Philip has over 30 years experience of operating in the hotel serviced apartments and facilities management, tourism, travel and leisure management, financial services, property and real estate industries. Philip co-founded an Australian investment banking and funds management business, growing this business to a top 100 ASX listed Group with Assets Under Management of approximately AUD $6 billion. This Group acquired, managed and grew a global travel agency business with brands such as Travelscene American Express, Harvey World Travel and Gullivers Travel as well as hotel management and facilities management business with 49,000 rooms under management spread throughout Europe, Africa and Australasia; and ASX and NZSX listed leisure groups that included the management of two of the premier Australian ski slopes, the world’s largest aquarium manager and a number of tree-top walk attractions. In 2007, Philip headed up the Group’s strategic expansion and relocated to Dubai. He also has extensive experience in the banking, finance and property industries in various executive and lending positions.

John is a fully qualified Chartered Surveyor specializing in acquisitions and development. John has over 18 years of experience in his profession and has assisted in a number of high-end projects including acquisition and disposal strategies for large UK and Northern Europe based hoteliers, retailers and occupiers. Having previously worked in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Dubai, John has seasoned knowledge when it comes to working in the Middle East. John is full speed ahead with two key portfolios for Nakheel Hotels – branded budget hotels, having joined the group in 2007. The portfolio includes the franchise rights and roll out of 26 branded budget hotels, easyHotel within the MENA region of which five will be launched in Dubai beginning in late 2009. With the group’s stake in Tune Hotels, John is also responsible for the delivery of 30 branded budget hotels in Southeast Asia.

Sami is a seasoned Hospitality and Real Estate professional, with over 25 years of regional leadership experience in the industry. Prior to joining Ishraq, Sami was the country General Manager for Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts in Jordan for three years. Before that, for over two years, Sami held the position of General Manager Property Management with development giant Emaar Properties, as well as acting as Chief Executive Officer of Arab Supply and Trading Company’s Real Estate Development arm – Oasis Management Co., in Riyadh Saudi Arabia. He had also held numerous executive positions in hospitality, including the General Manager position with Holiday Inn Hotels for five years.

Adel Ali, together with the management team has been given credit for setting up the Middle East and North Africa’s first low-cost carrier (LCC), Air Arabia. Adel has brought over 25 years of strategic aviation, tourism and marketing experience to Air Arabia since the company commenced operations in October 2003. Adel’s distinctive leadership style, vision, skilful management combined with his charisma and zeal, makes him an inspiration to his team and has made Air Arabia one of the top 50 most admired companies in the Arab world. Adel previously served as Vice President (Commercial and Customer Service) for Gulf Air, where he played a central role in the airline’s recovery. Before that, he spent over 20 years with British Airways where he also held senior management positions, including General Manager (Middle East and Africa). In addition, Adel has served as a Director and a Senior Board Member for a number of companies in the Middle East and Europe. He has been recognised within the industry as a Middle East airline expert and has received awards for his contribution to air transport and tourism in the Middle East and Africa. Adel innovative achievements has been globally recognized on creating a successful low cost business model in the Middle East customised as per region’s needs, marking Air Arabia as the first low-cost airline in the MENA region. Adel drove Air Arabia’s growth to become the largest low cost carrier in the Middle East as well as the first publicly owned airline in the Arab World with in a span of only four years. Adel holds an MBA degree from Marlhurst University, Oregon, USA. He bagged ‘British Airways Award for Excellence’ and ‘Middle East Tourism Contribution Award’. In 1983 and 1991, he received ‘British Airways Customer Services Award’. In 2007, Adel has been awarded the ‘Airline CEO of the year’ by Aviation Business Magazine. Adel is also Board Member and CEO of FlyYeti.com, Nepal’s first Low cost carrier and the Chairman of Sharjah Information Systems Associates (ISA) and Alpha Sharjah catering.

