Purchasing power: The Ritz-Carlton Grand Canal

Kalinga Dissanayake, director of purchasing at The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal on fitting out one of the UAE’s newest luxury hotels

How long have you been in hotel purchasing?
I started my career in hospitality procurement around 10 years ago as a purchasing officer in a five-star property in Dubai.

What products are you on the lookout for?
During the pre-opening, my focus was on capital expenditures and service contracts as well as sourcing equipment for various areas of the hotel. Now that the property has been open for over six months, my priorities have shifted to identifying quality suppliers to support the hotel’s day-to-day operations. I am always on the lookout for new suppliers when it comes to quality food and beverage products as well as engineering supplies and general office requirements.

What area of your hotel are you most proud of?
My current property, The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal, has one of the most stunning and unique locations in front of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. I love seeing this iconic building from our hotel lobby at sunset, when the view is breathtaking.

Tell us about one of your most successful deals?
My team and I had quite a few successes during the pre-opening period when we negotiated major supplier contracts for landscaping, staff transportation and housekeeping manning. One of our most recent successes would be a recently negotiated service contract that will potentially save the hotel millions of dirhams a year.

I believe that the key to being successful in procurement is building strong relationships with the hotel’s partners as well as constantly working on your negotiation skills. Also, with every contract I always adhere to the following five steps: plan, initiate, transact, control and, finally, sign the contract.

What does a supplier have to do to impress you?
I expect a competitive price, a quality product or service and, of course, consistent delivery.