Destination Mina Seyahi, a top Dubai hotel resort, has appointed a new Cluster General Manager, who will oversee the operations and customer experience across each brand with a strong focus on delivering an exceptional guest experience.

Ugur Lee Kanbur, known as Lee, will take up this key mantle at the resort that features three Marriott International brands: W Dubai – Mina Seyahi, The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, and Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Waterpark.

This position marks Kanbur’s first role in the Middle East, who has 35 years of experience in operational and management roles across Asia for Marriott International.

He has spent 16 years in China where he worked as the General Manager of the W Suzhou and served for some time at The Westin Tianjin and The Westin Wuhan.

Ugur Lee Kanbur is of Australian/Turkish origin and speaks English, Turkish and basic Chinese. Starting his career at Hilton Melbourne as a waiter and progressing quickly to Bar Manager, he challenged himself to take part in an Army Bootcamp in Turkey and shortly after took up a role at Hyatt Istanbul, before returning to Melbourne where he worked across independent food and beverage outlets to hone his skills.

Kanbur’s Asian journey began in 1999 with a move to Singapore. He has since worked across several operational roles at hotels including: The Westin Stamford and Westin Plaza Hotel Singapore, The Westin Shanghai Hotel and Residences China, Four Points by Sheraton Shenzhen China, and the Westin Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Kanbur became Hotel Manager of the The Westin Mumbai Garden City in India in 2008 and took up his first General Manager role in 2011 at The Westin Wuhan which marked the opening of the first Westin hotel in Central China.

In 2013, he went on to become General Manager of Westin Tianjin China in 2013. Prior to his new role at Destination Mina Seyahi, Mr Kanbur played a pivotal role in the pre-opening and opening of the first W brand in a secondary city in China in 2016.

Serving as the General Manager of the W Suzhou China, he managed a large portfolio including 379 rooms, 60 serviced apartments, the Away Spa and recreation areas, six food and beverage outlets, and expansive banqueting facilities. He also served as the chairperson of the Marriott Business Council of Jiangsu/Suzhou from 2019 until 2024.

Kanbur said: “I am delighted to start a new chapter in my career in the Middle East with brands I have loved and devoted my career to for many years. My wife, two children and I could not be happier to set up home in the UAE and discover everything it has to offer.” – TradeArabia News Service