Radisson Hotel Group

Cluster General Manager for two dynamic hotels here in the vibrant city of Dubai >> Radisson Blu Media City and Park Inn Motor City.
Combined rooms inventory of 400 keys, multiple, diverse, award-winning venues alongside varied meetings & events spaces with an added reputation for the delivery of large-scale, outside catering occasions.

Cluster General Manager

Radisson RED Dubai Silicon Oasis

Opened this multi-faceted, mixed use hospitality development of rooms & branded apartments complemented by a Jones the Grocer outlet,  REDRoof Bar and OUISportsBar+Terrace alongside the Meeting HUB with 15 indoor+outdoor events & meetings spaces for 4000 pax+

Radisson RED opted for a curator instead of a traditional GM. My job (?) ,...curating the perfect hotel experience for both our guests and our creatives alike...

Key Achievements:
Opened all 3 business unit components during COVID19 & delivered profitable operations within 6 months;
In 3 years delivered 30%GOP, RGI of 130+, employee engagement at 90% + guest satisfaction of 91%+;
Recognized in 2023 by RHG MEA as one of the top 3 GMs for Talent & Team Development;
Member of the Global RED Brand Steering Group with emphasis on new partnerships + collaborations;
1st RHG hotel in the MEA Region to gain the Great Place to Work certification;
Sourced, negotiated + opened a flagship Jones the Grocer franchized venue at RED for owner;
Chairperson of the RHG UAE Commercial Focus Group consisting of 8 hotels;
1st RHG hotel worldwide to have a stand-alone PODCAST business unit venue on property;
Successfully positioned RED Dubai as one of the leading ‘lifestyle’ hospitality venues within the UAE;
Initiated the bespoke Urban Market collaboration that has seen in excess of 50,000 visitors in 3 years;
Supported large scale DSO events, like the 2022 World Cup, at DDP Plaza, with over 100,000 attendees;
Task force GM / Marketing / Branding support for the opening of RED Mohali, RED Tbilizi + RED Da Nang;

Hotelier Awards Middle East 2023 - Winners >> Mid-Market Hotel Team of the Year;
Hotel & Catering Awards 2023 - Winners >> Sustainable Hotel of the Year;
Hotel & Catering Awards 2022 - Winners >> Leading Mid-Market Hotel of the Year;
Hotelier Awards Middle East 2022 - Runner Up >> General Manager - Mid-Market Hotel;
Hotelier Middle East 2021+2022+2023 – recognized as a Middle East Power List 100 General Manager

CURATOR aka GENERAL MANAGER

Marriott International

Opened 3 Marriott properties in 2018 - Aloft + Element Me'aisam & Aloft Dubai South. This was also the entry of the Element brand into the MEA region. The three properties offered 536 keys combined - hotel rooms and extended stay units - across two locations with two different owning entities.

Key Achievements:
Successful recruitment of cluster, complex and hotel teams using innovative methods;
Successful set up of the first multi-owner cluster of its kind in the Middle East for Marriott;
Project managed the delivery and execution of the properties with construction and owner project teams;
Devised & implemented Sales & Marketing plans;
Delivered on-brand openings alongside the preopening budgets;
Developed and piloted for Marriott a new HR initiative - ‘operational talent’;
In the first month positioned Aloft Me’aisam as the #1 Aloft in the Middle East for guest satisfaction;
Associate Engagement Satisfaction of 81% in first year – 5 pts above Marriott benchmark;
Marriott BSA Operations Audit result of 92.1% in first year.

CLUSTER GENERAL MANAGER

Le Meridien Abu Dhabi

I was proud to be a part of the team at the iconic Le Meridien Abu Dhabi urban resort. Situated in the very heart of the city with 234 rooms, 68 separate single units, Eden Spa with private beach & recreational facilities, meetings & events, alongside 15 F&B venues (5 of which were leased) within the unique Meridien Village. This hotel is one of the oldest and best known in Abu Dhabi. Total Revenues, driven by F&B in the majority, exceed $24M with room occupancy above 85%.

Key Achievements:
Year 1 Revenue growth YOY of $1.5M (6.5%);
Year 1 GOP growth YOY of $1.1M (13.6%);
RGI growth YOY from 102 to 107  to 112 - highest since 2008;
Associate engagement growth of 4% YOY;
Brand Health hotel audit grew from 71% to 87%:
Products & Services hotel audit grew from 90% to 93%;
Health & Safety hotel audit grew from 80.48% to 98%:
In 2 years raised over $20K for UNICEF via the new 'Swim for Children Events' with over 400 swimmers of all ages;
Developed a Regional Best Practice for package selling via Facebook;
Managed concessionaire units (Night Clubs, Restaurants, Retail, Sports) with revenues in excess of USD2M;
Implemented innovative 'VIP & 1st Time Guest' personalized welcome using social media tools;
Positioned the hotel as #1 within Starwood in Abu Dhabi for Social Media engagement with over 40,000 followers and 150,000+ You Tube views.

