Rotana, a leading hotel management company in the region, has appointed four key executives for Al Ghurair Rayhaan & Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana, its two new properties due to open in December in Dubai.

Mark McCarthy, a well-respected veteran of the hospitality industry with more than 19 years of experience in the business, has been appointed general manager.

He will lead a team of seasoned hotel professionals who are expected to play strategic roles in leading Al Ghurair Rayhaan & Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana’s bid to capture a large share of business in the Deira district, one of Dubai’s busiest destinations for both business and leisure travelers.

Armin Weller joins McCarthy in the executive management team, taking on the position of F&B director for both properties. Weller will be primarily responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the F&B department, encompassing all outlets, meeting rooms, as well as events and catering operations.

Other key appointments include the executive chef position, which has been entrusted to Joachim Textor, a German national whose highly distinguished career as chef spans more than three decades, serving in various executive level chef positions in leading hotels in Asia and Europe.

Meanwhile, Afrah Hamdy has been appointed Spa director, in charge of Zen the Spa at Rotana – the first outlet of this award-winning spa concept to open in Dubai - which is expected to be an important growth driver for the hotel.

Omer Kaddouri, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Rotana announced the appointments and lauded the management team for their excellent management of the pre-opening phase of Al Ghurair Rayhaan & Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana.

“Ours is essentially a service business and Rotana knows that the key to its success lies not just in developing exciting hotel destinations, but also – and more importantly – in having the right people to steer and deliver on the Rotana service and value promise.”

Kaddouri noted that Al Ghurair Rayhaan & Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana are well placed to take advantage of Dubai’s continued growth as a tourism destination.

The latest figures show passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport, a few minutes away from both hotels, climbed 12.8 per cent from a year earlier in September. Year-to-date traffic grew 13.4 per cent to 42.57 million passengers compared to 37.55 million in the corresponding period last year.

Al Ghurair Rayhaan by Rotana is a luxurious 5-star property boasting 428 rooms and suites, each furnished with modern amenities and conveniences. Meanwhile, Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana will offer a first class residential experience and features 192 well-appointed apartments, equipped with modern conveniences and amenities. – TradeArabia News Service