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Logitech Transforms Hybrid Work with AI-Powered Solutions

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Exclusive Interview with Loubna Imenchal, Head of Enterprise Business for AMETCA Africa, Middle East, Türkiye and Central Asia, Logitech

How has the shift to hybrid work influenced Logitech’s product development?

The shift to hybrid work—working between office, home and on the go—is now an established model across the world. This means, the need for multiple workspaces, video collaborations, and solutions to boost productivity and creativity are likely to become more important.  Logitech is leveraging AI to deliver superior audio and video experiences in its Video Collaboration portfolio to drive productivity for organisations navigating these workplaces trends.

For example, we have introduced the Zone 305 headset and MeetUp 2, designed to support collaboration in hybrid and remote environments. The Zone 305 headset is particularly effective in helping users manage background noise with dual noise-canceling microphones, making it ideal for employees working from noisy environments like cafés or open offices. MeetUp2, on the other hand, is engineered to enhance video meetings, ensuring that everyone in the room is seen clearly with an ultra-wide lens and AI-powered framing capabilities. Both products are ideal solutions for organizations that are shifting their focus across diverse workspaces.

Another key trend that we’ve observed is the growing importance of sustainability in workplace solutions. More businesses are incorporating eco-friendly practices, such as using energy-efficient devices and reducing travel with hybrid work solutions, to minimize their carbon footprint. Logitech is playing a major role in this shift by incorporating post-consumer recycled plastic into many of its products, helping organizations to work more efficiently while remaining environmentally conscious.

What can the market expect from Logitech at GITEX GLOBAL 2024?

At GITEX 2024, Logitech aims to strengthen our position as a key technology partner to organizations who are evolving their workplaces and adapting to hybrid work.   We will be presenting a comprehensive range of video collaboration and personal workspace solutions, catering to the needs of the “everywhere workplace.”

Logitech will focus on AI-driven solutions for video conferencing and workspace management. We will showcase innovative products such as the MeetUp 2, Zone 305 headset, Brio 705 webcam, and Logitech Sync, all of which are designed to meet the growing demand for flexible, hybrid work environments.

The MeetUp 2, with its AI-powered auto-framing and speaker tracking features, ensures an immersive meeting experience, whether the participants are in the office or remote. The Brio 705 webcam is another standout, delivering high-definition video with AI-driven auto-light correction, making it ideal for hybrid workers and professionals on the go.

In addition, the Zone 305 headset, featuring dual noise-canceling microphones, allows for clearer communication, especially in noisy or public spaces, ensuring productivity in varied environments.

Logitech will also have a large emphasis on sustainability at GITEX. With products like the Zone 305 and MeetUp 2 incorporating post-consumer recycled plastic, Logitech will demonstrate how businesses can reduce their carbon footprint while driving innovation. Expect a strong focus on creating eco-friendly, AI-powered solutions that help companies navigate the evolving hybrid work landscape.

How is Logitech incorporating sustainability into its product development and manufacturing processes?

As a design company, we leverage the power of design to spur innovation and scale progress. We conscientiously factor in environmental and social impacts as part of every design decision, starting from sourcing raw materials to the product’s end-of-life stage.

Logitech’s Design for Sustainability approach is across our existing and future portfolio:

  • 3 in 4 products use Next Life Plastics (recycled plastic) instead of virgin plastic.
    • We are increasingly choosing materials made using renewable energy. 66 product lines use low-carbon aluminium that is produced with renewable energy
    • We are transitioning away from single-use plastic packaging and embracing more recyclable, paper-based packaging solutions. Approximately 20% of products use FSC-certified paper packaging, and increasingly the majority [73%] of new product introductions have moved to FSC packaging.
    • 43% of products are PVC-free

With Logitech shipping more than 150 million products every year, this is sustainable innovation at scale. 

How are AI and automation shaping the future of business collaboration, and what role will Logitech play in this evolution?

