Hotelier Awards 2020: The Middle East’s top hospitality professionals in 2020 across 18 separate categories

The Hotelier Awards 2020 recognised 18 of the region’s most talented hospitality professionals, with many more leaving Highly Commended or with a special mention.

Held at JW Marriott Marquis Dubai on Tuesday November 24, the gala event welcomed more than 200 people, who were kept safe from COVID-19 by the event team’s hygiene measures and partnership with Bee’ah.

Housekeeper of the Year
Winner – Asif Khatri, Executive Housekeeper, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah and Hilton Dubai The Walk
Highly Commended – Harsh Gaur, Executive Housekeeper, Taj Dubai

IT Person of the Year
Winner – Fritzi Lescano, IT Manager – Internal Communications, Accor Regional Office MEA
Highly Commended – Abdul Baseer Mohammed, Technology Manager, InterContinental Jeddah

Hotel Engineer of the Year
Winner – Gurpal Singh, Chief Engineer, InterContinental Hotels at Dubai Festival City
Highly Commended – Fernandez Nicholas, Director of Engineering, Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights – Hotel Suites & Apartments

Safety & Security Person of the Year
Winner – Muhammad Waqar Azeem Qamar, Risk Champion / Learning & Quality Manager, InterContinental Jeddah
Highly Commended – Onkar Sawant, Director of Security, Taj Dubai

HR & Training Person of the Year
Winner – Feryal Haddon, Cluster Director of Human Resources, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, Hilton Dubai The Walk, Hilton Dubai Creek
Highly Commended – Yasmine Farouk, Director of Human Resources, Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)

Procurement Person of the Year
Winner – Alan Lewis, Purchasing Manager, Fairmont Dubai

Finance Person of the Year
Winner – Mazen Salha, Director of Finance, Swissotel Al Ghurair & Swissotel Living Al Ghurair
Highly Commended – Joanna Talegon, Assistant Credit Manager, TIME Oak Hotel & Suites

Concierge/Guest Services Person of the Year
Winner – Kamal Kariyawasam, Chief Concierge, InterContinental Hotels at Dubai Festival City
Highly Commended – Swapnil Patrikar, Complex Guest Services Manager, The Westin Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
Special Mention – Vinay Govande, Front Office Manager, Taj Dubai

Fitness/Spa Person of the Year
Winner – Rosemary Read-Larsen, Director, Wellness at Atlantis Dubai
Highly Commended – Majd Kassab, Recreation Supervisor, TIME Oak Hotel & Suites

Sales Person of the Year
Winner – Valentina Sobeshchuk, Director of Sales and Marketing, Rixos Bab Al Bahr and Regional Director of Sales, Rixos Hotels UAE
Highly Commended – Ileshaa Nijhawan, Multi-Property Senior Sales Groups & Events Manager, Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre and Le Méridien Fairway

Marketing & PR Person of the Year
Winner – Shamia Abdul Aziz, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications, Sofitel Dubai The Palm
Highly Commended – Ahmad Jaber, Cluster Director of Marketing, Digital & Communications, InterContinental Hotels at Dubai Festival City
Special Mention – Richard Thorburn, PR & Marketing Manager, Six Senses Zighy Bay

Executive Chef of the Year
Winner – Jay Williams, Complex Director of Culinary, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina and The Westin Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
Highly Commended – Luigi Vespero, Executive Chef, Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
Special Mention – Nasser Lamei Rayes Khalil, Executive Chef, Crowne Plaza Dubai-Deira

F&B Manager of the Year
Winner – Emad Ramzy, F&B Manager, Crowne Plaza Dubai-Deira
Highly Commended – Jodie O’Meara, Hotel F&B Operations Manager, Zabeel House by Jumeirah, The Greens

Young Hotelier of the Year
Winner – Bhavesh Tanwani, Assistant Front Office Manager, Bab al Qasr Abu Dhabi
Highly Commended – Tatiana Radchenko, Revenue Manager, W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island

Unsung Hero of the Year
Winner – Leonora T. Manuel, Senior Nurse, Raffles Dubai
Highly Commended – Simone Troxler, Sustainability Manager, Six Senses Zighy Bay
Special Mention – Myra Macalma, Hotel Nurse, Fairmont Dubai

General Manager of the Year
Winner – Christophe Schnyder, General Manager, Sofitel Dubai The Palm
Highly Commended – Luke James, General Manager, Zabeel House by Jumeirah, The Greens

Mid-Market Hotel Team of the Year
Winner – Zabeel House by Jumeirah, The Greens
Highly Commended – Radisson RED Dubai Silicon Oasis           

Hotel Team of the Year
Winner – Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai
Highly Commended – Al Baleed Resort Salalah By Anantara

source: hoteliermiddleeast.com

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First Tunisian Woman Referee to Make History by Overseeing a Top Tunisian Division League Match : Dorsaf Ganouati

Dorsaf Ganouti . Football Referee.

Dorsaf Ganouti became the first woman to make history in Tunisia by refereeing a top division men’s Tunisian league match in the city of Radee.

