This week there have been some big hires, especially with the huge promotion of Atlantis Dubai’s Timothy Kelly who will now take the reins as President of Atlantis worldwide. Other big appointments this week include Wyndham’s introduction of its new country director and a general manager appointment at Crowne Plaza Dubai. In the F&B space, there have been two new culinary hires at Gault&Millau UAE‘s Restaurant of the Year Ossiano, and an executive chef appointment at Hilton Dubai Jumeirah. Read on to meet them all.
Timothy Kelly promoted to President of Atlantis worldwide
Timothy Kelly has been promoted from executive vice president and managing director of Atlantis Dubai to president of the Atlantis brand worldwide. Kelly has been in charge of Dubai’s Atlantis, The Palm for six years and was the leader who oversaw the successful launch of Atlantis The Royal earlier in 2023. The move was announced on LinkedIn by Atlantis, which is operated by Kerzner International, the South African-born group that also has One&Only and the new Siro brand in its portfolio.
Wyndham names Mohamad Haj Hassan as new country director for Saudi Arabia
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of Mohamad Haj Hassan as country director for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In his new role, he will be responsible for driving the company’s strategic growth in the Kingdom, while delivering operational excellence across properties and supporting owners. Haj Hassan brings with him a wealth of industry expertise, with a career spanning over 25 years in leadership positions in the Middle East and Africa’s hospitality sector.
Ossiano Dubai bolsters culinary team with two new appointments
Gault&Millau UAE‘s Restaurant of the Year Ossiano has made two new appointments to further improve its award-winning offering. The restaurant at Atlantis, The Palm has appointed Julien Gardin as general manager and Thomas Domingues as head sommelier. Gardin has over two decades of experience in fine-dining restaurants around the world. Before joining Ossiano, Gardin held various leadership positions. Most recently, he served as the general manager at Andō in Hong Kong. Thomas Domingues, who has joined the team as the head sommelier has worked at AOC in Denmark, Loco in Portugal, and Belcanto by José Avillez in Portugal. He also has four years of experience at Vila Joya Hotel & Spa in the Algarve.
Raffi Torikian joins Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina as general manager
IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of Raffi Torikian as general manager of Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina. In his new position, Torikian will oversee day-to-day hotel operations, leading the team in delivering operational growth and guest experiences. Torikian is a seasoned hotelier known for his prowess in team development, cost control, revenue growth, high guest satisfaction ratings and establishing robust training programs.
Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah brings in new executive chef
Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah has appointed chef Christian Pedersen as executive chef. With a career spanning over a decade in the culinary world, Pedersen brings a wealth of expertise and a proven track record in the F&B space to his new position. Pedersen will now focus on creating compelling menu concepts and innovative dining experiences within the hotel.