With not long to go until the Hotelier Middle East Awards are held at the world’s tallest hotel, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai on October 30, it is now time to unveil the shortlists of IT experts who are up for the IT Person of the Year award, sponsored by Prologic First, the hotel management software solutions company:
Anita Julie Lobo, IT manager, Holiday Inn Kuwait
ABOUT ANITA
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Anita Lobo began her career as an IT Coordinator at Safir Hotels and Resorts in 1994. Having always wanted to work in the hospitality field from a young age, she took a Bachelors of Communication in IT from the University of Mumbai, before eventually becoming IT Manager for the pre-opening of Holiday Inn Kuwait in Salmiyah. Since then, she received her Master’s in Technology Management from the Monash University of Australia and during her time at Safir and Holiday Inn, Anita has been responsible for no less than 9 hotel pre-openings including two properties in Egypt, three properties in the UAE, two in Kuwait, one in Algeria and one in Lebanon.
WHY WAS SHE NOMINATED?
In 2012, Anita enrolled Holiday Inn Kuwait in TripAdvisor. Once the hotel was enrolled, the hotel was ranked at number 20 before moving to number nine in 2013. One of the factors that catapulted the hotel to its current ranking is the iPad solution that Anita implemented; where guests are presented with an iPad to submit a TripAdvisor review upon pickup from the airport, check in or checkout. This practice has since been selected as an International Hotels Group (IHG) best practice hotel solution. Anita also initiated the IT Academy, which is the first of its kind in Kuwait and in the Gulf, where she personally provides Microsoft Office workshops to colleagues on a quarterly basis. As a result of the IT Academy and colleagues cross training in her department under her guidance, three of her colleagues in the past 15 months have been promoted or had the opportunity to transfer to another IHG property.
WHAT DID HER TEAM SAY?
“Anita Lobo has a can do attitude. I’ve worked closely with her for over 5 years. She never fails to impress me with her innovative ideas and her creativity. She has a strong drive for results. She goes above and beyond her duties and is always assisting the Front Office department during busy times by escorting guests to their rooms or helping out with any other task.” Mostafa El Fiki, front office manager
Click below to find out who else is in the running for the award...
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