  • Stated her football career as a goal keeper
  • Started her refereeing in 2011
  • On FIFA’s list of International Referees since 2015
  • She is one of the three Tunisian women on FIFA’s list of International Referees

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pix: Twitter

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TUNISIA

Arab World’s First Virtual Theatrical Performance enters Guinness Book of Records : Kuwait : 2020

Kuwaiti play ‘System Out Of Order’ entered the Guinness Book of Records as the ‘First Virtual Performance in the Arab World’.

The plays’ actor and director was Mohammed Al Hamli.

The play was shown digitally-remotely and the number of tickets sold on May 25th, Eid Al Fitr day was 1,474 breaking the record for tickets sold on one day – for an electronic comedy show.

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pix: gulfnews.com

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KUWAIT

Bahrain’s Deena Rahman Breaks World Record in Football for ‘Taking The Most Penalties in 24 Hours : November 18th, 2020

Deena Rahman, Bahrain’s National Team mid-fielder breaks the World Record in Football for ‘Taking the Most Penalites in 24 Hours’.

Deena Rahman hammered home 7,876 penalties including facing 24 female goal-keepers, at the Kick Off Academy in Saar – smashing the previous record as a part of 2020’s Equal Playing Field’s (EPF)

.The challenge started on November 17th at 7am and ended 24-hours later at 7am on November 18th coinciding with Guinness World Record Day.

The previous record was held by Vickrant Mahajan in 24 hours with 1,111 penalties.

This was the 5th Guinness World Record held by Deena Rahman.

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pix: gdnonline.com

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BAHRAIN

Emirati Omeir Saeed breaks two Guinness World Records : Abu Dhabi, UAE – November 2020

Omeir Saeed – wakeboarder from Abu Dhabi broke 2 Guinness World Records (GWR) previously set by Jerome Macquart 2004 and 2005 respectively.

Omeir Saeed’s new GWR records are in the category

  • For fastest wakeboard ramp jump
  • For most wakeboard rail airs in 30 seconds

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source: https://www.surfertoday.com / https://www.youtube.com

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Abu Dhabi, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Female Emirati Adventurer-Traveller Breaks World Record. ‘Around the World in 3 Days ‘ – Dr. Khawla Al Romaithi: 2020

Dr Khawla Al Romaithi travelled the world solo, across the 7 continents and broke the world record for ‘fastest time to travel all seven continents’ .

The whole trip took 3 days, 14 hours, 46 minutes and 48 seconds. Her epic travel journey ended in Sydney, Australia on February 13th, 2020.

The record was announced on the occasion of Guinness World Records Day. The journey was in sync with this years’ theme ‘Discover Your World’.

Dr. Khawla Al Romaithi’s record broke the previous record achieved by Kacey Stewart and Julie Berry (both of USA) on December 2017.

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pix: guinnessworldrecords.com

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Abu Dhabi, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

G20 Saudi Arabia 2020 Riyadh Summit . First for an Arab Nation. : November 21-22

Saudi Arabia hosts the G20 Summit in 2020. First for an Arab Nation.

Leader’ Summit

In 2020, the G20 Leaders’ Summit will be held virtually, proudly hosted by the Saudi G20 Presidency. The virtual meeting will take place over two days on November 21-22, 2020.

The Group of Twenty, or the G20, is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. The G20 brings together the leaders of both developed and developing countries from every continent. ​

Presidency Agenda

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Each G20 Presidency develops a theme for the year which is central to international discussions. The 2020 G20 Presidency will focus discussions, forums, working groups and Ministerial Meetings under the theme of:
Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century for All 

www.g20.org

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SAUDI ARABIA

First Somali-American Safiya Khalid elected to Maine City Council, USA : January 2020

Safiya Said Khalid (aka) Safiya Khalid . Politician.

Member of Lewiston, Maine City Council (January 06th, 2020) .

  • First Somali-American elected to the Lewiston City Council, Maine
  • Youngest ever at age 23, elected to the City Council of Lewiston (Ward 1), Maine

Work:

Gateway Community Services of Maine, Community Coordinator
Maine Democratic Party, Grassroots Organizer
Maine State House, Clerk
Maine Department of Labor, Intern

Education:

B.A. – Psychology, University of Southern Maine

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pix: twitter

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AMERICAN / SOMALI-AMERICAN

Walid Al-Moallem – Syria’s Veteran Top Diplomat

Walid Mohi Edine al Muallem (aka) Walid Al-Moallem. Diplomat.

Longest serving veteran Foreign Minister of Syria (2006- 2020). Also served concurrently as Deputy Prime Minister of Syria (2012-2020)

Passed away on November 16th, 2020

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pix: wikimedia.org

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SYRIA

Amal Al Raisi – Founder & Creative Director : Dar Al Aseel. Omani Fashion Designer

Amal Al Raisi – Founder and Creative Director. : Dar Al Aseel

Fashion Designer . Omani Women’s Wear, over 12 years plus Label: Dar Al Aseel.

Available in Oman and regionwide through selected retail outlets.

www.amalalraisi.com

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pix: omanmagazine.com

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OMAN