Abdulla M Almulla: MBA – (University of Chicago – GSB) is a proven business leader who has been instrumental in launching innovative business concepts and entities in this region. In addition to the MBA from a world class University Mr. Almulla has acquired specialized education (Advanced Management Program – 1993) from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration USA the epic of Hotel education. Mr. Almulla has also been trained extensively in Finance and Commercial Banking, with Leading Financial Institution (Bankers Trust – 1989, London). He is the son of Mohamed Saeed Almulla, (former Federal Minister of Communication UAE, and currently the Owner of prestigious and prime assets in the Emirates and after driving number of new generation industries in diversified sectors for Dubai and for his family portfolio (American Hospital). As a key member of the Almulla Family, to play a fundamental role in the development and growth of the Almulla Group the development of the hotel portfolio of the Group; The Ritz Carlton Dubai, The Dubai Sheraton Creek Hotel and Towers, Renaissance Hotel, Dubai and Ramada Hotel, Dubai and currently is President of Abjar Hotels International. While pushing the development forward and Mr. Almulla entered new territories and was key force in the development of The American Hospital Dubai – the most sophisticated health care facility operating according to American Standards and Certifications. The family businesses were diversified to include, construction, shopping malls, jewellery etc. etc. Mr. Almulla developed the Almulla Business Group (in partnership with his brothers which has currently has 3 subsidiaries (Almulla Atradius LLC – Export Credit Insurance, Jet Aviation Dubai LLC – Private Jet and maintenance, Gulf Jet LLC – Air Taxi). Mr. Almulla, always searching for excellence is now actively involved in establishing a cohesive and yet diversified business group of his own in his sole personal capacity under the umbrella of Almulla Holding LLC, of which he is the Chairman. The vision is to develop Almulla Holding into a conglomerate with several subsidiaries. The first take-off has taken place with the ongoing development of Almulla Hospitality a Shariah’ compliant Hotel Management company with clearly defined segments and standards and a global reach. CFO position; the challenge of this position is achieving the challenges concurrently of the Chairman, making his vision come true. No doubt about it, a CFO has a major role in materializing this achievement. Such a person will be representative of the Chairman in many of the transaction and negotiations. Currently, Almulla Holding is setting up a Financial Real Estate Company of US$ 500 million with a UK firm, Japer Group (Investment Banker) to structure such a financial institution. Further, we in initial search for a Banking Institution for acquisition in UK to support our financial and banking expansion. As we lack the shortfall of the CFO or represent us in the process we have a great need for such a talent.

I worked in my first professional life in the French public sector, in charge of the economic and social development for a region in the south of France. After 5 years I choose to shift to the private sector as director of projects for a private company developing new concepts of luxury medical retirement homes. In 97 I joined Accor Hospitalityl Development in Paris as development senior manager for the economy brands. In 99 I took over the responsibility for the spread out of the new brand Suite Hotel that Accor was launching in main cities of France and in capital cities of continental Europe. In 2001 I went to London to take responsibility of Accor Hospitality development in Uk and Ireland. A buoyant and innovative market driven by a strong economic growth. Although it was a very competitive market development wise with scarcity of the best sites, unaffordable land prices, it allowed Accor to actively develop its main brands Ibis and Novotel in the UK whilst ensuring some main SOfitel new properties (London St James, Sofitel T5 Heathrow, Sofitel in Gatwick, SOfitel in Edinburgh, as well as successfully launching in 2006 its budget brand Etap hotel. In the same time we came up with innovative financial solutions adapted to the mixed use scheme developments with operating leases based on variable turnover rents, giving security to the operator in case of downturn whilst offering more leverage to the developer /investor on the hotel performances versus a fix rent model. Also, this model corresponds much more to the partnership approach between landlords and operators whereby both bring their expertise to get the best in the asset management of the property. In july 2006, after more than 5 years in Uk, I had opportunity to move again within Accor Hospitality, settling in Dubai to lead the development of Sofitel and other Accor brands in Middle East. My motivation was about working in a new region of the world, on new products different from the very standardized ones developed in Western Europe, in a different cultural environment and an extensive geographical zone which includes countries of huge potential and often at an emerging stage of their development. The main common point over these successive moves: dynamic markets and challenging competition on the development side. I was not disappointed as Middle East represents first a lot of contrasts from one country to another country, and a fantastic show case for hotel operators who have room (and need) to rejuvenating their brands and concepts, whilst they ,altogether with new entrants, come up with new brands and concepts. “Dynamic and optimistic” are two words coveted by hotel developers… Although being for more than 10 years with Accor Hospitality, I have regularly taken new responsibilities and got opportunities to move and cope with new challenges and new markets, as mobility is a rule in ACCOR. Every time it is like starting again: Great.