GENERAL MANAGER

FAS Hotels Company & Fawaz Alhokair Entertainment Division

I was responsible to develop, lead and position both businesses ensuring delivery and execution of multiple concurrent projects. Corporate identity evolution and operator relationship management alongside setting a vision were key parts of my role.

Key Achievements - FAS Hotels & Compounds Company:
Led the hotel projects, valued at USD$215M with over 1,200 rooms - Courtyard by Marriott Olaya, Aloft Riyadh, Courtyard by Marriott King Abdullah Road Jeddah, Four Points by Sheraton Mall of Arabia Jeddah and Aloft Dharran. All were at the construction or pre-opening phase;
Led the iconic, $350m, Burj Fas Riyadh mixed use, hotel (324 keys) and branded residences for sale (404 units), project during the design and potential operator negotiations stage;
Purchase, rebranding and reopening of the Alanda Hotel Marbella (Spain), previously under the NH banner, then self-operated by FAS Hotels as the first hotel in Spain with a certified Halal concept;
Development of the luxury 1,400 unit Salboukh Residential Compound, Riyadh which was under construction; 
Concept design and implementation of Caffee di Classe & Velluto branded café units in KSA.

Key Achievements - Fawaz Alhokair Entertainment Division:
Led the Entertainment portfolio of the Billy Beez, Kidzania & Shoot IFC brands;
Opened in Jan 2015 Kidzania, a global children’s edutainment brand, in Jeddah, KSA, with expected visitor numbers of 500,000 in Year 1. Project cost of USD$35M. 430 associates - 95% were Saudi females...unique in this conservative Kingdom;
Opened 4 Billy Beez children's entertainment parks within KSA adding to the existing 3 KSA + Egypt parks with total per annum revenues in excess of USD$11M and EBITDA at 34%;
Opened 2 Billy Beez parks in the USA (NY)  - taking budgeted annual revenues for all units globally to in excess of USD$15M;
Developed & launched SHOOT IFC - an indoor football park concept for children - in Cairo in 2014.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Sheraton Riyadh Hotel & Towers, Saudi Arabia (Starwood Hotels & Resorts)

Delivered leadership and vision in order to align hotel strategy to execute results for owning company, Starwood, guests and associates alike. Property encompassed 192 rooms, 3 outlets, meeting & banquet facilities and outside catering. Revenue per annum exceeds USD$25m with a GOP & occupancy above 59% & 82% respectively at an ADR of USD$280+.

Key Achievements:
In March 2012 both the Hotel & La Piazza were shortlisted for the Saudi Excellence in Tourism Awards;
In 2009 thru 2011 the hotel team raised USD$30k for UNICEF thru various Charity events;
Rebranded & increased Outside Catering revenues by 22% to become the #1 recognized Catering supplier in Riyadh. Contracted caterer for Majlis Shura (KSA Parliament) & catered for the Royal Protocol;
Associate engagement improvement of 12% 2008 thru 2011 to reach hotel ever high of 92%;
Increased Saudi associates by 20pts and implemented Female Saudi associates for the first time in the hotel’s history;
Achieved the #1 position for both the Hotel and La Piazza Restaurant on Tripadvisor for Riyadh;
Quality assurance improved in 2009 to 83% from 50% in 2008 and maintained;
2010 achieved the highest GOP in the hotels history of 59.6% (US$14.6m);
2011 GOP growth of 30% (US$3.5m) since 2007:
2011 REVPAR grew from 2008 6.5% whilst Riyadh city was -1.8% and the luxury/upscale segment was flat;
Implemented in 2011 the first hotel Female Fitness Facility in Riyadh;
Amidst increased supply grew Banqueting & La Piazza Restaurant revenues by 12% & 12.5% respectively;
Positioned the hotel as #1 in KSA for online + social media activity with 6,000+ followers via Facebook & Twitter and over 200,000 You Tube channel views. Also the first to use QR codes for online / SMS promos;
Implemented the key brand components – LINK@Sheraton, Sheraton Fitness & Sheraton Club + Lounge.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Responsible for the EAME Divisional Full Time PIE (Profit Improvement Engagement) Team of Consultants that operated across all brands completing strategic property visits to support hotels in their GOP, KPI, Operational Innovation & Change Management delivery. 

Key Achievements:
30 x 5-day property visits completed in 2007 focusing on increased GOP via revenue generation and cost reduction across the whole spectrum of the business;
Overall 2007 impact of USD5m+ in GOP benefit from property visits;
Key focus on additional KPI's such as Guest Satisfaction and Brand Culture awareness;
Built a bank of Best Practices discovered on property for the Divisional & Global community;
Identified common property GOP opportunities on a Divisional wide basis.

