“We are also moving into Kurdistan and are currently working on major new hotel developments in Erbil. We are making good progress on fulfilling a promise to return to Bahrain and will hopefully be opening a new property there over the next year” he adds, referring to the 350-key DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bahrain — Juffair.
Currently responsible for over 20,000 team members across the Middle East and Africa, Jagersbacher says that this is a number “way short of what I hope to achieve by the time I’m ready to pass the baton to someone else” — a moment that still seems far-off.
Jagersbacher claims his team is working to “significantly increase the number of staff” in line with growth of the group’s regional pipeline.
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“Growing the Hilton Worldwide business and ensuring that we have the right team with the right skills to uphold our brand values is something that inspires and motivates me every single day”, he adds.
However, as a leader of a rapidly expanding portfolio, Jagersbacher admits that his biggest challenge is continually ensuring that operational systems are fit to match growth and that the right levels of talent are available to deliver exceptional guest experience.
Aligning standards and best practices with other Hilton global leaders through Hilton’s combined operation effectiveness and centre of quality initiative — launched in the MEA this year — has helped him achieve this.
In addition to operations and development, Jagersbacher, a founding member of the Hilton in the Community Foundation — a grant-making organisation that fundraises to support disadvantaged children — is also committed to ensuring Hilton Worldwide is a good corporate citizen.
Each year, a Global Week of Service is hosted to serve the communities in which Hilton’s hotels are based. In October Jagersbacher and his colleagues renovated and refurbished two science laboratories at Al Garhoud National Charity School in Dubai, which are so far reportedly delivering a real benefit to the students and teachers at the school.
Humble and grounded, Jagersbacher doesn’t take credit for the aforementioned achievements however, acknowledging the team effort that has been required for Hilton Worldwide to become the powerhouse it is today in this region.
“Everyone at Hilton Worldwide has been directly responsible for the growth of our strong brand in the industry and our aim is to become the number one choice for guests, owners and team members like”, he says.
By The Numbers
Number of years in role: 3 Number of years with company: 40 Number of Middle East operating hotels: 51 Number of Middle East pipeline hotels: 52
Fun Fact: In 2006, Rudi Jagersbacher was awarded the Decoration of Merit in Gold (Goldenes Verdienstzeichen), one of 15 classes of national honours for services to the Republic conferred by the Austrian government.
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