Raffles Dubai, a landmark luxury hotel in the UAE emirate, has announced two senior appointments to the Rooms Division.

Sumit Bhardwaj has been named director of rooms and Kevin Haddad has been appointed as front office manager.

Overseeing the operation of the Rooms Division, Bhardwaj is an experienced luxury hotelier with over 17 years of experience. He will be responsible for leading the housekeeping, front office, Raffles Butler and concierge teams to deliver the legendary Raffles service for which the hotel brand is renowned. Reporting to Bhardwaj and bringing over six years of experience to the role, Haddad will manage the front office department at Raffles Dubai.

Commenting on both appointments, Ayman Gharib, general manager at Raffles Dubai, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Sumit and Kevin to Raffles Dubai, they will both fulfil important roles in delivering the exceptional warm and thoughtful service that our guests value. I am confident that their comprehensive experience and leadership skills, garnered at five-star hotels around the globe, will prove to be an invaluable asset for our guests and colleagues alike.”

Joining Raffles Dubai from Mandarin Oriental Singapore, Bhardwaj previously held the position of rooms division manager. He started his hospitality career at The Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur, India, before moving to Taj Hotels as a Management Trainee, and then progressing to Mandarin Oriental Singapore as duty manager. He worked at The Taj West End in Bangalore for two years, before returning to Mandarin Oriental Singapore in 2012 as front office manager, where he was subsequently promoted to his most recent position. Bhardwaj has a Diploma in Hotel Management from the Indian Institute of Hotel Management and Technology in Hyderabad.

Haddad joins Raffles Dubai from Grand Hills Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa in Broumana, Lebanon, where he worked as front office manager for the past year. He has previous experience working in Geneva, Switzerland, for Le Richemond, part of the Dorchester Collection, and Hotel President Wilson. Haddad holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the Lebanese American University in Beirut, as well as a Master of Science in International Hospitality Management from Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK. - TradeArabia News Service