BOH Interview: Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Waterfront's Yousef Al Amiri

What is your career background?

Immediately after I finished school, I joined the army and continued to serve with them for more than 13 years. In 2000, I decided to take up a new challenge with the Dubai Police, which is where I remained for a further 10 years. I wanted to follow a similar path but also mix it up a bit, so in 2010, I began my hotel career as a security manager at the Novotel and Ibis at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Five years down the line I became a security manager of the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Downtown. In April 2017, I became cluster director of safety and security for the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Waterfront and the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Canal View pre-opening team.

What are your daily responsibilities at the hotel?

My team and I must ensure the overall safety of the hotel, its guest and team members at all times, day and night. I am also in charge of the safety at the staff accommodation. The well-being of our guests and colleagues is extremely important to me.

What are some the day-to-day challenges you face in your position? How do you overcome them?

This depends on the case and every situation must be treated individually. The most important thing is to stay calm, maintain communication with guests and team members at all times and follow the procedures which are put in place. Thanks to technological advances, the security and camera systems have become increasingly reliable and supports the security team in their day-to-day operations.

What do you think is the best way to deal with hotel theft?

Again, this depends on the case and the circumstances, but in general, there are standard procedures which we follow, and of course, one of them would be to inform the police.

Are there any training programmes you implement at the hotel for safety and security? 

Yes of course, there are so many safety scenarios and outcomes which we need to be trained for. As a team, we make sure we continuously practise our procedures, and always keep the wider teams updated on our processes. We also have regular fire and safety drills to ensure everyone in the hotel knows their responsibilities in a fire situation.

What role does communication play in your job?

Communication plays a vital role in my job. Whether it’s communicating with our guests or colleagues, it is important that we take the time to listen and talk to everyone. It helps us ensure a high level of safety amongst everyone present at the hotel.

How do you keep your staff motivated?

We keep them motivated by keeping them on rotating schedules, giving them different responsibilities and challenging them with new tasks. It is also important to support them with a growth plan and show them how they can develop further.

What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?

Having left the public sector after so many years, it is nice to have a job where I still keep in touch with these departments. I have similar procedures but at the same time new challenges of a completely different field. In addition to that, the guest interaction adds something special to the world of security.