AI and automation are revolutionizing business collaboration by enhancing communication, streamlining workflows, and improving overall efficiency. As organizations adopt hybrid work models, the demand for intelligent solutions that facilitate seamless collaboration between remote and in-office teams continues to grow.

Logitech has launched AI-driven products like the MeetUp 2 and Zone 305 headset to improve the meeting experience. Features like auto-framing, speaker tracking, and noise cancellation ensure that meetings are more engaging and productive, while tools like Logitech Sync enable IT teams to support large-scale video deployments, minimizing site visits and trouble tickets – all from a simple browser-based interface.  This enhances remote manageability and provides ultimate control over devices and spaces, offering deeper insights into device usage and ensuring compatibility to maximize resource utilization efficiency.

As AI and automation continue to advance, Logitech’s role will be to develop human-centred solutions that enhance the user experience, making business collaboration smoother and more efficient. By integrating AI into our product suite, we are both improving the quality of communication and also helping businesses adapt to the changing nature of work.

How does AI enhance user experience and efficiency in Logitech’s products, particularly for device management and meetings?

AI plays a pivotal role in enhancing both the user experience and operational efficiency within Logitech’s products, particularly in the context of device management and meetings. With the rise of hybrid work, meeting spaces have evolved to integrate both physical and virtual teams, requiring solutions that enhance collaboration.

Logitech’s MeetUp 2 uses AI-powered features like auto-framing and speaker tracking to create a more dynamic and engaging meeting experience. These capabilities ensure that all participants are visible and clearly heard, making meetings more productive and inclusive. AI-driven features like these are particularly valuable in hybrid work environments, where it’s important to create seamless collaboration between in-office and remote participants.

On the device management side, Logitech Sync enables IT teams to remotely monitor and manage video conferencing equipment across multiple locations. AI helps streamline device management, reducing the need for manual intervention and ensuring that devices are always up to date. This not only improves efficiency but also ensures that businesses can maintain high levels of productivity, regardless of where their teams are working.

What trends are shaping the future of meeting room spaces, and how is Logitech adapting to these trends?

The rise of hybrid work has reshaped meeting room spaces, creating new demands for seamless collaboration between remote and in-office teams. One of the most notable trends is the growth of huddle spaces—smaller, flexible meeting areas that encourage spontaneous discussions and collaboration. These spaces are designed to be used by both remote and in-office participants, making them a key tenet of the hybrid work environment.

Logitech is addressing these trends with products like the MeetUp 2, which is designed for huddle rooms and smaller meeting spaces. Its AI-powered auto-framing and speaker tracking features ensure that all participants are actively engaged, even if they are joining remotely. The Zone 305 Business Headset also supports these smaller meeting spaces by providing clear audio and eliminating background noise, ensuring that conversations are distraction-free.

By focusing on the evolution of meeting room spaces and developing solutions that cater to the unique needs of hybrid teams, Logitech is helping businesses create more flexible and efficient work environments.

What role does Logitech’s Sync software play in managing video conferencing devices, and how does it improve business efficiency?

As organizations continue to adopt hybrid work models, the ability to manage multiple devices across various locations is essential. Logitech Sync is an integral part of our video collaboration solutions. Sync is a cloud-based device-management platform that allows IT to manage and monitor Logitech meeting room devices at scale.  It enables better remote manageability and ultimate control of devices and space.

By providing a centralized platform for device management, Sync helps businesses maintain high levels of productivity and collaboration, regardless of where their teams are located.

How does Logitech cater to both large enterprises and small businesses with its collaboration technology?

Logitech’s approach to collaboration technology is designed to serve both large enterprises and small businesses by offering scalable, flexible solutions that can be tailored to the needs of each organization. Products like the MeetUp 2 and Zone 305 headset are designed to be accessible and affordable for companies of all sizes, from small huddle rooms to large conference spaces.

For larger enterprises, Logitech Sync offers a centralized platform for managing video conferencing devices across multiple locations, making it easier to monitor and update equipment remotely. For small businesses, Logitech’s solutions are designed to be easy to deploy and manage, allowing them to improve collaboration and productivity without the need for a large IT team.

