All articles by antonica jones

antonica jones

More than a manager: Stefan Fuchs

German national Stefan Fuchs has been in the hotel industry for more than 15 years, working for well-known luxury brands such as Ritz-Carlton and Kempinski hotels. He first joined Jumeirah in 2006, working at Madinat Jumeirah for three years as director of food and beverage. In 2010 he was appointed hotel manager at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers to assist with the pre-opening, and was promoted to general manager last year.

Expansion strategy: Rezidor executive vice-president Elie Younes

Rezidor’s development strategy continues apace, with a renewed push into fast-growing economies and consolidation of its presence in established markets. Newly promoted executive vice-president and chief development officer Elie Younes talks about his strategy, the challenges of maintaining such a large pipeline, and the new, youth-oriented Radisson Red brand.

Mind the gap: gender imbalance in senior leadership

Despite the gender split being relatively even within the hotel sector as a whole, there remains a marked imbalance when it comes to women in senior leadership positions. What are the reasons behind this anomaly, and what can be done to help rectify the situation? Abi Millar asks industry leaders how close hospitality is to attaining full gender parity.

Amid the rouble: the Russian market

For years Russia was described as the most exciting region in Europe for hotel operators and developers looking to quickly expand their pipelines. But with an intractable conflict in Ukraine and an economic crisis hitting the Russian economy, is the market as attractive as it once was? Patrick Kingsland investigates.

Russia revs up for football fever

Tourism in today’s Russia is primarily business related. International and local hotel chains are continuously planning new projects to increase capacity as the country prepares to host the FIFA World Cup in 2018. Noppen’s Third Annual Russia Hotel Expansion Summit provided a platform for players in the hospitality industry to come together and share ideas.

Budapest hosts hospitality summit

The Leaders in Hospitality CEE and CIS Summit once again promotes regional collaboration among top hoteliers.

A greener goal: industry sustainability

Whatever standard a hotel decides to pursue, accreditation from a global body is becoming a vital component of any successful sustainability strategy. Leaders from Mövenpick, IHG and Fairmont speak to Patrick Kingsland about striking a balance between in-house initiatives and industry standards.

Secure integration: hotel security

How does an operator best go about entrenching security and safety across a hotel’s entire operations? A solid strategy should be based on interdepartmental collaboration, training and technology, from the front desk to the back office, as Ross Davies reports.

Growth by design: Morgans Hotel Group and ‘high design’

Having opened a third London property and debuted in Istanbul last year, with another two Turkish projects in the pipeline and plans for hotels in Qatar and Dubai, Morgans Hotel Group is ramping up its international presence. Tony Machado, vice-president design and construction, tells Sarah Williams how the company uses high design to fuse local lifestyle with creative communities.

Experience counts: Rudi Jagersbacher

With the biggest development pipeline in the region, Hilton Worldwide has emerged as a dominant force within the Middle East’s hotel sector – a rise overseen by regional president Rudi Jagersbacher. He talks to Phin Foster about mid-market opportunities, talent development and why he’ll always be a hotelier at heart.