SINGAPORE (12 January 2017) — Three seasoned hoteliers, with deep-rooted understanding of GHM’s branding and operating philosophy, have been appointed as the senior management of the luxury hotel management’s upcoming projects at The Chedi Mumbai in India and a new brand, Al Bait, in the United Arab Emirates’ city of Sharjah.
Said GHM President Hans R. Jenni, “We are excited to see the progress and potential for these two projects, both of which are worthy representations of GHM’s enduring philosophies as a luxury resort operator… these fine gentlemen at the respective helms will no doubt set the expected standards that we demand of these hotels in their destinations.”
The Chedi Mumbai, India The 316-room Chedi Mumbai, GHM’s highly anticipated hotel opening for 2017, will come under the leadership of Italy-born Giulio D’Alberto, certainly no stranger to the GHM family. Giulio’s first encounter with GHM was in 2007 when he was promoted from the Director of Finance role to General Manager of The Chedi Milan, a position he held for more than two years. He returned to the GHM group in 2012 where he was assisting with pre-opening task force activities for new hotels, like The Chedi Andermatt in Switzerland. Giulio’s varied roles involved him in development, finance, sales and marketing and even talent management. Giulio was most recently with the Ahn Luh team for the Qiandao Lake project before taking on this exciting project in Mumbai.
Giulio enthused, “The Chedi Mumbai is a new milestone for GHM. Though it is a hotel in a bustling city, its location in northern Mumbai sets it apart and will showcase GHM’s expertise in transforming the hotel into a destination.”
Giulio will be supported by another longtime GHM staff – Christoph Girsch, the former Executive Assistant Manager in charge of hotel operations at The Chedi Muscat in Oman. Christoph joined The Chedi Muscat as the resort’s Director of Food & Beverage in 2009 and has been instrumental in the numerous awards and accolades won by The Chedi’s stable of restaurants. Christoph’s role requires him to interact with a large multilingual and multicultural team, participate in marketing-related events on behalf of the property, meet topline budget expectations, all of which further sharpens his management skills. In this appointment as The Chedi Mumbai’s Resident Manager, effective from December 2016, not only does Christoph’s skillsets complement that of Giulio’s, his experience in various aspects of hotel operations and administration will be brought to the fore as they raise the bar for luxury hospitality in India’s most dynamic city.
Al Bait Sharjah, UAE Located in what is considered the cultural hub of the United Arab Emirates, Al Bait in Sharjah will be a distinct luxury accommodation that weaves the emirate’s historic fabric into its design and product offering. The 54-room property is set to welcome guests later this year to experience the perfect blending of tradition with modern charms.
Al Bait Sharjah will be headed by Florian Leven, formerly the Resident Manager of the award-winning Nam Hai Hoi An in Central Vietnam. Florian took charge of The Nam Hai’s day-to-day operations, focusing on quality control, service and product consistency and staff training. The excellent LQA (Leading Quality Assurance) scores demonstrated by The Nam Hai throughout his supervision are a testament to Florian’s spirit of distinction and superior work ethics.
With this promotion and more than 17 years of international hotel experience under his belt, the first-time General Manager remarks, “Al Bait and Sharjah will be a compelling destination for today’s travellers – it boasts a rich history, an exotic culture, an unexplored landscape and discoveries waiting to be made by the intrepid seeker. It’s a privilege for me to be part of this adventure that GHM is bringing to the industry.”
Florian’s expertise in the daily hotel operations is complemented by his finance and revenue management background, making him an effective and all-rounded hotelier.
Before joining the GHM team in Vietnam, Florian’s work stints had brought him from his home in Germany to Switzerland and then to Hawaii in the USA.
