35. Philippe Zuber, President and Chief Operating Officer, One&Only Resorts
Zuber’s One&Only brand hints at further GCC expansion plans
At the end of 2015, Philippe Zuber left home-grown hospitality brand Emaar, to join One&Only Resorts as its new president and COO. Industry veteran Zuber, who now looks after a team of more than 4,500 employees, brings 20 years of hospitality experience to the hotel group, including five years of working in the Middle East.
Later this year, Kerzner International (the parent company of One&Only Resorts) is expected to welcome former Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts CEO Jean-Gabriel Pérès, as the new president and chief executive officer of Kerzner International Holdings.
While Kerzner plans expansion with the upcoming launch of a second Atlantis property on Dubai’s Palm (Royal Atlantis & Residences), Zuber will focus on expansion of the One&Only brand in the GCC.
Already in the pipeline is the brand’s first hotel in the GCC outside of Dubai, the upcoming One&Only Seef in Bahrain, expected to open in 2017.
The new Bahrain resort will reportedly launch the first Hakkasan restaurant in the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as a Givenchy Spa.
Last year, the company mentioned the One&Only Jeddah as an upcoming property; however the firm declined to comment on this venue this year.
Zuber also reveals that One&Only is currently considering new properties in “major cities” in the GCC region, although no further plans have been confirmed at this stage. “The brand and company already have a strong reputation in the luxury space, however with our continued growth in the region and the support of ICD and our other shareholders, One&Only Resorts is in a positive and aggressive growth phase,” Zuber tells Hotelier Middle East.
“I look forward to making some exciting announcements very soon about our further growth and development which will significantly impact our scale and financial profile,” he added.
By the numbers
8 Number of months in the role
8 Number of months with company
2 Number of Middle East operating hotels as of july 2016
1 Number of Middle East pipeline hotels as of july 2016
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