Chiheb Ben Mahmoud’s areas of expertise include hospitality development, Finance, strategic partnerships, Asset Management, Management contracts and Negotiation, Investment Analysis and Due Diligence. Chiheb holds a Masters of Science in Strategic Tourism Management from CERAM Sophia Antipolis (France) and a Master of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a graduate student at the Wharton School of Business. Prior to joining Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Chiheb held various positions in the Middle East and the North African market and especially Tunisia, where he started his career with CITIBANK. As a consultant in strategic tourism, hotel management and leisure and real estate, he conducted several advisory and consultancy assignments in France and Tunisia. Prior to that, Chiheb gained experience as Gulf and Middle East Regional Financial Director for MARRIOTT Ownership Resorts Inc. / Marriott Vacation Club International and as Deputy General Manager for a large private group in Tunisia mainly involved in hospitality. He is fluent in Arabic, French, English and is conversant in Italian.

With many years of professional experience in Architecture design, Project Management, and development, Mr. Bourisli is known as an expert in the field of mixed use and mid class developments. Rawaf Bourisli was appointed as a General Manager in June 2006. Action Real Estate Company (AREC) was established in 2004 and then transformed into a Kuwaiti shareholding closed company in 2005 with a capital of KD 18 million. In addition to developing properties, AREC provides real estate advisory, project management and letting services. Currently, AREC main Head Quarter is in the state of Kuwait, with a branch office in the Kingdom of Bahrain. In addition, the branch office in the Sultanate of Oman was launched in June 2007. Mr. Bourisli is serving as a director and chairman in number of companies in the region, including, chairman of Integrated International Group - Kuwait, Director in Action Tourism Investment Company - Jordan, and a director in Action real Estate Company – Bahrain.

Darroch Crawford joined Whitbread, the UK’s largest hospitality company and owners of Premier Inn, in the year 2000. With over 35 years of experience in the hotel industry, working for organisations such as Forte and Hilton International, Darroch joined the Premier Inn team as Operations Director for the 280 or so Premier Inns that adjoin one of Whitbread’s own pub restaurant brands such as Beefeater or Brewers Fayre. Prior to taking up his role in the Middle East in the summer of 2006 Darroch was Director of Operations and Brand Excellence, responsible for the brand’s unique quality management systems of Brand Audit, their unparalleled Guest Recommend programme and the mould breaking Good Night Guarantee. Recognised as one of the leaders of the budget hotel sector in the region, Darroch Crawford has been a regular speaker at industry events throughout the region. 2008 Darroch Crawford presented with a Whitbread “No Limits” Award for the growth of Premier Inn in the Middle East 2008 Premier Inn wins Best Business Hotel brand at the Business Travel World Awards 2006 Premier Inn runners-up for UK Business of the year at UK National Business Awards 2006 Darroch Crawford selected for an Institute of Hospitality study into great leadership in the industry. 2005 Premier Inn wins Customer Service Strategy of the Year at UK National Business Awards 1986 General Manager - Good Hotel Guide Family Hotel of the Year 1977 Appointed youngest ever General Manager in Thistle Hotels at the age of 24.

