Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara hires Omanis

Due to open this summer, Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara has appointed Abdullah Mohammed Al Hinai and Fatma Hilal Al Sinawi as resident manager and director of human resources respectively.

The appointments are part of the resort’s commitment to Omanisation, with 70 local Omanis employed to date, making up over 50% of the pre-opening team.

As the resort’s launch date draws closer, Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara continues to expand its team of professionals by adding a growing number of Omani nationals, aiming to keep this percentage high as they reach their full manning.

In his role as resident manager, Al Hinai will work closely with the general manager to lead the hotel’s operations and deliver an indigenous-inspired experience.

With more than 15 years in the industry, Al Hinai has garnered valuable experience in a number of hospitality roles, working his way through the ranks to assist in leading a 300-person strong team at the resort.

He started his career at Grand Hyatt Muscat in 2005 and most recently obtained a role as front office manager at the five-star Al Bustan Palace in Muscat where he played a key part in converting the property from an InterContinental to a Ritz Carlton.

Meanwhile, in her capacity as director of human resources, Al Sinawi will oversee the recruitment and ongoing development to provide service excellence and innovation in line with Anantara’s brand values.

She is also responsible for delivering on the resort’s goal to provide long-term employment and development opportunities for the residents of Dhofar.

In order to do this, she will work closely with the Omani Government as well as Omani tourism colleges and provides the necessary training and work experience needed to understand the Anantara culture and ethos.

With a career spanning more than 13 years, Al Sinawi joins from Six Senses Zighy Bay in Musandam where she held a position as director of human resources and training, overseeing the resort’s talent programme to source, hire, develop and retain team members.

Prior to this, she was the training manager at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa in Muscat.

Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara general manager James Hewitson commented; “We are delighted to have both Abdullah and Fatma on board. They are such vibrant and energetic characters, and both very passionate about their heritage and country, which in turn hugely helps when it comes to their role and the resort.

“They have both showed a huge amount of commitment to aiding Salalah’s growth and we are very grateful that they have decided to join us as part of the pre-opening team. We hope the level of interest continues amongst the Omani community and we look forward to welcoming more of Dhofar’s finest talent over the coming months.”