Purchasing Power: Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman's Liyadh Chenthrathil

How long have you been in hotel purchasing?

I have been working in purchasing for the last nine years and have been associated with different hotels in UAE. With Ramada Ajman, it’s been one-and-a-half years since I took over as the purchasing manager. Sixteen years ago, right after my graduation, I started my career in the hospitality industry in the finance department.

What kind of products are you on the lookout for?

As a purchasing professional, I always prefer to source good and cost-effective products without compromising the quality. In Ramada Ajman, we always prioritise eco-friendly products as we carry out numerous green initiatives.

What is the biggest challenge in purchasing today?

Consistency in quality and pricing is one of the major challenges in purchasing nowadays. When approaching the purchase department, majority of the suppliers are ready to offer lower prices in order to get business, which usually ends up in compromising on quality or poor service.

Tell us about one of your most successful deals?

Upon joining Ramada Ajman, our management was in a process of cutting down costs to compete in the market. As part of that, our department had to reassess our entire existing prices and contracts. Without compromising the quality and services, I managed to achieve an additional savings of more than AED 600,000 (US $163,335) within a year.