Ritz-Carlton DIFC appoints four directors

The Ritz-Carlton DIFC, Dubai, has appointed four new Directors to its management team.

According to general manager Lothar Quarz, the hotel has made the changes to ensure its continuing position as one of the leading luxury hotels in the Middle East.

“As we head towards the start of our third year in operations, we are looking to take the hotel to the next level in terms of guest engagement and experience. Our Ladies & Gentlemen are fundamental to achieving this and by strengthening the senior management team with four new members, I am confident and excited that we have the best people in place, to further establish the hotel as a leader in the luxury hotel market,” said Quarz.

Rania J. Keed, joins the hotel as director of sales and marketing, having previously spent 12 years at InterContinental Hotels Group. Before joining The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC, Rania was director of sales and marketing for InterContinental Doha The City, Qatar, as well as holding positions at Crowne Plaza, Dubai and InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut, Lebanon.

Lorenzo Maraviglia has been appointed as Ritz-Carlton DIFC’s, new director of F&B, following three years as director of F&B at Armani Hotel, Dubai. Part of the pre-opening team, Maraviglia helped launch the hotel’s food and beverage outlets. Prior to his position at Armani, Maraviglia joined the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company as food & beverage manager for The Ritz-Carlton Beijing, Financial Street, and also worked at The Dorchester Milan and Le Cirque Restaurant, New York City.

Benny Darsana has re-joined the Ritz-Carlton DIFC as the new director of human resources. Darsana, who has nearly 30 years of hospitality experience including 16 years within the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, has re-joined the hotel following a secondment to as area director of human resources for Bvlgari & Edition. Darsana first joined the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company in 1996 as front of house manager for The Ritz-Carlton, Bali, before moving to other Ritz-Carlton properties including Doha, Sharm El Sheikh, Seoul and Jakarta where he was director of human resources for six years.

Finally, Hannah George joins The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC as director of public relations with nearly 10 years of PR & Marketing experience in the UK and the Middle East. Previously George was account director for leading Dubai-based agency DABO & CO, where she headed-up the Consumer PR Division, delivering strategic communications campaigns for luxury and hospitality brands including Hilton Worldwide, Anantara and Vertu.