By offering a range of products and services that cater to organizations of all sizes, Logitech ensures that businesses can adopt the right tools to support their collaboration needs, at any scale.

What is Logitech’s long-term vision for supporting businesses in navigating the future of work?

As the workspace evolves, organizations will look to further enhance collaboration experiences, while also addressing other rising business imperatives, such as navigating sustainability challenges.

Logitech will continue to enable and empower businesses to navigate the future of work through innovation, sustainability, and focusing on the user experience. With hybrid work only becoming more common globally, we are committed to developing tools that enhance collaboration, boost productivity, and create more inclusive work environments. By aligning our product development with the trends that are shaping the future of work, Logitech will continue to lead the way in helping business thrive in the hybrid work environment.

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Hotels Shouldn’t Feel Like Home They Should Feel Extraordinary

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Aleph Hospitality

In an exclusive interview with Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality, we explore the visionary journey of a leader who has transformed the hospitality landscape in the Middle East and Africa. Bani discusses his motivation to establish Aleph Hospitality, highlighting the importance of creating an extraordinary experience that goes beyond the “home away from home” concept. Bani also shares insights on his lasting legacy he hopes to leave—a legacy that redefines both the guest experience and the work-life philosophy within the hospitality industry.

You have had a remarkable journey, transitioning from working with top international brands to founding Aleph Hospitality. What inspired you to start something of your own?
The primary motivation for me was the desire to create and build something impactful, as well as to establish an organization. That has always been the core of my ambition behind starting Aleph Hospitality. While some individuals aspire to build a successful career within organizations, and others may aim to work with NGOs or charitable institutions, my deep motivation has always been to create an organization. With my extensive experience working with various hotel groups, the idea of having my own hotel management company gradually took shape.

As a top hotelier and visionary leader, how do you foster innovation within your company?
There are two key elements I focus on. Firstly, it’s crucial to allow people to do what they are best at. I aim to recruit individuals who possess more expertise than I do in their specific fields. Once that is achieved, it’s essential to give them the freedom and empowerment to carry out their roles. Without this, creativity is stifled. However, that alone is not enough. You must set clear goals, a vision, and a direction for people to push their limits and unlock their creativity. For me, creating a relaxed and comfortable work environment is essential. I want everyone to feel excited about coming to work, not burdened by it. This positive / THE MAIN COURSE / September 2024 31Hospitality Integrator www.integratormedia.com culture at Aleph Hospitality directly influences how people think and perform, enabling them to come up with new ideas and deliver great results.

Secondly, at Aleph Hospitality, we established the Aleph Innovation Lab, where we invite startups to collaborate with us. The lab serves multiple purposes: it provides opportunities for others, while also inspiring myself and the team. Having young people working on fresh ideas energizes us and pushes the team beyond their routine tasks.

Regarding the name “Aleph Hospitality,” which is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, what inspired you to choose this name for your company?
We were the first to introduce third-party or independent hotel management in the region in a professional, structured way, marking a turning point in how the industry operates here. Aleph, as you’ve rightly noted, is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. But going back 4000 years, Aleph was actually the first letter invented by the Phoenician people, which later evolved into the Greek and Roman alphabets, and eventually, the Arabic alphabet. Aleph became alpha, and alpha became A. This development essentially revolutionized communication for all of us. So, I thought it fitting to choose a name that symbolizes a significant shift—just as Aleph changed communication, we’re changing the way the hotel industry functions in this part of the world.

We’re not pretending to reinvent the wheel here at Aleph; it’s a proven concept that has worked in the US and Europe for years, but it was new to the Middle East and Africa when we introduced it.

