical services department for the five Movenpick Hotels and Resorts in Jordan including Mövenpick Resort Petra, Mövenpick Nabatean Castle Petra, Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea, Mövenpick Resort & Residence Aqaba and Mövenpick Resort & Spa Tala Bay Aqaba During his tenure in Jordan, Fayoumi has achieved several milestones in regards to the technical services department ensuring the efficient running of all five properties through implementing a computerized maintenance system, building and developing teams of successful engineers to run and manage each property and managing the opening of Movenpick Resort & Spa Tala Bay as well as the refurbishment of Movenpick Resort Petra and finalizing the renovation plan of the Movenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea. With a large focus on sustainability and energy saving initiatives, Fayoumi worked on achieving Environmental Certification (ISO22000) and Green Globe Certification for all five properties in Jordan. His sustainable commitment went further by introducing and implementing renewable energy projects in each property thus improving the overall energy efficiency of all five properties within a few years. Prior to his career in the hospitality industry, Fayoumi held several roles in different manufacturing plants and construction companies. Fayoumi graduated from the University of Jordan with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and is also a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Jordan Society of Engineers (JSE) and is a certified Green Globe auditor.

Above and beyond the call of duty…
Since taking up his position as director of engineering Jordan for the five Movenpick properties in 2009, Fayoumi has achieved outstanding results in both the technical services department and in positioning Movenpick as a leading hotel in Jordan in terms of Sustainability and Social Responsibility. Some of his greatest achievements were: Energy Saving and Renewable Energy Projects: Throughout his tenure in Jordan, Fayoumi has introduced and implemented several renewable and cleaner energy projects such as solar heating, condensate gas boilers, LED lighting etc. An example of such savings was the installation of two solar heating systems for two properties which were commissioned at the cost of 500,000 USD and resulted in a saving of 125,000 USD in the first year alone.A true entrepreneur, Fayoumi has always come up with initiatives that were out of the box and forward thinking. His passion and commitment to the industry, his team members, Movenpick and the community has allowed him to achieve his many successes. A twelve year veteran of the Movenpick family, Fayoumi is always looking for new challenges and ways of improvement. The term ´if it is not broken, don’t fix it´ does not exist in his vocabulary and he is always looking for ways to better improve both personally and professionally. Such instances where Fayoumi has shined were his determination to further develop himself. After going through the rigorous process of the Green Globe certification for all five Movenpick properties, Fayoumi decided to further enhance his expertise in the field of Sustainability. He successfully completed the Green Globe Auditor training programme which includes online courses dealing with all areas of the Green Globe certification standards such as: sustainability management, social and economic standards, cultural heritage and environmental standards and was recently certified as the first Green Globe Auditor at Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. Fayoumi took this challenge out of his own accord and has used the knowledge gained in assiting other Movenpick properties with technical advise when preparing for their own Green Globe audit.

Testimonials for Mohamed
“We are extremely proud of Mohamed and his commitment to sustainability. Corporate responsibility is a key priority at our hotel group and Mohamed’s efforts helps us to further progress in this objective.” Bruno Huber, general manager and regional manager, Jordan.

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George Fares, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray

About George
Lebanese born George Fares started his career in 1988 as Chief Supervisor in Chicago Beach Hotel (currently occupied by the Jumeirah Beach Hotel). Later on he progressed his career with Chicago Beach and was appointed as Engineering Operations Manager during the pre- opening of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in June 1997. Soon after, in November 1997, George’s role was expanded to Facilities Manager for the Jumeirah Facilities Management that catered to Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Wild Wadi Water Park and Burj Al Arab. During this tenure he was responsible for the maintenance of the physical plant and building; he also supervised the facilities and undertook expenditure projects for enhancement and renovation. As a result of his dedication, commitment and success, George was promoted to the position of Resident Engineer for Burj Al Arab in May, 1999. This was another exciting career phase for George- a preopening team member of the hotel which was not only the pride of Jumeirah but also a landmark and icon of Dubai. In April 2003 George was promoted as Chief Engineer for Jumeirah’s next development project - Mina A’ Salam Hotel. He successfully opened the hotel by coordinating effectively with all the contractors and implementing the standards that are in compliance with Civil Defense and local authorities. In 2008, George’s responsibility was expanded to the whole of Madinat Jumeirah Resort, including Al Qasr and Dar Al Masyaf with 600 rooms and villas. He also looked after Conference and Incentive facilities of the resort and Souk Madinat Jumeirah, retail and food beverage outlets.In June 2010, George was promoted and appointed as Director of Engineering for pre-opening of Jumeirah Zabeel Saray wher he maages till now a team of 56 colleagues.

Above and beyond the call of duty…
George continuously audits and reviews systems and standard operating procedures to ensure best practices pertaining to health and safety are in place. He has the ability to stimulate new ideas and see them through implementation. His “can do” attitude sets him apart from others and he faces every challenge with a smile. Opening of Jumeirah Zabeel Saray was a challenging task, as the project was inherited from another management company and there was a tight schedule for Jumeirah to open the hotel for trading. George had the most challenging job, as the hotel had to establish and meet all the guidelines pertaining to Fire Life and Safety outlined by local authorities. George introduced the recycling system of waste water which is treated and recycled in house in the hotel premises to be used for irrigation. He liaised with Culligan Waste Water System and had this implemented in the mechanical plant room. The system recycles water from guest room shower, bath tub, wash basin and laundry. The recycled water is used judiciously for irrigation and bathroom WC flush by a separate pumping system. This meets 50% to 70% (based on occupancy) of water requirement for irrigation purpose. The recycling of water has also lead to huge savings on the West Crescent of the Palm. During the opening of the hotel, there were challenges with the steam and sauna rooms in the Spa. This was due to the non-availability of the spare parts and services, as the company which had manufactured the equipment had no local agent or supplier in the Middle East. In this critical situation, George travelled to Austria in October 2011 and visited a designer company to draw conclusion and engage in a direct contract with them. He studied and understood the details of the system for an efficient operation of the equipment. He also managed to procure the spare parts through establishing effective relationships with the end client. The spa in Jumeirah Zabeel Saray also features a Snow room with the real snow s generated inside. This posed further challenge to the hotel as the manufacturer ended the maintenance contract with the local agent. In April 2012, George flew to Germany and visited the manufacturer and the senior leadership of Innovag. He influenced the key executives to train him in the operations of the machine and purchased spare parts with them. He shared his knowledge with fellow colleagues and now has fully skilled colleagues who can handle the breakdown of the machinery by themselves. Being an ardent fan of Green Earth concept and Executive Committee member of Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, he spreads awareness about the 3R’s among new colleagues in all the divisions of the hotel. He also pioneered the team for Earth Hour on 31st March 2012 and contributed towards the saving of 461.7 kw of energy. George is an inspiring leader. He is full of energy and ensures that he motivates his team to the fullest. He manages projects competently and that helps him to get stunning success in each endeavor of his. He has also managed and supervised several National colleagues during his tenure and supported their all round development. He is a perfect role model for beginners and an asset to Jumeirah.

Testimonials for George

“Working with Mr. George since 2006; I have known him as a person with the spirit of taking challenges which others do not dare to accept and make it fruitful. He is empathic towards his colleagues and motivates his subordinates to make them confident to work in all kind of situations with made them immune to professional pressure, ready to take challenges with courage and with a sense of non – surrender…winning is one and only target. And all of the colleagues willfully follow him where ever he moves.” Stephan Schupbach, general manager, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray