Assila Hotel Jeddah attains 40% Saudisation, reveals GM

Assila Hotel, Jeddah has reached the level of 40% Saudisation with its team, revealed its new general manager Harry Fernandes.

Fernandes spoke to Hotelier at Arabian Travel Market 2017, and said: "We are at 40% Saudisation which is amazing, and we are working to increase it even further."

He revealed, for example, that the F&B team includes 40 Saudi chefs - among which are seven women - with a co-ordinator focused on working with the Saudi chefs.

Other roles where Saudi nationals have been employed range across various departments, from F&B to front office, to reservations through to reception, and more.

"It was important to invest in that right at the beginning and it’s now paying off," Fernandes said.

Fernandes started his career with Rocco Forte Hotels in 2004 when he was appointed rooms division manager at The Balmoral in Edinburgh, followed by a promotion to resident manager of The Balmoral in 2005. He transferred to Brown’s Hotel in London in 2012, then in 2014 was seconded as resort manager of the Verdura in Sicily, after which he rejoined The Balmoral until November 2016 when he came to Jeddah as hotel manager of Assila.

Prior to his career with Rocco Forte Hotels, Fernandes held various roles in the front office of several London properties including the Hilton Park Lane and the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park.