Alain Debare, General Manager of Action Hotels Co. joined the company in February 2008. Prior to joining the group, Alain held various senior management positions with Hilton Hotels. He joined Hilton in 1996 and worked his way through Operations to reach General Manager after 10 years. A graduate of Institut Paul Bocuse, Ecully, France, Alain has a broad international management and operations experience having worked in the Philippines, France, Venezuela, Brazil and Spain. Alain’s major accomplishments with Hilton include the successful opening of Hilton Sao Paulo Morumbi and Hilton Arc de Triomphe Paris. Action Hotels is one of the fastest growing and most innovative hotel development companies in the Middle East. The company specializes in the development of 3 and 4 star hotels in partnership with global hotel operators at locations including Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, UAE and Australia. Action Hotels has completed two hotels and is engaged in the development of 11 more, providing over 2500 rooms in the Middle East and Australia. Action Hotels Company is a subsidiary of Action Group Holdings KSCC. For more information, please visit www.actionhotels.com

Since joining Better Homes in 2006, Tatjana has driven the Short-term Rentals division through a dramatic phase of growth, increasing the property portfolio to 250 units and extending the operation into hospitality with the launch of Emerald Hotel Apartments. German-born Tatjana was trained at the Gilon Institute of Higher Education, Switzerland, before she embarked on a Graduate Management Training Scheme with Forte Hotels International, which took her to the UK, Monte Carlo and Italy. Prior to Better Homes, Tatjana amassed over 20 years of hospitality experience holding management positions with a range of leading hospitality companies including Le Meridien and Intercontinental. She also held a role within the German Representative Office of the Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing for The Government of Dubai. Outside of work, Tatjana is happily married and the proud parent of three children and Bobby the dog.

Member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (CA, NZ) and Fellow of the Hong Kong Society of Accountants (FHKSA). Member of Institute of Directors Member of the China Committee of The World Travel and Tourism Council. New Zealand Justice of the Peace (J.P.) Business graduate from Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand (B.C.A.). Chartered Accountant having worked in New Zealand and Hong Kong with international chartered accounting firms. 30 years experience in hotel management and operations, corporate development and administration; eight years with The Peninsula Group, Hong Kong; seven years with Kingsgate International and fifteen years with Swiss-Belhotel International. Former Chief Executive of Kingsgate International Corporation Limited, a publicly listed hotel owning and management company in Australia and New Zealand including hotels operated by Hyatt International. Hotel Schools:- Director and Shareholder of the Blue Mountains Hotel School, Sydney, Australia, Director and Shareholder of Pacific International Hotel Management School, New Zealand, Director and Shareholder of Australian International, Hotel School, Canberra, Australia, Director and Shareholder of Academy Lake Constance, Romanshorn, Switzerland, Director and investor in a number of private agricultural, property and consulting companies in Australia and New Zealand. Majority shareholder and Managing Director of 220 hectare, 700 cow dairy unit in North Taranaki, New Zealand. President and Director of Swiss-Belhotel International, an international hotel management company operating in Asia.

Peter Haaber established Nordic Hospitality and Zleep Hotels together with two partners in 2005 and 2003. The first hotel was Zleep Hotel Airport that opened in 2003. There is now 7 hotels operating under the Zleep brand in Denmark and Germany, and a further 6 hotels in the pipeline, due to open in 2009 and 2010. With the management company Nordic Hospitality, Peter Haaber and his partners also operate and manage 3 and 4 star hotels in Denmark and Germany. Nordic Hospitality operate both long and short term contracts, and thus interim management contracts are usually for unbranded hotels in the 3 and 4 star segment.

Stelios is credited as the pioneer who changed the European aviation, transport and hospitality scene for the benefit of millions of consumers. He will address a key presentation on how to unearth the right opportunities in the budget and mid market hotel sector.

