Abu Dhabi-based hotel management company Rotana has announced the appointment of Philip Barnes as its new CEO effective March 1, 2024.
The appointment comes a few months after Rotana announced that Guy Hutchinson would step down as president and CEO of the company. Hutchinson has since assumed Hilton's presidency of the Middle East and Africa.
Barnes has completed nearly 25 years as part of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and has held various senior leadership positions around the world, including Canada, the United Kingdom and the U.S. Most recently, he was regional vice president of Southern California (2020 -2022) in Fairmont. Previously, she also worked with hotel brands such as Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Shangri La Hotels and Resorts, among others.
In the Middle East, Barnes was regional vice president of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts in the United Arab Emirates from 2009 to 2011. In that role, he oversaw the operations of Fairmont Palm Dubai, Fairmont Bab al Bar Abu Dhabi, Fairmont Ajman, Fairmont Fujairah and the pre-opening from Fairmont Abu Dhabi. Prior to that, he also served as Vice President Middle East (2007-2009) for the Fairmont Group, overseeing developments and planned openings in South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
“I am privileged to join Rotana, a local brand synonymous with providing guests with the highest levels of service throughout the region. “I look forward to working closely with the entire team to grow Rotana’s legacy and firmly position it as one of the region’s leading hospitality players,” Barnes said.
Selim El Zyr, Vice President of Rotana, added: “We are proud to welcome Philip Barnes as the new CEO of Rotana. With a rich history of leadership and deep knowledge of the global hospitality landscape, Barnes is poised to elevate our brand delivery and levels of excellence. We eagerly anticipate his innovative direction and vision that will shape Rotana's next chapter and leverage our growing portfolio in key markets.”
Rotana's portfolio currently includes 19,602 keys and six brands, including 10,159 keys across 36 hotels in the UAE and 2,183 keys spanning eight hotels in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, it was recently announced that Rotana will open eight new properties in the kingdom over the next four years. These openings will bring the total number of keys in Saudi Arabia to 4,400 across 16 properties.
rotana.com
