1 Selim El Zyr
Respected industry-wide for creating a regional powerhouse, Selim El Zyr scores the top ranking in the first-ever Hotelier Middle East Power 50.
Having co-founded the Middle East’s first hotel management brand 17 years ago, El Zyr has nurtured Rotana Hotel Management Corporation Ltd into an international success.
Rotana’s portfolio stands at more than 67 properties across 12 countries and 23 cities, with an aggressive expansion plan entering new markets such as Saudi Arabia, Oman and Iraq over the next few years.
El Zyr’s constant assessment and investment has ensured that the brand has remained at the forefront of industry trends with the development of a wide range of innovative international products and services.
To highlight a few of the brand’s milestones achieved through El Zyr’s vision and commitment, Rotana Rewards loyalty programme; Club Rotana executive club concept; and spa arm Zen the spa at Rotana are initiatives which have set a path for other hotels to follow.
In 1996 Rotana introduced the new all-suite concept, which was rebranded Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana in March 1998. Alcohol-free brand Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts was launched in March 2008 and the new business-focussed Centro Hotels brand is soon to make its debut.
Among the flags set to join the company’s portfolio this year are Centro Yas Island, Yas Island Rotana, Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan, Park Rotana, Park Arjaan, and Hala Arjaan — all in Abu Dhabi.
The company will also open Raouche Arjaan in Beirut, Amwaj Rotana in Dubai, Centro Barsha in Dubai, Al Marwa Rayhaan in Mecca and Afamia Rotana Resort in Latakia, Syria.
Rotana has signed a joint venture with Orascom and SHUAA Capital to manage five Centro by Rotana properties in Egypt. Another agreement, with SHUAA Capital Saudi Arabia, will see the company develop 17 four- and five-star hotels across Saudi Arabia comprising 5500 rooms.
The upshot of this is that Rotana is well on its way to achieving El Zyr’s strategic aim to have a property located in every key city in the Middle East through careful, long-term planning and timely action.
So how did it all start? Lebanon-born El Zyr graduated from renowned hospitality school Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland, 1970, and started his first job as a chief steward at the Waldorf=Astoria, New York.
He went on to spend 12 years with Hilton International working in Germany, Spain, Egypt, Canada and the UAE before being promoted to Middle East regional director.
In 1982, he took the catering route and founded Lebanese fast food chain, Juicy Burger, before moving to the UAE as vice president for Abu Dhabi National Hotels.
It’s clear El Zyr took his father’s words — “you can be anything you want, but be the best at your chosen profession” — to heart and luckily for the Middle East hotel sector, he had wanted to be a hotelier since the first time he stepped into a hotel back in 1964.
Rotana SVP UAE Operations Omer Kaddouri has worked with El Zyr for 11 years and says “when you look up in the dictionary the word for drive, detail, passion, ambition, advisor, teacher, businessman and friend, you should be looking for Selim El Zyr”.