ON THE MOVE...

VAUBELL’S NEW HIDEAWAY

Six Senses Hideaway Zighy Bay has appointed Demeiter Vaubell as director of sales and marketing.

An Australian national, Demeiter brings with her more than 20 years of hospitality experience having worked for a number of international hotel chains around the world including Hyatt International, Hilton, Carlson Hotels and Anantara Resorts & Spas.

Prior to joining Six Senses, Demeiter was based in Bangkok with Anantara Resorts & Spas where she held the position of director of sales international.

NEW SEASON FOR TAPKEN

Thomas Tapken has been appointed group general manager, City Seasons Group of Hotels by City Seasons Group vice president Sheikh Ahmed Bin Ham.

Having enjoyed more than 25 years in the industry, Tapken will now lead City Seasons Group in its drive towards flourishing as a recognised international hotel chain.

German-born Tapken was formerly regional general manager Dubai for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

ERKENHAS’ EVENTS

Corinna Erkenhas has joined Raffles Dubai as director of events to help maximise the events and conferences’ targets and support the overall hotel strategy.

Erkenhas previously worked for a Dubai-based event agency, where she was managing projects in Abu Dhabi. She was also part of the opening team at Atlantis, The Palm Dubai as associate director of service, convention sales & events and also held roles at both Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.

FROM CORAL TO RAMADA

Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman has welcomed Iftikhar Hamdani as its new director of sales and marketing. Hamdani brings with him 15 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. He started his career with Pearl Continental Hotels in Pakistan and after moving to the UAE at the end of 1999, he spent nearly a decade developing his sales skills with Coral Hotels UAE.

MEDIA ONE HITS THE RIGHT NOAT

A new operations manager has taken up his role at the recently opened Media One Hotel in Dubai.

Sebastien Noat will be responsible for the development and implementation of the hotel’s food and beverage concepts as well as overseeing all aspects of the hotel’s operations.

Before joining Media One Hotel, Noat was based in Beijing, China launching three very different nightclubs, Bling, Block8 and LAN Club. Prior to his move to China, Noat was director of food and beverage at the Shangri-La Dubai and his tenure with Shangri-La Hotels Group includes directorial positions in Thailand, Malaysia and China.

His vast experience also includes a stint as director of food and beverage at The Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort in Monaco, as well as with the Ritz-Carlton Hotels Group in the US Virgin Islands, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

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Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has appointed Matthias Al-Amiry as hotel manager for Al Faisaliah Hotel, A Rosewood Hotel, in Riyadh. Al-Amiry has held managerial positions with international five-star hotels and brands across Europe, Asia and the US including Ritz-Carlton, the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof in Frankfurt and the Raffles Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg.

Prior to taking on his latest role he was resident manager for The Peninsula Manila Hotel in the Philippines.

BLU IS THE COLOUR FOR MEHIRI

Tunisian national Walid Mehiri has joined The Radisson Blu Residence, Dubai Marina as its new director of sales & marketing.

Mehiri has a solid understanding of the tourism industry, cultivated through 14 years of experience working in four- and five-star properties carrying international brands. Having gone on to hold several positions in the area of sales and marketing as well as revenue management, Mehiri’s most recent role was as regional director of sales and marketing with Swiss-Belhotel International in Dubai looking after Middle East.

Mehiri holds a Master Certificate in Essentials of Hospitality Management from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration in the US.

FROM OWNER TO OPERATOR

Australian-born Craig Smith has joined the upcoming Mövenpick Hotel & Residence Laguna Tower Dubai as general manager.

Prior to joining Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Smith was the assistant vice president, client operations for Dubai-based IFA Hotels & Resorts. In this role, Smith was responsible for developing and driving the strategic direction of the company’s client operations’ objectives in the Middle East.

IFA Hotels & Resorts owns the Laguna Tower Dubai hotel, which is set to open during 2010.

Smith began his hospitality career in Queensland, Australia with independent hotel operators before joining ITT Sheraton in 1989. He later joined Accor Hotels & Resorts as a hotel general manager.