Daniel Hajjar started his career with Hilton International in Paris back in 1983. In 1986, he moved to Abu Dhabi and since then, he has been associated with the hotel industry in the Middle East. He had the opportunity to head the Sales & Marketing team of the Hilton properties in Bahrain and Dubai before moving to Cairo in 1992 as the Regional Director of Sales & Marketing for 23 Hilton properties within the Middle East. In 1994, he moved back to Abu Dhabi as the General Manager of the Hilton Corniche Residence. In 1997, Rotana Hotels invited him to join the emerging group as Vice President Sales & Marketing. The position very exciting and challenging as it was not available within the corporate structure and the brand was not yet known. In 1998, Daniel moved to Lebanon, as the Vice President – Operations, to oversee the development of the company and to open its first 5 star property in the Levant, the Gefinor Rotana Hotel. In 2002, he returned back to Abu Dhabi to spearhead the Sales & Marketing department in anticipation of Rotana’s massive expansion plan. The priorities he has set for himself were related to developing a new Visual Identity for the group, introduce new Sales & Marketing technologies, expend the distribution network by entering into strategic alliances with airline and hotel partners in key feeder markets and the opening of sales offices in the UK, Germany, Kuwait and in India. Daniel’s biggest achievement was the development and the launch of one of the most recognized and successful loyalty programmes in the region; Rotana Rewards. He has, as well, put in place a solid Sales & Marketing structure that would lead the company’s remarkable ambition plans. In 2007, he decided to partner with GGICO to launch a new Hospitality company in the region with an objective for it to be a true alternative to the existing International and Regional Management companies.

Phil Kasselis is Vice President Development for Middle East & Africa based in Dubai. A graduate in hospitality management, he is a seasoned industry professional with over 24 years experience in the hotel sector. Born in France, Phil is a fourth generation Hotelier with diversified experience in hotel operations, hospitality consulting, hotel development & acquisitions and the brokerage of major hotel transactions. Mr Kasselis is responsible for spearheading the strategic expansion of IHG’s hotel brands, InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Express by Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites through joint ventures, new developments and the negotiating of hotel management agreements. Prior to relocating to Dubai in early 2006, Phil was based in IHG’s Sydney corporate office responsible for the group’s development pipeline in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Prior to joining IHG in 2000, he held the position of Director – Hotel Investments at hotel brokerage firm Knight Frank Expotel where he undertook selling instructions and hotel acquisitions on behalf of private investors, hotel chains and financial institutions. Before this, Phil worked as the Development Manager with Accor Asia Pacific prior to which he spent a total of 8 years with hospitality consulting firms Arthur Andersen and Horwath & Horwath advising clients on hotel investment opportunities throughout Asia Pacific.

Christophe Landais, born in 1955 in France, joined the Accor group in 2000 as Managing Director for Accor Middle East based in Dubai. His responsibilities cover both the multi brands Accor hotels Development from economy lodging to upscale properties as well as the Accor hotels Operations in the Gulf region, and Pakistan. He established the Middle East office for Accor in 2000 in Dubai, where he oversees the development and operations for the Accor group growing the regional Accor hotels portfolio from nine properties in 2000 to over twenty properties in operations in 2007, with presently 34 hotels, Novotel, Suitehotel and Ibis under construction throughout the Gulf region. Key milestone for the Accor group achieved in the region under his management include the successful introduction and launch of internationally branded mid-scale properties with Novotel and economy lodging properties with Ibis in 2003. Prior to joining Accor Middle East, Christophe Landais served as General Manager for the Concorde Lafayette in Paris from 1997 to 1999. He has also held several Hotel General Manager positions since 1984 with the Accor group in Europe, predominantly in the UK.

A graduate of the University of Arizona, the American University of Paris and Essec Business School, Ms. Lalitte, who is a dual French-American national, joined Accor in 1989. Since then, she has built up extensive expertise in marketing, sales, distribution and the Internet in both the United States and Europe. Her previous position was Director of Marketing & Sales for Accor Benelux, based in Brussels.

Ivor McBurney, born in Belfast, N. Ireland, has over 30 years experience in the Hospitality Industry with Hilton Hotels Corporation. He joined Hilton in the mid 1970’s in the United Kingdom on a Finance Training course and during his time with the company, has held a wide range of Finance positions at Hotel, Area and Head Office levels. His roles have taken him from the United Kingdom to the United States, Europe and, for the last 10 years, the Middle East. Prior to his current position, Ivor was Director of Finance – Middle East, for 5 years during which time Hilton’s operations in the region expanded from 18 to 32 hotels. He established the Development Office in Dubai in late 2005 and leads the expansion activity covering the Hilton Family of Brands in the region.

