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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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

World’s 3rd Largest Mosque & World’s Tallest Minaret : Algeria – October 2020

Grand Mosque Algeria (aka) Djamma El Djzair (aka) Great Mosque of Algiers, with a hall capacity to serve a maximum of 120,000 worshippers.

  • 3rd Largest Mosque in the World after the holy mosques of Makkah (Mecca) and Madinah (Medina)
  • Largest Mosque in Africa
  • World’s Tallest Minaret at 267 metres . The minaret is fitted with elevators and viewing platforms which has 37 floors, overlooking the Capital and Bay of Algiers.
  • Designed by German Architects KSP Juergen Engel Architektes. Engineers Krebs und Kiefer International. Contractor : China State Construction Engineering Corporation.

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pix: see.news

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ALGERIA

World’s First Airbus A330-800 Delivered to Kuwait Airways on October 29th, 2020

Kuwait Airways, the national airline of Kuwait took delivery of the world’s first Airbus A330-800 aircraft on October 29th, 2020.

The two aircraft the airline received are the first of eight scheduled to join the Kuwait Airways fleet, which will position it as the world’s largest operator of the type.

The Kuwait Airways aircraft A330-800 will acommodate 235 passenger, featuring 32 fully flat beds in Business Class and 203 spacious seats in Economy with a large capacity cargo hold.

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Kuwait Airways A330-800 lifting off on its delivery flight. (Photo: Airbus) / airlinegeeks.com

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KUWAIT

World’s Largest Wooden Dhow ‘Obaid’. Built in Dubai (U.A.E) – October 2020

‘Obaid’ built in Dubai, is named after the Emirati shipbuilder Obaid Jumaa bin Majid Al-Falasi. It has been certified by Guinness Book of World Records as the ‘World’s largest wooden Arabic Dhow’.

For the record the late Emirati shipbuilder Obaid Juma started his apprenticeship in the1940’s at the age of nine (9).

The dhow measured 91 meters long and more than 20 meters wide. The vessel is 11.22 meters high and weighs 2,500 tonnes. The ‘Obaid’ is powered by two 1,850 horsepower engines and built for speed of 14 knots . Built from approximately 1,700 tonnes of wood and 800 tonnes of steel and is scheduled to carry cargo.

This record breaking marvel is a handmade boat, built in a country with no forests. A modern adaptation is adding steel to the wooden structure.

The ship builder is Majid Obaid Al-Falasi the Managing Director of Majid Obaid Bin Majid Al Falasi & Sons, UAE.

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pix: arabnews.com

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

CAFU wins ‘Gold Innovation in Sustainable Technologies’ Award – Dubai (UAE) : October 2020

CAFU was awarded ‘Gold Innovation in Sustainable Technologies’ Award at the 4th edition of ‘Gulf Sustainability and CSR Award’ ceremony held in October 2020.

CAFU – a Dubai-based start-up is the First technology-enabled on-demand fuel delivery application in the Middle East. Headed by Founder and CEO – Rashid Al Ghurair.

It ventured out its International operation into Oman by signing a joint agreement with Oman based Al Maha Petroleum which operates a network of more than 225 services across the country.

Awards:

-Most outstanding work of collecting over 2 million Ghaf Tree Seeds in the Emirate of Sharjah – Awarded by H.H. Sheikh Sultan Al Qassimi, Ruler of Sharjah.

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pix: cbnme.com

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

World’s Largest Fountain – The Palm Fountain, Dubai (UAE) – October 23rd, 2020

The Palm Fountain at The Pointe, the Palm Jumeirah broke the record for the World’s largest fountain.

The Palm Fountain measures 7,327 sq. metres and spreads 14,000 sq. feet of sea water equipped with shooters capable of blasting water 105 metres into the air and features 3,000 LED lights in multiple colours.

Certified by Guinness World Records.

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pix: mediaoffice.ae

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE)