POWERING INTELLIGENT ENVIRONMENTS

Exclusive Interview with Roger Tabbal, CEO of swissnet MENA & International

Roger Tabbal’s career is a testament to over 25 years of pioneering technology that elevates the guest experience. As CEO of swissnet MENA & International, and former Global VP of Guest Technology Innovation at Accor Hotels, he blends deep operational insight with a passion for creating intelligent, seamless solutions. In this exclusive interview, Roger shares how seamless infrastructure, AI-powered personalization, and Swiss precision are quietly reshaping the hospitality landscape and beyond. His vision proves that the most powerful innovations are the ones guests never have to think about but always remember.

Can you tell us a little bit about your background and professional journey?

My entire career has been rooted in the hospitality industry, spanning over 25 years. I began in 1998 at the front desk and gradually progressed through various operational roles, including Front Office and Food & Beverage. This firsthand experience gave me a comprehensive understanding of hotel operations from the ground up. Eventually, I transitioned into technology, aligning with my academic background and passion. For over two decades, I’ve worked in hospitality technology across both local and international hotel chains. Most recently, I served as the Global Vice President of Guest Technology & Innovation at Accor Hotels.

What inspired your transition from Global VP of Guest Technology & Innovation at Accor to your current role as CEO of swissnet MENA & International, and what are you aiming to contribute to the regional hospitality landscape?

My experience with hospitality has always driven me to step out of my comfort zone. During my time at Accor, I collaborated closely with vendors, which gave me a deep understanding of technology from the operator’s perspective. At Accor, I was in a core role supporting the business. At swissnet MENA, we are the business. We go to the hotels, deploy the technology, and provide the solutions that the hospitality sector is actively seeking.

I am always looking for new ways to reinvent technology and introduce fresh ideas to the industry. This mindset pushed me to take on this role and embrace the challenge it brings.

Having spent decades on the hotel business side, particularly in shaping guest experience, how is that influencing your approach today at swissnet MENA?

The most important message I hear from hotel management is that they are not looking for flashy, complex solutions. They want simplicity, reliability, and impact. They want technology that works, solutions that directly address the challenges hotels and resorts face, which are scalable, easy to deploy, and that serve both staff and guests effectively.

My role at Accor confirmed this. I was leading guest technology, developing and formulating strategies for properties across all segments, from economy to luxury and ultra-luxury. This gave me first-hand insight into both the technology itself and what hotels genuinely need.

In a market where technology providers are widely available, what distinguishes swissnet MENA, particularly in the hospitality sector?

Primarily, as part of swissnet Group, we have the advantage of having the maturity of an established player and the agility of a startup. This enables us to operate with confidence in a way that aligns with the dynamic needs of the hospitality industry. This flexibility allows us to move quickly and tailor our approach to what hospitality expects from a technology partner.

Another key differentiator is our commitment to providing localized solutions that address the specific needs of the regions and markets we serve. We also offer a modular, end-to-end approach. Our services range from infrastructure and structured network solutions, Wi-Fi, IPTV, and guest room management systems. We function as a one-stop shop, offering scalable and cost-effective solutions.

We place great emphasis on delivering a clear return on investment for partner hotels, providing technology that is not only simple and effective but also directly solves the problems hotels face. Our goal is to deliver solutions that are easy for staff to manage and intuitive for guests to use.

How would you summarize your mission as CEO of swissnet MENA & International? What drives the company under your leadership?

As we operate within the ICT space, my primary mission is to establish swissnet MENA as a leading player in the ICT and IT infrastructure business for hospitality. One of our main goals is to become a trusted partner for hotel groups and property owners, reliable in delivering solutions that address their operational needs and elevate guest experiences.

Another key objective is to strengthen our network of partners who provide innovative technologies to the hospitality sector. We bridge technology providers and hotel operators, delivering solutions that are simple, dependable, and operationally effective.

I envision taking our Swiss values of quality and precision beyond the MENA region, evolving into a global ICT provider. As part of a Swiss group, we extend that excellence to international markets.

What are the key technology innovations you are introducing that are making a real impact on hotels and branded residences?

We provide fully integrated, end-to-end solutions that begin at the earliest stages of hotel development. The sooner we collaborate with you on a project, the greater the impact. This includes the entire ICT infrastructure: structured cabling, network setup, and Wi-Fi solutions. We offer branded network systems that are already approved by major international hotel chains, ensuring compatibility and trust.

Beyond the foundational infrastructure, we deliver High-Speed Internet Access (HSIA) and layer additional services such as Location-Based Marketing (LBM). These innovations are designed to enhance guest experiences and help hotels generate measurable business outcomes.

For example, we create a seamless digital journey so that a guest can log in once and be automatically recognized on future visits. LBM adds another layer of engagement, allowing hotels to communicate targeted promotions based on guest location. When a guest is near the spa, they can receive a personalized message about current massage offers. Similarly, relevant dining promotions can be delivered when they are in proximity to a restaurant, enhancing convenience while creating meaningful touchpoints throughout the stay.