It’s during his internship in the Middle East that Jean-Luc Motot’s adventure with Accor started while still doing his business studies in commerce. After completed his studies, Jean-Luc Motot joined Accor for his first appointment as Commercial Director in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “I had the will to go towards an international career and the opportunity was given to me to dive directly into an irreplaceable experience”. In 1987, Jean-Luc returned to France and was nominated “Head of International Development” for the new brand Formule 1. In 1989, he took over the general management of Formule 1 in Benelux and moved in Brussels. In 5 years, he developed and supervised the openings of 15 hotels in Belgium and the Netherlands. “For me, that was the beginning of the management adventure!” In 1994, Jean-Luc moved to South Africa with a mission of developing Formule 1 brand: 4 hotels existed already and when Jean-Luc Motot left in 1997, there were 23. It was a way for him to experience autonomy at 10,000 kms from the Head Office before Jean-Luc returned to Evry as Director of Operations for most of Africa. In 2000, he took the general management of the brands Formule 1, Etap hotels and Ibis located in Paris, its Paris region and Normandy. A year later, Jean-Luc Motot was nominated Director General for Formule 1 France, and then co-head the restructuring grouping Formule 1 and Etap hotels, 500 hotels in total! In July 2004, he was asked to take the position of Director General for Africa & Middle East. “My path with Accor is marked with an extraordinary dynamism in development and management together with varied and fulfilling experiences” concluded Jean-Luc Motot.

Currently operating 12 hotels under the flagship of Flamingo Hotel Management Co. Amine E. Moukarzel is also the Senior Vice President & Managing Director – MEA representing the international hotel chain Golden Tulip Hotels, Inns & Resorts with a portfolio of 32 hotels in the region, specializing from franchising to management and complimenting the Flamingo portfolio. Amine Moukarzel, a veteran hotelier with his experience in the hospitality industry for more than 30 years is the author of several articles and reports on hospitality management, franchising and development as well as the author of the book titled “Bites & Pieces”. He is also a lecturer in major universities, trade shows and international conferences having contributed to the success of the best hotels and tourism industry in the region.

Ralph Noblet, the Director of ECOS Hotels – Middle East’s first environmentally-friendly budget brand – is enterprising, knowledgeable, sensible, passionate, lucid and unpretentious. Even when you disagree with him, it’s impossible not to enjoy doing so. Besides being a seasoned hotelier, he is an enthusiastic entrepreneur. Born in 1973, Ralph stepped into the hospitality industry pretty early – almost 18 years ago to be precise. Blazingly witty and incisive, he was soon globetrotting - working with the world’s most prestigious hotel brands such as Le Meridien and Four Seasons. Co-founder of Coral International Hotels, Resorts & Spas LLC (established in 2004 and headquartered in Dubai), Ralph was soon ready for a bigger challenge. Now with the development of ECOS Hotels, the environmentally-conscious Frenchman brings a novel concept to the region which combines sound economic reasoning with ethical ecological practices. Innovative design, top return on investment, sustainable development and cutting-edge technology are all part of the ECOS business strategy. In recognition of being the region’s most innovative hotel concept, ECOS Hotels recently won AHIC Innovation Award 2008 - an incredible achievement considering the massive competition. The first ECOS hotel is coming up in Dubailand in UAE followed by another one in Fujairah. In addition, there are other exciting developments taking shape in Oman and KSA. For more information log on to www.ecos-hotels.com

