MOVEMENT

Rixos Hotels 
Saudi Arabia
Ahmed Elnawawy has been appointed Area General Manager – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Rixos Hotels. He will continue to serve as the General Manager of the flagship Rixos property in King Abdullah Economic City. He has more than two decades of experience in luxury hospitality. In his new role, Elnawawy will be at the forefront of Rixos Hotels’ strategic expansion in the Kingdom, marking a milestone for the brand’s entry into the Saudi market.

Al Habtoor Grand Resort, Autograph Collection
Dubai
Al Habtoor Grand Resort, Autograph Collection has promoted Aziz Sharipov to the position of Director of Sales & Marketing. Sharipov has been a key force behind the resort’s success since joining as Director of Sales in 2021. Over the past four years, he has delivered outstanding results across the leisure, corporate, and MICE segments, building strong partnerships, and elevating market positioning.

The Chedi Al Bait
Sharjah
The Chedi Al Bait, Sharjah, part of Chedi Hospitality’s distinguished portfolio of heritage properties, has appointed Ahmed Kamha as the Director of Sales & Marketing. He has close to two decades of experience in the luxury hospitality industry across the UAE and wider GCC. In his new role, he will oversee the resort’s commercial strategy, driving key initiatives to elevate The Chedi Al Bait’s presence as Sharjah’s most exceptional cultural retreat.

Shangri-La
Dubai
Shangri-La Dubai has appointed Denis Glibic as the Director of Sales and Marketing. With over 15 years of international experience spanning Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Glibic brings extensive expertise in commercial strategy, hotel launches, and brand positioning. In his new role, Glibic will lead the hotel’s commercial strategy and oversee all sales and marketing initiatives aimed at strengthening market positioning and driving revenue growth.

Rixos Bab Al Bahr
Ras Al Khaimah
Rixos Bab Al Bahr has appointed Ozgur Cireli as the General Manager. Cireli joins the property after his tenure as General Manager at KeyUrla in Turkey, where he led its opening. With an impressive career spanning over 30 years in the hospitality industry, Cireli has held numerous senior leadership positions across renowned global brands, including Hilton, Radisson Blu, Wyndham, Rotana, and Rixos. His extensive experience and knowledge cover diverse markets.

Fairmont The Palm
Dubai
Accor has appointed Ugur Talayhan as the General Manager of Fairmont The Palm. He has over three decades of international experience and brings a wealth of leadership expertise across luxury hotel brands, including IHG, Hilton, Marriott, FRHI, and Rotana. His extensive global career spans key markets in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Prior to this, Talayhan served as Country Manager for Rotana Hotel Management Corporation.

Minor Hotels 
Qatar
Minor Hotels has appointed Adam Harvey as Commercial Director for the group’s five distinguished properties in Qatar — Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara, Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels by Tivoli, Al Najada Hotel by Tivoli, Al Najada Hotel Apartments by Oaks, and Souq Al Wakra Hotel by Tivoli. With more than two decades of experience in commercial strategy, sales, marketing, and revenue leadership, Harvey brings a wealth of expertise.

United Hospitality Management 
Dubai
United Hospitality Management (UHM) has appointed Dominic Arel as Vice President of Operations for the Middle East. He will be responsible for overseeing the integration of new hotels into the portfolio and ensuring profitable operations across all UHM hotels and holiday homes in the Middle East. Arel is a highly regarded figure in the UAE hospitality sector, bringing nearly 30 years of experience in luxury hospitality and hotel pre-opening projects.

Marriott Al Forsan
Abu Dhabi
Marriott Hotel Al Forsan, Abu Dhabi, has announced the expansion of its commercial leadership team and appointed Teodora Tasic as Director of Sales. This reinforces the hotel’s commitment to commercial excellence and strategic contribution to Abu Dhabi’s growing hospitality, business tourism, and MICE sectors. Tasic brings extensive experience from iconic Abu Dhabi properties, including The Abu Dhabi EDITION and Marriott Downtown Abu Dhabi.

Marriott Al Forsan
Abu Dhabi
Marriott Hotel Al Forsan, Abu Dhabi, has appointed Jennifer Belz as Director of PR & Marketing. Belz joins from Germany, where she honed her expertise in brand strategy, digital innovation, and creative storytelling for luxury and lifestyle destinations, bringing a fresh international perspective to the hotel’s marketing and communications strategy. Strengthening commercial leadership is central to the brand’s strategy of driving sustainability and supporting Abu Dhabi’s hospitality vision.

RoyalJet
United Arab Emirates
RoyalJet has appointed Alain Champonnois as Vice-President Commercial. A seasoned professional in the aviation industry, Champonnois has held senior positions in business aviation for over 25 years. He has been recognised as an innovative and success-driven professional. This will be Champonnois’ second stint with RoyalJet as earlier he held the post of Commercial Director. Prior to this, Champonnois was the President-CEO – IMEA at Chapman Freeborn, part of Avia Solutions Group.

Mövenpick Hotel & Apartments Bur Dubai and Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Al Mamzar Dubai
Dubai
Natalia Zubareva has been appointed as the Cluster Director of Sales & Marketing by Mövenpick Hotel & Apartments Bur Dubai and Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Al Mamzar Dubai. She has over 17 years of experience in luxury hospitality across the UAE and international markets, and brings with her a wealth of expertise.