Aleph Hospitality introduced the independent hotel management model in the Middle East and Africa. How this has revolutionized the hospitality industry?
Traditionally, when large hotel groups like Intercontinental, Hilton, and Sheraton came to the region 35-40 years ago, they managed the hotels themselves, which worked fine. But when we started in 2015, we took a different approach. We proposed that instead of these brands managing the hotels directly, they could grant us the franchise rights, similar to how it’s done in the US and Europe, and we would handle the day-to-day operations. It took a few years to convince the brands that we had the right infrastructure and capability in the region to uphold their standards. At the same time, we had to build trust with hotel investors and owners, so they felt confident entrusting their assets to us. As this model gained traction, we did a lot of educational work through conferences, press articles, and presentations to promote it. Now, it’s not just us using this model—large American and European hotel groups have followed suit. Some brands, which used to manage around 80-90% of their properties directly, now have about 60% franchised and only 40% managed by themselves. Hotel owners, too, have become much more open to this, often preferring third-party management over brand-managed operations.

How does Aleph Hospitality define luxury, and in your view, what constitutes true luxury in hospitality?
Aleph Hospitality has recently ventured into the luxury segment. We have opened one property in Dubai and are in the process of acquiring two luxury properties in Morocco. This marks the beginning of a new division at Aleph Hospitality, one specifically tailored to the luxury market. Managing luxury hotels is fundamentally different from operating a 4-star or even a standard 5-star hotel, as it requires an entirely distinct approach. This approach begins with recruiting the right individuals and implementing suitable training programs. However, the key focus is on how we cater to the needs of our guests, not only upon their arrival at the hotel but also well in advance. This process starts with the design of the hotel, the facilities we provide, and the carefully crafted programs designed specifically for our guests.

Even at the booking stage, we aim to create an atmosphere that makes guests feel special, whether they are contacting the hotel or visiting our website. The luxury experience should begin before the guests set foot in the hotel. From there, we maintain communication with the guests, ensuring they feel valued and that we have taken their preferences and anticipations into account. By the time they arrive, our goal is not just to meet, but to exceed, their expectations. For us, luxury involves a unique mindset, and we are developing a dedicated division to manage this segment. While it is still in its early stages, this is the path we are pursuing.

With a pipeline of 50 hotels by 2027, what are the major factors driving you toward that ambitious goal?
It primarily comes down to the evolving market and changing demands. As I mentioned, hotel owners are now more exposed to different management models. They’re realizing, “My asset can be managed differently, while still carrying the brand, and I can make more profit. I can have more involvement in the day-to-day operations and enjoy greater flexibility.” There’s nothing more reassuring for someone who has invested millions, sometimes hundreds of millions, in a hotel than being able to directly reach a decision-maker managing their assets. We don’t have multiple layers—owners can contact me, my business partner, or our CEO, and immediate decisions can be made.

The first key driver for our growth is the heightened awareness within the hotel investment community. Owners now better understand the benefits of this model. The second driver is the international hotel brands themselves. They are much more comfortable franchising their brands in the region, just as they do in the US and Europe. They / THE MAIN COURSE / September 2024 33Hospitality Integrator www.integratormedia.com ALEPH HOSPITALITY are even sending opportunities our way, saying, “We have someone interested in the brand. Why don’t you manage it? We’ll just provide the franchise.” And lastly, it’s our people. We have great people driving this growth.

What legacy do you hope to leave for Aleph Hospitality?
Well, I hope we continue to build an organization where people don’t feel like they’re just waking up and going to work. There are a couple of concepts I really dislike. One is the “home away from home” concept in hotels. No matter how luxurious or comfortable the hotel is, when people go to a hotel, they’re looking for a different experience—not to feel like they’re at home. I don’t want anyone telling me “welcome home” when I walk into a hotel. I’m here for something new, something unique, not to replicate home life.
Another concept I struggle with is the idea of “work-life balance.” I get the intention behind it, but why should work and life be two separate things that need balancing? Work is life, and life is balanced when you enjoy what you do. If we blur the lines between work and personal life, people will be much happier. It shouldn’t feel like an obligation to go to work—it should just be part of a fulfilling life. That’s the legacy I hope to leave at Aleph Hospitality, and I believe we’re already on the path to achieving it.
From a business perspective, I also want to make a significant impact on the profitability of hotel investors by giving them more control over their assets and bottom lines. That’s another major part of the legacy we aim to create.

