Hotelier Middle East – August 2019

HOTELS

HOTELIER MIDDLE EAST | August 2019 | Volume 18 Issue 08 33

menting on how he built his team, he

says: “As a whole, we wanted to ensure

that our team members not only have

the right skill set required for each job

function but also have a luxury mindset,

allowing them to cater to and exceed

guest expectations. It was also very

important for us to bring to the table a

diverse group of people, in terms of gen-

der, experience and background. Per-

sonality matters; it is what makes each

individual unique and is our greatest

competitive advantage.”

Director of human resources Yasmine

Farouk whose motto is ‘hire for attitude,

train for skills’, also employed an inclu-

sive hiring strategy saying: “Diversity is

at the core of Hilton’s vision, mission and

values. At Waldorf Astoria DIFC spe-

cifi cally, we have hired a diverse range of

team members, with a broad set of back-

grounds and expertise. There are 50 dif-

ferent nationalities and high female to

male ratio. We are also pleased to have a

number of female team members carry-

ing out roles in traditionally male-dom-

inated departments such engineering,

stewarding and the kitchen.”

For Farouk, empowerment is key to

retention: “At Waldorf Astoria DIFC,

our teams’ experience is just as impor-

tant as the guests’ experience. We ensure

that our team members are seen, heard,

valued and respected. The priority at

Waldorf Astoria DIFC is to create an

inclusive, supportive culture so that

every team member feels that they are

part of our family.

Yasmine Farouk. Ayman AlMohamad.

xxxxxxxx

Madhur Sachdeva.

A bespoke sculpture dominates

the entrance of signature restau-

rant Bull & Bear.