28-year-old Zehra Masood from Fairmont Dubai nabbed the Procurement Person of the Year title at the Hotelier Middle East Awards 2018.
Masood started her career with Grand Hyatt Dubai as assistant manager materials after her graduation in 2011, overseeing food procurement and less than a year later was promoted to lead a team of five at Park Hyatt Dubai, as an assistant manager materials.
In 2017, she joined Fairmont Dubai as purchasing manager, overseeing a team of six and achieved the first-ever purchasing departmental colleague satisfaction score of 100% according to her nomination.
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Commenting on her win Masood said pying close attention to the budget is the key to success in procurement.
She said: “Cutting costs is a misconception that procurement is known for but we are meant to be cost effective and optimize the cost that we are using. This has always been one of my values that I have had and believed in. It’s about doing the best and finding the best way to work with the cost that you are given.”
“Winning this award has just driven me to do more and achieve greater things in my career,” Masood further commented.
Masood received the award from Tarek Zakaria, managing director of Jung Middle East at the ‘Taste of India’ themed affair on October 24, 2018 at the Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre.
The highly commendable in this category was awarded to Hatem Mohamed Abdelatif from Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Kuwait Al Thuraya City.
Here is the full list of shortlisted nominees:
- Turki Abdullah Al-Fahmi, Assistant Materials Manager, Dar Al Tawhid InterContinental
- Rajeeb Rawther, Purchasing Manager, Fairmont Ajman
- Haider Rizvi, Materials Manager, TIME Oak Hotel & Suites
- Hatem Abdelatif, Director of Purchasing, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Kuwait Al Thuraya City
- Mohamed Sajeev Peeru, Complex Procurement Manager, Le Meridien Dubai and Le Meridien Fairway
- Tariq Saeed, Cluster Purchasing, The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel
- Ernest Muratiri, Cluster Manager, Procurement, Sheraton Mall of the Emirates and Aloft City Centre Deira
- Zehra Masood, Purchasing Manager, Fairmont Dubai