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Catalyst Business Partners at the Forefront of Digital Transformation

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catalyst

In an exclusive interview, Jay Kalra, Chief Technology Officer at Catalyst Business Partners, shares insights into how the company is transforming businesses with cutting-edge cloud solutions and AI technologies. From integrating ERP, HCM, and CRM systems to offering Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) for enhanced scalability and security, Catalyst provides a comprehensive approach to driving innovation. The discussion covers their unique cloud migration strategies, smart automation integration, and advanced cybersecurity measures, along with exciting developments in AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics.

How does Catalyst integrate ERP, HCM, and CRM into an organization’s framework?

Everyone has a different reason for choosing or adopting any of these technologies. For me, it’s about having information at my fingertips. These functionalities can significantly enhance an organisation’s existing framework by streamlining processes, improving data flow, and providing better decision-making capabilities. They also help with data unification, process standardisation, sales and marketing alignment, customer and employee data integration, scalability, compliance, and interoperability. With the recent advancements in AI and ML, business users can get deep insights from these systems.

Can you provide insights into Catalyst Cloud’s infrastructure and key benefits compared to other cloud services?

Our offerings are tailored to the client’s requirements. While some may opt for the Public Cloud, others prefer Cloud @customer or a local/ regional Data Center. Our team members review the requirements, assess, discuss, and finalise the offering. Our preferred cloud is Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, or OCI, in short.

OCI is Oracle’s comprehensive cloud platform, offering various computing, storage, networking, and database management services. It is designed for enterprise workloads and provides high performance, security, and scalability for businesses of all sizes. Generative AI is embedded across the entire technology stack to provide immediate business value, and customers can use AI capabilities provided by OCI for their applications and solutions.

OCI also offers hybrid cloud capabilities, allowing businesses to connect their on-premise infrastructure to Oracle Cloud via services like Oracle Cloud at Customer, which provides a dedicated region within a customer’s data center.

It supports multi-cloud architectures, where businesses can integrate Oracle Cloud with other public cloud services, such as Microsoft Azure, through partnerships and interoperability solutions like Oracle-Azure Interconnect, Oracle-AWS Interconnect, and Oracle-Google Interconnect.

How are you incorporating smart machines and automation into your service offerings?

Since early 2008, we have been helping our customers in their IoT (Internet of Things) and workflow automation journey. With the recent advancement of AI and Gen AI, customers are taking workflow automation to the next level.

Many ready-to-use connected devices (LoRa, BLE, WiFi, and others) are available and can be incorporated for various smart use cases. Sometimes, a custom solution may be required, and our team can build such solutions. Because our team understands smart devices and ERPs, we can combine smart devices with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to create a highly integrated, data-driven ecosystem that further enhances automation, real-time monitoring, and operational efficiency. This approach allows customers to gain a competitive edge through real-time, data-driven decision-making.

How do you ensure seamless integration and optimisation of Oracle applications within your client’s IT environments?

Seamless integration and optimisation of Oracle applications within a client’s IT environment requires a comprehensive strategy encompassing planning, execution, and continuous improvement. It all starts with careful listening, understanding the business needs and current IT landscape, a thorough compatibility check, integration scope & architecture, data migration, cloud vs on-premise, testing and validation, security, use of pre-built connectors as much as possible, incorporating industry standard best practices, avoiding customisations, and most importantly training of end users, IT teams, and a structured change management process.

How does Catalyst protect businesses against emerging cybersecurity threats?

Protecting businesses against emerging threats requires a comprehensive, multi-layered approach that combines technical, procedural, and strategic measures. Our goal is to achieve a near Zero trust architecture. If the customer already uses cybersecurity solutions, we will do an assessment followed by recommendations. We use different methods to define the landscape using various Cyber Posture solutions that provide us with data based on risk-scoring models, leading to advanced monitoring and detection tools.