Aman Sachdev, an Indian national, joined Rotana in April 2005 as Director of Strategy. Aman joined Rotana from Jumeirah where he was a member of faculty at The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, delivering courses in Strategic Business Management and Hotel Revenue Management. Prior to joining Jumeirah, Aman held various senior operational management positions with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts in India. Aman is a graduate of the prestigious Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland, where he obtained an MBA in International Hospitality Management. He received his undergraduate degree in Hotel Management from The National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology in India, and subsequently completed a Management Training Program with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts at The Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development in Delhi, India. In October 2007, Aman was promoted to the position of Corporate Vice President – Research and Development with Rotana, where his primary responsibility is to drive the company’s aggressive growth plans by adding new strategic properties to its portfolio. In addition to his Development related responsibilities, Aman also oversees the development and execution of several multi-disciplinary strategic projects for the company; the overriding intent behind each of these projects is to further enhance the quality of the existing operations, its future developments and the strategic positioning of the company. One of his first such projects was the launch of ‘Centro by Rotana’, an innovative executive budget hotel brand managed by Rotana.

Georg Schlegel started his hotel career with the French group Accor (Novotel, Ibis, Etap,Mercure,Sofitel) in 1992 as a marketing manager for the Ibis Hotel brand in Germany. From 1995 he was in charge for development of the franchise business in Germany, Austria and Switzerland where the group had at that time only company managed hotels. Besides his responsibilities for the group he hold various positions in the German franchise community, held speeches and wrote articles for special interest magazines about hotel franchising. His focus was always on limited service hotels. He successfully increased the number of franchised hotels for the group until 2002 and laid ground to more awareness of hotel franchising in the German speaking markets. He than joined the Intercontinental Hotels Group as a development director. in charge of development for Germany, Austria, Moldavia, all Back Sea and Caspian Sea countries, including Turkey, Kazakhstan and various countries in the central Asia. Since March 2008 he is in charge for the development of the Select Services Brands Aloft, Element and Four Points by Sheraton for EMEA. In his role he is in charge of getting the Starwood Brands adapted to EMEA and rolled out with a focus on franchise development. Aloft, is a new Life Style Hotel Brand with the DNA of W Hotels. Element is an extended stay brand which carries the DNA of Westin. Both brands have recently opened their first properties in North America. Four Points, a full service Mid-Market brand, is already present in a number of countries through out EMEA and will have the strongest growth potential in the coming years.