PIE TEAM LEADER Europe Africa Middle East Division (EAME), Brussels, Belgium

As a certified Six Sigma Black Belt I drove Six Sigma within The Park Lane Hotel, The Sheraton Park Tower, The Sheraton Belgravia, Le Meridien Piccadilly, The Café Royal  & the Starwood Central London Complex that in total encompass 900+ rooms and 600+ staff of which 25 were Green Belt trained.

Key Achievements:
Created the successful and pioneering Central London Six Sigma Team;
Ensured delivery of US$863k of Type 1 Benefit in 2005, US$1.2m in 2006 and managed in excess of 20 projects concurrently; 
Developed 3 EAME (Europe, Africa & Middle East) Optional Best Practice Projects - No Show Revenue Capture - that contributed US$340k; TSA Up Selling - $300k &  associate engagement 'Back to the Floor'.
Contributed to the EAME Best Practice Energy Project whilst working with the HEC (UK Hospitality Energy Consortium) & the Government's Carbon Trust Team on an 'Energy Champions' initiative in the UK;
Black Belt responsible for the development of the EAME PIE 'Profit Improvement Engagement' Team;
Project Leader for the implementation of an On-Line Employee Benefits Solution for the UK properties;
EAME PILOT Project Leader for the 'LINK @ Sheraton'' Global Brand initiative;
Permanent member of the EAME Divisional F&B Council

DIRECTOR OF SIX SIGMA - CENTRAL LONDON HOTELS

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts

Deputy to the General Manager within the Sheraton Skyline, a 4* Deluxe, 350 bedroom hotel with an annual revenue turnover greater than GBP£15m & annual occupancy in excess of 80%.

Key Achievements:
Guest satisfaction increase of 3%;
LRA Quality increase from 2.8 sigma (88.78%) to 3 sigma (93.10%);
Introduced a direct email process for guest feedback which was subsequently transferred to a number of Starwood properties;
Part of a European Divisional team that revised the Global Sheraton Core Quality Standards.
Developed, opened and consolidated the Sky Bar in 2002, which in 2003 was voted in the Top 100 Bars (#36) in the World by GQ Magazine.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT MANAGER

Held complete hotel responsibility in the absence of the General Manager as no Deputy Manager position within the management structure of the Sheraton Skyline and received the Starwood Presidents Award in 2001. Food & Beverage responsibility for 4 outlets, 24 hour room service & full mini bar operation as well as 18 Meeting rooms with a total capacity of 1200 people.

Key Achievements:	
Food & Beverage GOP grew from 25.9% to 29.3% & productivity increased 40%;
Food cost decreased from 25.4% to 22.4% & beverage cost decreased from 20.6% to 17.9%;
Successfully opened, within budget, Restaurant Sage & Bytes @ Sage in 2001 at a total project cost of GBP£850k. Responsible for all aspects from design concept to operational implementation; 
Chairman of the Starwood UK & Ireland Food & Beverage Team for 3 years

DIRECTOR OF FOOD & BEVERAGE

Hotel Kamp Helsinki, Finland

Senior HOD within the team that re-opened + relaunched this legendary hotel.

FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGER

Sheraton Warsaw Hotel & Towers, Poland

An HOD in the team that opened this hotel + lead HOD that opened the Convention Centre.

CONVENTION SERVICES & SALES MANAGER

📍 Experienced Hospitality and Entertainment Business Leader

With a proven track record across 20+ successful hotel, venue, and FEC (Family Entertainment Center) launches, I bring a deep passion for pre-opening projects and team development. I specialize in building high-performing teams from the ground up, strategically guiding projects from conception through execution, and delivering measurable results in both single and multi-unit settings.

📍 Core Expertise

	•	Strategic Leadership & Management: Skilled in guiding end-to-end business processes across hospitality, leisure, and entertainment, from conceptual planning through strategic execution and operational success in multi-unit environments.
	•	Hospitality & Entertainment Operations: Comprehensive oversight of quality, HR, and financial metrics to drive sustainable growth, build brand reputation, and support market expansion.
	•	Facilities & New Product Development: Extensive experience managing diverse projects, from guest experience enhancements to major hotel construction and facility upgrades, delivering quality and consistency at every stage.
	•	Customer Experience & Service Excellence: Strong focus on KPIs including guest satisfaction, brand culture, and loyalty initiatives, with an emphasis on cultivating lasting customer relationships.
	•	Quality, Financial Performance & Efficiency: Proficient in identifying division-wide opportunities for improvement in GOP, along with implementing revised global quality standards for leading hotel brands.

Feel free to connect for collaboration or inquiries:

📞 Mobile/Cell (Dubai): +971504741968
💬 WhatsApp: +971504741968
📧 Email: stuart.birkwood@hotmail.co.uk / stuart.birkwood@radissonred.com

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