10.15 TAKE 5...
Margaret Paul, general manager, Madinat Jumeirah
10.20 Morning break
10.55 TAKE 5...
Stewart Selbie, area manager Starwood Hotels Abu Dhabi, general manager, The St. Regis Saadiyat Island at Starwood Hotels and Resorts
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11.00 DTCM Q&A Session: Live on stage with His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, director general, Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing
11.20 PANEL DISCUSSION 2: Healthy Competition?
The decree under the Tourism Vision 2020 to broaden the range of accommodation options for visitors to Dubai has already increased the numbers of three- and four-star hotels in the pipeline. At the same time, new luxury brands are continuing to enter the emirate, challenging existing luxury leaders to up their game. How can the Dubai destination adapt to this new segmentation, and how can luxury hotels raise their standards to separate them from the rest?
Panel: Michael Martin, general manager & regional general manager, InterContinental Dubai Marina & Intercontinental Hotel Group
Klaus Assmann, general manager, Sofitel Downtown
Mark Willis, area vice president for Middle East & Sub-Saharan Africa, The Rezidor Hotel Group
David Thompson, chief operating officer, JA Resorts & Hotels
Carlos Khneisser, vice president — development, Hilton Worldwide Middle East
12.05 TAKE 5...
Michael Martin, general manager & regional general manager, InterContinental Dubai Marina & Intercontinental Hotel Group
12.10 WORKSHOPS (Choose from A, B, or C):
A) The bottom line opportunities lying in waste management — Farnek
B) Discovering the Hidden Revenue & Profit Potential of In-House Guests — SweetBeam
C) F&B Innovation — Robert Ancill, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, The Next Idea
12.55 Lunch
14.00 PANEL DISCUSSION 3: Social Media in Hospitality — The GM’s Responsibility to Reputation
Today’s era of the “connected customer” — the vast world of online reviews combined with growing social media use — provides unlimited information about others’ experiences at the touch of a button. For the increasingly competitive hospitality industry, an unsatisfied customer can quickly transform into a whirlwind of negative reviews, which can lead to a poor online reputation and dwindling occupancy levels. However, social media can present a golden opportunity for hoteliers to connect with its customers, with an ultimate goal of developing a partnership for brand growth and development. How then, do hoteliers make social media work for their hotel?
Moderator: Robert Ancill, chief executive officer, The Next Idea
Panel: Konstantin Zeuke, general manager, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates
Marko Janssen, general manager, Melia Dubai
Stephen Gee, director of operations, Zaya Retreats
14.45 Afternoon break
15.10 PANEL DISCUSSION 4: The Evolution of the GM
Possessing one of the most visible and integral roles in a hotel, a GM requires personality, efficiency, organisation and leadership. Many say finding the whole package is as challenging as ever. To encourage employees to seek out this management role, companies are recruiting and training from within to create GMs that privilege loyalty and hard work as much as they do the bottom line. For this reason, are we seeing a shift in the role of the GM and how they lead their teams? How will the role evolve in future years?
Panel: Simon Casson, regional vice president & general manager, Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach
Margaret Paul, general manager, Madinat Jumeirah
Laurent Chaudet, general manager, Pullman Dubai Deira City Centre
Jan Moenkedieck, general manager, Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah
16.00 Close of 2014 GM Debate
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