A Visionary and an achiever. Ramee Group of Companies is the brainchild of Mr. V M (Raj) Shetty, Chairman and Managing Worker. It is the vision of the Chairman to diversify into products and services related to the hospitality industry in the coming future. Success – the word has a different meaning to all of us. For some it involves money, for others accumulation of desired assets and yet others emotional fulfillment in their personal and business relationships or perhaps all of the above. However, there is most definitely a universal common denominator and that is, the all-encumbering, passionately focused, positive mindset that successful people invariably have. Successful people do have some amount of luck on their side but luck comes only with tremendous hard work and a vision for the future. You are what you think about and if you think big, you grow big. Raj Shetty’s story proves the point more than adequately. Raj Shetty, as he is better known, has proved that a belief in oneself, trust in one’s ability and uncompromising hard work in life is a recipe to achieve anything. He wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Far from it, in fact he was born in the small town of Kundapur, located near Udupi in Karnataka, India on Oct. 13, 1960. Raj Shetty lived with his family in Mumbai for the early part of his life. When he was 18, he moved to Dubai in search of a better life. While other 13-year-olds were thinking of nothing but school and friends and a fun-filled life, it wasn’t so for this destiny’s child. His teenage mind thought of what would make his future better, what would bring about an easier life for his parents. The opportunity could only come if he went overseas. The boy grasped what most grownups ponder over. Raj Shetty applied for a job through an agent and secured his first overseas break in Saudi Arabia at Costian Oil Refinery. Life was not easy for the man who was called on to handle the most boring or unwanted jobs. He kept his chin up and his willpower alive: One day he was going to build an empire in the hospitality business. The hospitality industry lured him. Albert Abela was his second job and a stepping-stone to the industry. It is an experience that he will never forget. Having joined as Captain and being promoted to the level of Restaurant Manager would have left a lot of us content and bereft of any further ambition. But Raj Shetty did not stop, he took up part time jobs and while his friends and colleagues were busy enjoying life, Raj Shetty worked day and night to pave way for his above dream venture. He returned to India with his savings and started a juice bar, which was successful for a short while. But he ached for more and so packed his bags yet again and came back to Middle East with an even stronger determination. He took up jobs at various levels, this time the entrepreneur did not hesitate to serve as a waiter and then went on to become a captain and then a restaurant manager. In the process he also made good contacts and built relationships with the local authorities and government that came to good use one day. His people skills were inborn. His first independent opportunity in the Middle East came when he was offered on lease the first hotel in Dubai, UAE a start of the Ramee Empire. This was at the age of 25years, barely a decade after he started earning his first salary. The second venture was Glass Suites and then there was no looking back. Al Ras in Deira was his first hotel. He put extreme efforts day and night, created his own team and profitably ran the hotel that earned him more monetary reserves. From 1997 to 2007 the Company under the flagship Ramee Group of Hotels, Resorts and Apartments, chaired by him, now owns 31 properties including hotels, apartments and resorts in India, U.A.E, Bahrain and Muscat. Regent Palace is his flagship hotel that has earned him tremendous credibility and a great reputation in the local market. With these 31 properties being operated at present another 10 is in the pipe line, around 5000 employees and we have quite of few dedicated employees who have climbed the ladder right from the junior level. Raj Shetty is very keen to increase his investments in the Middle East & India therefore 10 properties are on the line and they are expected to be launch by 2010. His sole dream to have 100 Hotels/Apartments by 2015. Raj Shetty is a success full business man who has a big heart. He is always doing charity and is constantly helping the needy. Recently he has donated a large sum of amount to School for Deaf & Dumb in India (Karnataka). During Eid & Diwali he make sure that he share some of his blessings by providing a special food to people who cannot afford celebrate with these special occasions. The Ramee Hotels have so impressed the international hospitality industry that they are inundated with offers to part with them at a generous compensation. “My hotels are my children who I have nurtured and watched grow and be successful in the world. My heart swells with pride when I see yet another one make a name for itself. The hotels are the products of intense labor, love of friends and my beloved with family. We believe that “serving you is our pleasure” says Raj Shetty.

John is a specialist in the hospitality & leisure industries. His practice focuses on hotel operating and management agreements and franchising arrangements. He has advised a wide range of clients including national and international hotel companies, hotel investment groups and development companies and banks. He has negotiated hotel deals either for or against practically all national and international hotel chains, including Accor, Marriott, Starwood, InterContinental Hotels Group, Hilton, Hyatt, Rezidor, De Vere, Whitbread, Dakota, Principal Hotels, Golden Tulip, Radisson Edwardian, Raffles, Campbell Gray Hotels, easyHotels, Jumeirah, Six Senses, Amanresorts, Oberoi, Taj, Mövenpick and Cendant Corporation. He advises on both UK and international deals, including recent projects in Abu Dhabi, Spain, Russia, Switzerland, Lebanon, Egypt, Dominica, Honduras, Grenada, Brazil, the Bahamas, Jordan and Morocco.

Singaporean Bhupesh Yadav, 45, joined Shama in January 2008 as Chief Operating Officer. With over 20 years of experience in hospitality operations, 13 of which were honed in serviced residences specifically, Bhupesh joined Shama from Frasers Hospitality where he was Chief Operating Officer. He completed his initial hospitality studies at the Institute of Hotel Management, Delhi along with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and then attended the Institut de Management Hotelier International (Cornell-Essec) in France, a Masters program jointly administered by the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, USA and the ESSEC Business school of France. After acting as a consultant general manager for India’s Professional Hotels group, he moved to Singapore in 1995 and joined Scotts Holdings, one of the region’s largest serviced apartment operators; soon he was appointed General Manager of The Ascott Jakarta after constructing the Ascott in Kuala Lumpur. In 2000, he took on a new role with Frasers as General Manager for Fraser Suites in Singapore, before being promoted to Regional Director of Operations and later on to COO in 2007. Mr Yadav is married with a daughter. He speaks fluent English, French and Hindi. His interests include philosophy, music, creative writing and community work.