General Manager of the Week: Enad Tannous

In the latest installment of our regular series, we speak to Amwaj Rotana, Jumeirah Beach general manager Enad Tannous.

Tannous joined the Dubai hotel, which is located on the The Walk, Jumeirah Beach, last October.

Why do you work in hospitality and what got you into the industry in the first place?

It’s the love of interacting with people. Hospitality is one of the unique industries where you get the opportunity to interact with different cultures on a daily basis.

Joining the hotel school was actually one of the suggestions from my family on the studies to pursue and there has been no turning back ever since.

Who in the industry has been a big inspiration for you?

In my first position as a director of food and beverage, my then boss was a great inspiration. I admired his honesty and enthusiasm. He thought me to think differently and helped me map out my path to go beyond F&B and consider the prospect of running a hotel as a General Manager in due course.

What is your leadership ethos?

Practice what you preach. The world’s best leaders are excellent role models. It’s the best way to motivate your team to do what is best.

What gets you out of bed in the morning every day to do your job?

It’s the passion for my work - my actual position of being general manager at Amwaj Rotana. Nothing about it is routine. There are different scenarios each day and I love the interaction that comes with it.

If there was one thing you could change about the industry, what would it be?

To employ the use of technology selectively. Whilst automation can create a seamless experience, we must be careful not to lose the human touch for it is the very basis of the word “hospitality”. Technology should be used to complement the services and experiences that we provide.

What would you say your greatest achievement has been?

In recent times, it would be the opportunity to manage a reputable 5-star hotel such as Amwaj Rotana in Dubai. I was previously in Aqaba, Jordan, which is not directly comparable to Dubai since Dubai is a more dynamic city.

What legacy would you like to eventually leave at your hotel?

I would like to be remembered as someone who delivered what he promised. Fulfilling a commitment where it be for stakeholders or staff is something I hold in high regard.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone starting off in the industry?

Steve Jobs has a famous saying which goes, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do,” and he couldn’t be more precise. If it doesn’t come from the heart, there’s less chance for you to be successful.

If you hadn’t gone into hospitality, what do you think you would be doing now?

I would be a pilot. Until this day, flying sparks my interest.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love discovering new places and trying different trends. Lucky for me, I’m in Dubai, which is a haven in this region for all sorts of F&B concepts.