Our goal is to go beyond simply providing IT infrastructure. We aim to become a business enabler, delivering solutions that enhance guest satisfaction and generate tangible ROI for hotel operators.

With Wi-Fi now considered a non-negotiable expectation in hospitality, how do you ensure your managed networks consistently deliver high-speed, reliable connectivity?

Fundamentally, we keep our focus on the main prize: delivering a system that works reliably and efficiently. It all begins with a thorough site survey and the creation of a heat map to ensure complete coverage of the hotel. This initial step is critical for deploying branded access points and network systems that meet both international standards and regional brand requirements. Our goal is to ensure comprehensive, seamless connectivity across the entire property.

We focus on delivering a solution that offers a flawless experience for guests while ensuring backend simplicity and ease of management for hotel staff.

Today’s guests want to bring their own content into the hotel room, they want to cast from their phones, connect their devices, and experience the same ease of use they have at home. We deliver a full IPTV ecosystem, complete with casting, in-TV apps, and seamless device integration.

We address in-room control through our Guest Room Management System (GRMS), often referred to as a smart thermostat. This includes everything from lighting and air conditioning to overall room climate control. Importantly, GRMS is integrated with major Property Management Systems (PMS), allowing hotels to manage energy usage efficiently and deliver on sustainability goals without compromising guest comfort. We also offer digital signage solutions, backup systems, AI integrations, and tools such as our Guest Companion platform. All these services are designed to provide a comprehensive, one-stop technology solution, eliminating the need for hotels to collaborate with multiple vendors and ensuring a cohesive, guest-centric technology experience.

In-room entertainment today offers a seamless, all-in-one experience. How do you approach this integration while keeping it user-friendly for guests?

It is always important to remember that guests come to relax and enjoy their stay, not to learn how to operate complicated systems. That’s why our focus is on delivering an integrated experience where all technologies, IPTV, Wi-Fi, Guest Room Management Systems (GRMS), and the Property Management Systems (PMS) are interconnected and communicate seamlessly.

Our aim is to make technology intuitive and, ideally, invisible. Everything works in harmony, without requiring effort or learning from the guest. It should feel effortless, and that’s what we strive to deliver.

Given that hotels operate 24/7, how do you ensure your technology solutions are always supported with around-the-clock service?

Coming from the hospitality industry myself, I fully understand that hospitality never sleeps. Our role at swissnet MENA is not just to implement technology, but to ensure it is constantly maintained and supported. We aim to be a trusted partner that hotel IT departments can rely on for peace of mind.

To achieve this, we’re building a dedicated Shared Service Center that enables 24/7 proactive monitoring and support. Our engineers are available around the clock, and the focus is on detecting issues before they happen, not after. We provide shared services, maintenance contracts, and continuous monitoring of all solutions deployed across the network.

Additionally, we’re incorporating Artificial Intelligence into our systems to enhance this process. AI tools help us monitor network performance, detect anomalies, and identify potential security issues in real time. This allows us to alert the appropriate hotel teams quickly and take preemptive action. It’s always about ensuring reliability and seamless operations.

Artificial Intelligence is becoming central across industries, from education to hospitality. How is swissnet MENA leveraging AI and machine learning to enhance guest experience and streamline operations behind the scenes?

At swissnet MENA, we are placing AI at the core of our strategy to both enhance the guest experience and deliver operational excellence for hotels. One of our primary use cases is Location-Based Marketing (LBM), which we integrate with cloud-managed Wi-Fi to personalize the guest journey. By analyzing guest preferences, location, and behavioral data sourced from systems like PMS and loyalty platforms, we use AI-driven tools to send targeted notifications.

The second key area is on the network and operations side. We employ AI to enable proactive monitoring, detecting potential issues before they impact the guest. This includes network anomalies, security threats, or performance slowdowns. AI also supports our internal teams by automating routine tasks and reducing operational workload, allowing hotel staff to focus more on high-value guest interactions.

We’re testing new AI-driven use cases such as voice and chatbot integration, which can enhance guest communication by providing instant access to personalized information, promotions, and services, all seamlessly integrated with the PMS, loyalty systems, and the backend infrastructure. Our goal is to deliver intelligent, personalized technology that enhances both guest satisfaction and hotel efficiency, shaping the future of hospitality through AI.

What is your five-year vision for swissnet MENA, and how do you see the company shaping the future of the hospitality industry?

What excites me most about the coming years is the growing intersection between hospitality and technology. Technology has rapidly become an integral part of the guest experience. The guest expects technology to enhance their stay without having to learn or interact with it. It should just work, seamlessly and invisibly.

From AI-driven solutions to predictive maintenance, voice automation, and beyond, the future lies in enabling technology that delivers comfort, simplicity, and personalization without being intrusive. At swissnet MENA, we’re uniquely positioned to lead this transformation because we understand both sides of the equation, hospitality, and technology. We offer a complete technology stack. By bringing all these elements together, we create a unified and seamless experience for the guest.

Over the next five years, our goal is to help properties transition from being merely connected to becoming truly intelligent. That transformation, from connected to intelligent hospitality, is where we see our greatest impact.