Dubai / UAE: Mixed-use and lifestyle operator, Kerten Hospitality, has announced the strategic appointment of Wafik Youssef as its chief operating offier [COO].
Youssef, a seasoned leader with a proven track record of growth with global hotel players, and a career spanning three continents over two decades, will further contribute to Kerten Hospitality’s footprint expansion and multiple project openings rolling out 2021 onwards.
The new COO will be responsible for all operational properties and upcoming mixed-use project openings across the Middle East, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia driving the group’s global vision for growth and expansion. He will be based in Kerten’s corporate office in Dubai.
Kerten Hospitality CEO Marloes Knippenberg said: “Wafik brings a breadth of knowledge from global organisations, regional expertise and the knack to nurture teams that deliver success and innovation and further aspire to become the industry disrupters and out-of-the-box thinkers. We are glad to have a commercially-savvy leader who believes that our employee-centric culture can create sustainable global operations, unique guest journeys, and ultimately deliver value to our owners and industry stakeholders.”
Kerten Hospitality COO Wafik Youssef said: “The Kerten Hospitality philosophy aligns perfectly with my personal approach: to take pride in evolving and proactively elevating hospitality norms, to lay emphasis on community build rather than just operation of properties – hotels, residences, offices, food and beverage and everything else that hospitality touches.
“This is what has inspired me to join this entrepreneurial team and contribute to the evolution of our industry through the prism of flexibility and lifestyle. The pioneering vision of the group combined with the efforts of a driven team, I truly believe will help us create home-like guest experiences and further ride and conquer the emergent industry trends,” he added.
