Meet the team
Mark McCarthy, General manager
Mark McCarthy has taken the reins as general manager for the two pre-opening properties.
An American national, McCarthy came to the UAE to join Rotana in 2007 as the general manager for Towers Rotana Dubai, having previously held senior positions in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Zambia and Bahrain.
Diana Sutari, Director of HR
Sutari brings more than 13 years of experience working within the UAE hospitality industry, an impressive 12 years of which have been spent with Rotana.
Her career began as finance secretary in 1999 before moving into the HR segment as HR coordinator, onto HR officer and later she was promoted to assistant director of human resources.
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Carine Harb, Director of marketing and communications
Promoted from assistant director of marketing and communications at Park Rotana Abu Dhabi where she had worked for more than two years, Carine Harb moved to Dubai for her current role. A Lebanese national, Harb brings more than 13 years’ of hospitality experience to the new hotel complex.
Osama A. Semaan, Director of front office
A Rotana veteran, Osama A. Semaan has been with the group for 15 years working in various hotels throughout the UAE and further afield. He was part of the pre-opening team for Dubai’s Al Bustan Rotana in 1997, and more recently contributed to the opening of the emirate’s Rose Rayhaan. Other properties under his belt include The Cove Rotana Resort.
Afrah Hamdy, Director of spa
An Egyptian national, Afrah Hamdy is responsible for the launch of Zen The Spa.
She joined Rotana to take up her current role in June 2011 from Grand Millennium Dubai. Other spa-related posts in the UAE include as part of the pre-opening team for Al Ain VCLL centre, and later the management of VLCC’s Mirdif Centre in Dubai.
Ute Knott, Director of housekeeping
Ute Knott took up her current role as director of housekeeping for the Al Ghurair complex in May. Having begun her career as an apprentice in a hotel in Germany 1988, Knott worked her way up to assistant housekeeper, to executive housekeeper and eventually director.
Nader Batniji, Executive assistant manager in charge of business development
With more than 18 years’ experience in hotels, Nader Batniji starter his career with IHG in Amman, Jordan. He has gained a variety of experience mostly in the finance and sales departments and has worked around the Middle East, including in the emirates and Jordan.
Joachim Textor, Executive chef
Joachim Textor has travelled the world bringing a wealth of culinary experience from across the globe. The UAE is Textor’s 11th country to work in having first moved to Dubai in 2007 to take up the role of executive chef at Al Murooj Rotana Hotel & Suites. Three years on he moved to Dubai’s Media Rotana Hotel and Apartments, establishing six outlets.
Armin Weller, Director of food and beverage
Armin Weller has racked up a quarter of a century in the hospitality industry.
He started out as a pastry chef before moving into hotel management. His career took him across America, the Caribbean and the Far East before he moved to the Middle East. He has operated hotels in Cuba, Cancun and elsewhere.
Maric Van Duijvenbode, Executive assistant manager
Having joined Rotana as executive assistant manager earlier this year, Maric Van Duijvenbode is overseeing the day-to-day operations for the two Al Ghurair hotels. He brings more than 20 years of hospitality industry experience to the role, having previously working with renowned global operators.
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