Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure business of global developer Emaar Properties, has appointed Alma Au Yeung as its corporate director – Strategic Projects and Partnerships.

In her new role, she will have overall charge in driving the group’s strategic partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai.

In addition to leading the Emaar Hospitality Group team to deliver on its mandate as the 'Official Hotel and Hospitality Partner', Au Yeung will be involved in planning, managing and executing numerous private clubs, food and beverage (F&B) outlets and catering sites within the Expo 2020 Dubai site. She will develop strategic plans to drive incremental business growth prior to and during the much-anticipated global event by selling rooms, events and F&B.

Au Yeung will also focus on the guiding spirit of Expo 2020 Dubai – ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ – and its three sub-themes, Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, to build new strategic partnerships, market awareness and business opportunities.

Olivier Harnisch, chief executive officer of Emaar Hospitality Group, said: “Following the award as Expo 2020 Dubai’s Official Hotel and Hospitality Partner, we have been harnessing all our best resources to ensure that we deliver the highest standards of hospitality service for the world-class event that adds to the reputation of Dubai and the UAE. Alma has a wealth of experience in planning and managing high-level events of Emaar and Emaar Hospitality Group, which puts her in good stead in leading our dedicated team for the event.”

Au Yeung added: “It is a privilege for Emaar Hospitality Group to be the Official Hotel & Hospitality Partner, a prestigious award that underlines our strong competencies in the service business. The new role places a strong responsibility to lead the team and ensure that our services are impeccable and seamless, meeting the aspirations of visitors prior to and during Expo 2020 Dubai. We will deploy our best resources and strategic planning and implementation competencies to deliver on our mandate.”

With over 20 years of industry expertise, including over a decade in senior management roles, Au Yeung was previously group director of Lifestyle Events, Sponsorship & Partnership at Emaar Hospitality Group. She was responsible for the development, planning and management of the group’s varied lifestyle events and ensuring that the highest standards are upheld. 

Au Yeung has played a pivotal role in the international expansion of the business and has been involved right from the design stage for organising events for new hotel openings. She was one of the first employees in Emaar’s events department and has been associated with all key project launches. She has been an integral part of the Emaar Properties team, collaborating on diverse projects including the opening of Burj Khalifa, The Dubai Fountain and The Dubai Mall. Other prestigious events she has been part of include the New Year’s Eve Gala in Downtown Dubai, the Ramadan projects at Emaar and the Vogue Dubai Fashion Experience held in The Dubai Mall.

Previously, she has worked on several significant hospitality ventures with prominent global hotel brands in Asia and UAE. Au Yeung holds a diploma from University of London with majors in Account, Commerce and Economics.

As the Official Hotel and Hospitality Partner, Emaar Hospitality Group will be responsible for providing exceptional service to Expo 2020’s special ticket holders. The group will also operate several other experiences across the Expo site. In addition, Emaar Hospitality Group will showcase trends and innovations in the hospitality industry. - TradeArabia News Service