23. Laurent A. Voivenel, Chief Operating Officer, Hospitality Management Holdings (HMH)
The group has adopted new digital platforms, amidst a new signing and its biggest property opening in KSA
UAE-grown Hospitality Management Holdings (HMH) has ambitions to quadruple its number of rooms by 2020. While the group may have not added to the number of its operating properties, or the pipeline projects for that matter — 17 in operation and four in the pipeline —sources close to the management remain confident of adding to its inventory of rooms.
Under the stewardship of Laurent Voivenel, the group’s chief operating officer, HMH has made a significant investment in its digital platform carrying out “all-round IT and digital technology upgrade”. Voivonel says: “We have rolled out a new e-commerce friendly multi-brand bilingual website for better online conversion to bolster business and profitability at hotels under the HMH banner.”
In the last 12-odd months, Voivenel has facilitated the signing of the Corp hotel brand, which is scheduled for a 2018 opening. HMH is also confident of opening the company’s fourth property in Saudi Arabia. “Coral Al Madina Hotel will be the group’s biggest opening featuring 400 plus rooms,” Voivonel says.
The Frenchman is also strongly focused on strengthening the ‘owner-operator’ relationship. “I have looked at consolidating the existing portfolio of hotels by reinstating the owners’ and investors’ confidence in the group.” The veteran hotelier strongly feels that the owner-operator relationship is heavily evolving and undergoing a transitionary phase.
On the development front, the group has yet to announce any takers of its Ecos brand — a mid-market offering that has sustainability as its core agenda.
By the numbers
3 Number of years in role
3 Number of years with company
17 Number of Middle East operating hotels
4 Number of Middle East pipeline hotels
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