MOVEMENTS

Oman Air, Oman
H.E. Eng. Saeed Al Mawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information & Chairman, Oman Air, alongside the company’s Board of Directors, has appointed Con Korfiatis as the Chief Executive Officer of Oman Air. A highly accomplished leader with over 30 years of experience in the aviation industry, Korfiatis is set to steer the airline’s ongoing transformation and improve revenue. Korfiatis’ three-decade-long career includes numerous appointments as Chief Executive Officer across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, with notable accomplishments. He has also held a string of other executive management roles in finance, strategy, commercial, alliances, operations, network, branding and marketing, across some of the world’s most successful airlines.

Grand Mercure Dubai City & ibis Styles Dubai Airport, Dubai
Grand Mercure Dubai City appoints Ahmed Abdrabo as the Cluster Director of Sales and Marketing. With 12-year experience in the hospitality industry, Abrabo brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his new role. His professional journey began in 2011 in Egypt with H ilton, and the same year, he moved to the UAE with Kempinski Hotels, then to Rixos Hotels. He has since made significant contributions to renowned establishments in the UAE, including Fairmont Abu Dhabi, Fairmont Ajman, and Fairmont Dubai. Over his tenure, the hotel achieved several great accomplishments, including being ranked one of the top three in RGI since 2018. He is tasked with creating sales and marketing strategies, directing, and establishing sales activities to reinforce the cluster’s position.

Taj, Dubai
Saurabh Tiwari has been appointed as the Area Director, Operations, Middle East and CIS. Having worked for brands across Middle East, Asia and Europe, Tiwari has a comprehensive mindset and key understanding of consumer behaviours and their developing needs and wants. He is a strong believer in ‘keeping your employees happy will lead to happy customers’. Beyond his remarkable international experience in Spain and the UK, he has always been a champion of the teams at Taj Dubai, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa and Taj JLT and lead the hotel to new heights. He stands for and deeply believes in the company’s core values. He has demonstrated exceptional leadership, strategic vision, dedication to delivering supreme guest experiences.

Taj Dubai has appointed Farah Bootwala as the Marketing Manager. Bootwala overseas the hotel and its five esteemed dining destinations, bringing her innovative approach and dynamic leadership to the forefront. Her strategic vision and keen understanding of the market trends have propelled the Taj Dubai brand to unprecedented levels. Through her talent for crafting compelling campaigns, creativity and engaging audience, she has driven measurable growth and heightened brand visibility. Under her guidance, Taj Dubai has seen significant improvements in brand recognition and customer engagement, solidifying Taj Dubai’s position as a leading luxury destination.

Gewan Hotels & Resorts, Abu Dhabi
Gewan Hotels & Resorts has appointed Elias Saad as Hotel Manager of Royal M Hotel by Gewan, Abu Dhabi. With his extensive experience, innovation, and strategic vision, Saad’s arrival aligns perfectly with Gewan’s mission of redefining excellence in hospitality. With a distinguished 25-year career in hospitality, his accolades include the prestigious Gold Winner F&B Director/ Leader of the Year 2024, and recognition as one of the Best 30 F&B Leaders in the Middle East 2023; his accomplishments further underscoring his experience, leadership, and achievements in the industry. Saad began his career journey as assistant manager at Hilton Abu Dhabi and has also held leadership roles at prestigious establishments such as Bab Al Qasr Hotel and Fairmont Bab Al Bahr.

UN Tourism, Midlde East
The Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) announced that Dr Abdelrazzak Arrabiyat, Managing Director, JTB, has been elected as the Chair of the Affiliate Member Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism) Affiliate Member Committee (on Matters Related to Affiliate Membership). This prestigious appointment underscores Dr Arrabiyat’s dedication to fostering global tourism and his commitment to promoting sustainable and inclusive tourism practices. His election is a testament to his visionary approach and the trust placed in him by the international tourism community. As the new Chair, Dr Abdelrazzak has pledged to expand the affiliate membership and strengthen collaboration among members.

Sabre, Saudi Arabia
Sabre Corporation has appointed Hasan Qannati as the Head of Business Development and Strategic Sales for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This strategic appointment underscores Sabre’s commitment to the region, specifically KSA, and its ongoing efforts to enable the travel industry through innovative technology solutions. Qannati’s appointment is part of Sabre’s broader strategy to expand its footprint in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region and provide travel agencies with the tools they need to thrive in a dynamic and competitive landscape. In his new role, Qannati will be based in Riyadh and tasked with promoting Sabre’s comprehensive suite of solutions and ensuring the delivery of advanced, personalised services that cater to the evolving needs of today’s travellers.

Rotana – Corporate, Abu Dhabi
Rotana appoints Sahiti Gaddam as the Corporate Vice President of Sales. As the group pursues its ambitious expansion plans to add 30 new properties to its portfolio by 2026, Gaddam will oversee sales development activities across Rotana’s existing and growing pipeline of properties in the region and beyond. In her new role, Gaddam will be responsible for enhancing Rotana’s market position and profitability by driving sales growth and portfolio performance for hotel owners through strategic initiatives and strengthening partnerships with key stakeholders. With over two decades of experience in the Middle East’s hospitality sector, Gaddam brings a wealth of insight and expertise to her new position.

InterTouch, Dubai
interTouch has appointed Rupinder Juttla as the Head of Operations, EMEA and India. In the new role, Juttla will be responsible for operations and programme management, as well as project delivery in the region. With a career spanning 20 years in operations and project delivery across the hospitality and civil engineering sectors, Juttla is well versed in the challenges and requirements associated with hotel openings and conversions. He has worked the past 12 years delivering solutions to the hospitality industry at GuestTek and Airangel (now Eleven Software). Juttla has extensive experience in leading multi-disciplinary and culturally diverse teams having worked in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.

Sunset Hospitality Group, Singapore
Sunset Hospitality Group appoints Philipp Knuepfer as the Chief Operating Officer of Sunset Hotels & Resorts. Knuepfer joins SHG with over 20 years of international experience in the luxury hospitality sector and will support the growth of Sunset Hotels & Resorts, whilst overseeing global operations, solidifying the group’s reputation as a leader in hospitality. The strategic hire follows SHG’s recent announcement of the new Sunset Hotels & Resorts, along with an expansion plan of developing, opening, and operating 20 new hotels by the end of 2025. A German national, Knuepfer attained his Hotel Management degree at the International School for Hotel Business in Germany and holds an MBA from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. He is a graduate of the Cornell Hotel School in Ithaca, New York.

Hahn Air, Germany
To underscore its commitment to the distribution landscape of the future and to strengthen and expand its product portfolio, Hahn Air appoints Rachel Pascall as Vice President New Distribution. In her new role, Pascall spearheads an international team of developers, IT specialists and account managers. Her responsibilities encompass steering the development of Hahn Air’s new distribution channels, from both a commercial and technical perspective, and fostering seamless collaboration between the Hahn Air teams and the connected partners. In addition, she supports the acquisition of new partners and oversees their implementation.

Prime Travel Service (Bedsopia), Dubai
Prime Travel Service (Bedsopia) has appointed Kseniia Zhuchenko as the Business Development Assistant. Zhuchenko brings with her a wealth of experience and a strong track record in client management and operational efficiency, honed over her two-year tenure as Head of Operations at a prominent wholesale company. Zhuchenko has joined the dynamic team at Prime Travel Service, working closely with Ayşe Yaşar, the Vice President of Sales, to drive business growth and develop strategic partnerships. She will play a critical role in attending various trade shows, nurturing existing client relationships, and forging connections with new partners. Prime Travel Service continues to strengthen its position in the B2B accommodation market.