One must use proactive defense mechanisms with AI & ML, solid incident response, and automation. Regular audits, penetration testing, and training are other important factors to stay on top of new threats.

How does the company assist organisations in navigating the complexities of cloud migration, and what cloud platforms do you specialise in?

Migrating to the cloud can be a complex, multi-faceted process, but with careful planning and execution, organisations can navigate this shift smoothly.

Understand your scalability, cost-efficiency, performance, security, and innovation needs. One must evaluate their current infrastructure, any challenges, future expansion plans, and workloads, as while some may be cloud-ready, others may require additional planning & modifications.

Choose the suitable model-

Public Cloud: Great for scalability and flexibility.

Private Cloud: Best for security-sensitive industries.

Hybrid Cloud: Balances flexibility with security.

Multi-Cloud: Leveraging multiple cloud providers for redundancy and flexibility.

Once you have the above data, we compare the cloud providers, their pros and cons, pricing, migration strategy, data strategy, security, compliance, AI capabilities, backup, and fine print.

We help our customers from start to finish; our custom offerings include any part of the cloud journey, including post-go-live support, training, and managed services. While our teams are trained on all major cloud providers, we prefer Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.

What distinguishes your managed services from those of other providers, particularly in terms of proactive monitoring and issue resolution?

Proactive monitoring and issue resolutions are the critical differentiators. We use solutions with AL & ML with unified, centralised Dashboards, Reports, and Actionable Insights. We provide tailored SLAs to ensure our clients can select what’s most relevant to their requirements. All the options are provided with on-demand scalability and multi-environment support, dedicated account management, knowledge transfer, and continuous improvement.

What innovations or new services is Catalyst planning to introduce in the near future, particularly in AI, machine learning, or advanced analytics?

We are developing solutions using custom AI models, Generative AI for creative content, AI-powered data augmentation, and workflow automation, as well as providing best-of-the-breed solutions and services using a broad partner channel.

Some of these partners work on AI-driven predictive analytics, advanced AI-based cybersecurity, healthcare diagnostics, employee training & coaching, talent recruitment, video analytics, and conversational bots.

We are excited about the future and looking forward to helping our new and existing customers.

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In Hospitality, You Need to Have a Love for People

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Exclusive Interview with Philip Barnes, CEO, Rotana Hotel Management

What inspired you to pursue a career in the hospitality industry?

My first introduction to hospitality was what I would classify as a summer job before I finished school. I went to a hotel that had opened in the village where my parents lived in England. I took a job there for the summer, doing anything and everything I was told to do. This involved everything from making beds to answering phones, helping cook breakfast, serving, stocking the bars—you name it. I loved it. I fell in love with this industry because it was so diverse. Every day was different, and it continues along those lines, being different every day.

Something that has kept you motivated all these years to remain in this industry.

I think that when you’re in this industry, you have to have a love for people, first and foremost—whether it’s your guests or your colleagues. That’s where it begins and ends. Hotels, otherwise, are just bricks and mortar. The reality is you have to bring them to life through the people who work there, and that’s what stimulates me the most. How do you energize a hotel? How do you energize a business? That’s the piece that gets me out of bed every morning—thinking about what we are going to do today, where we are going today, and how we are going to bring a level of excitement into what we do. There is something exciting every day, and it’s not always something you want to deal with—it’s not always pleasant—but it’s the reality of the world in which we live. There’s always something that needs attention. I think if you have a passion for excellence, which I certainly believe that I do, then this comes to the forefront in everything that I do.

As you stepped into this position at Rotana, what is your main priority for the company?

So, really, what happened in the first 90 days after I arrived was that the first thing I needed to do was get to know the team, understand what we have, and go around the hotels. I’ve covered most of the hotels now in the UAE. I’ve met the general managers, I’ve met their teams, and I’ve spent time with all the corporate VPs. I’ve looked at everything they’re doing, and I’ve challenged everything we’re doing—not to challenge for the sake of it, but because I want to understand why we do things the way we do. When you come from outside a company, you bring a fresh perspective. I told the corporate office team, for example, on day one, that I would bring change. I wasn’t brought in to maintain the status quo; I was brought in to bring a different perspective. There are a whole series of things that you will learn about me, and they’re not designed to be challenging or difficult, but they are designed to bring a different thought process. That’s what I brought to Rotana, and that’s basically the premise upon which I was hired. The Chairman and the Deputy Chairman wanted somebody from outside Rotana to be the CEO—someone who brings a global perspective, who brings knowledge from other companies I’ve worked for, be it Fairmont, Four Seasons, or Shangri-La. They wanted all of those things brought to the table, and that’s what I’m doing.

With your experience across five continents, what cultural traditions do you believe impact hotel management?

I think the first thing you need to learn as you go from culture to culture is that you need to adapt and adopt what you do to suit the culture that is present. You can’t go into a place thinking you know everything or try to impose your culture on them. I was just in Pakistan this week in Islamabad, and I ignored the media portrayals of Pakistan because I wanted to go there with a fresh approach. They have the most wonderful hospitality and are the most exciting partners to deal with. The worst thing you can do is go into something thinking you know it all. Years ago, when I was with Fairmont, I was looking after Saudi Arabia. I had the benefit of a wonderful VP in Saudi who would say to me, “Yes, Phil, I understand, but in Saudi, this is the way we look at things.” So, as someone in hospitality or in any industry for that matter, you have to go into a culture with a fresh perspective and understand what they do. You have to take that around the world with you. For example, when I was in Vancouver, and a member of the Royal family came from Abu Dhabi to Vancouver, the team was unsure of what to do. I brought in someone I knew to help the operational team understand the differences and variations because that’s what you have to do. You can’t just do business as usual—you have to adapt and adopt. I think understanding cultures is key to doing business.

People look at you as a role model, is there any advice you would like to give to hotel managers on how they can be effective in their roles?

I think the most important thing for anybody in any world is to be authentic and genuine. If you’re paying lip service to something that you don’t really believe in, people can see right through you. Do what you believe is right. Follow your instincts, follow your passions, and understand what the guest is looking for. Understand what the customer is looking for. I’ve met countless chefs who told me, “Well, this is my specialty.” And I say, “Great, that’s terrific. What does the guest think? What does the customer think?” Because it really doesn’t matter what the chef thinks. If the customer doesn’t like it, then it’s irrelevant. The same applies to everything we do. I’ve said this many times since I’ve been at Rotana: I don’t really care what we say about ourselves—it’s what other people say about us that matters. So, when you’re looking at your business, understand what other people’s expectations are of you and focus on that. If you look around and see a dozen different things that need attention, every guest, every colleague—everybody—I have a philosophy that says I can’t walk by any problem. I cannot. I was in our office this morning and I was talking to our head of engineering and said, “We need to fix these tiles on the floor because they’re cracked.” You can’t say, “This is not my job.” You don’t have that luxury. When you get into a senior role, it’s your job, whatever it may be, and you can’t walk away.

Looking into the future, where do you want to take Rotana from here?

Rotana is a tremendous regional company now with 76 hotels. I have tremendous ambitions for the company. You mentioned Pakistan—our hotel in Islamabad is a franchise operation with wonderful partners there. I’d like to see us have 10 hotels in Pakistan. We’re opening two hotels in suburban London later this year. I’d like to see us have 10 hotels throughout the UK. I’d like to see us continue to grow the Rotana brand throughout the region. There are opportunities for us still remaining within the UAE, but also a lot of other opportunities in Qatar, Egypt, and other parts of the world. I’d like to see us growing, but with substance. It’s easy to put pins on a map, but that’s not what this is about. We have to go, deliver a quality experience, and take care of our owners. We have a lot of issues to address as part of who we are right now. There has to be depth. I’ve said when people have asked me to compare us to the big brands—the global multinational companies—I tell them they’re in the business of hotels. I’m in the hotel business. There’s a big difference. We have a depth of brand, we have a DNA, and that’s what we bring to the table.

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