C O M P A N Y O V E R V I E W
CARLSON REZIDOR A second year of record growth built on solid foundations Written by: Abigail Phillips Produced by: Kiron Chavda
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CARLSON REZIDOR
Ramsay Rankoussi and Elie Milky
How Carlson Rezidor expanded its footprint on foundations of market expertise, product offering, owner’s trust and responsible business 4
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arlson Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the world’s largest and most dynamic hotel companies. It has an expanding portfolio of more than 1,350 hotels in operation and under development, a global footprint covering over 105 countries and territories, and a powerful set of global brands including Quorvus Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson Red, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites by CarlsonSM. Carlson Rezidor in the Middle East is a relatively young arm of the business, but has gone from strength to strength
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Key Personnel Elie Milky Snr Director of Business Development Middle East & Africa, The Rezidor Hotel Group
in recent years. Today the Middle East has 34 operating properties in the region and has a further 30 properties in the pipeline. The latest innovation at Carlson Rezidor was the launch of Radisson Red, which is an upscale brand designed to address the growing demand for a lifestyle select offering. This was in addition to the launch of Quorvus Collection in the luxury segment as a collection of unique, iconic properties. The Middle East region has witnessed an increasing surge in economic growth resulting in the demand for quality accommodation in all segments despite
Elie is responsible for driving expansion opportunities in accordance with the group’s growth strategy across the Middle East and parts of Africa, which remains an area of focus for each of the core brands: Radisson Blu, Park Inn by Radisson, Radisson Red and the Quorvus Collection. A Lebanese/Gambian national, Elie has a BA in Hospitality Management & Tourism and an MBA in International Hospitality Management specialising in Hotel Real Estate and Finance from the renowned IMHI – ESSEC Business School in Paris.
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CARLSON REZIDOR
VingCard Elsafe, a long term partner with Rezidor Hotel Group providing hotel security solutions introduces,
THE NEXT GENERATION ELECTRONIC LOCKING SOLUTION VingCard’s newest family member, Allure by VingCard1, takes hotel locking solutions to a whole new level with its unique design and exceptional features. Now, you no longer need a lock on the door, Allure is meant for wall mounting. Allure is more than you would imagine it to be. It can act like a lock, but surely does not look like one. With its sophisticated glass looking fronts and elegant touch, Allure is a jewel in disguise. More flexible than ever before, you can now choose the appearance and functionality based on your desires. Let Allure be part of the interior design! With its most advanced access panel, Allure also includes; “Do Not Disturb” og “Make Up Room” status indicators, doorbell and the option of customdesigned roomnumber or text2. Allure by VingCard is compatible with VISIONLINE system solution. Orion, an innovative and affordable energy management solution can help reduce energy consumption, saving up to 35% in monthly utilities, while ensuring maximum comfort for your guests.
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March 2015 1. Not available for sale, please contact your sales representative for more information. 2. Specifications may change without notice and special conditions apply.
CARLSON REZIDOR
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“We are seeing an awful lot of potential in the region; specifically Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, among others due to a spike in leisure tourism and business travel”
some pockets of instability, which resulted in the company’s desire to diversify its portfolio has meant that growth in this category has been significant. “It has been a very good year for us in terms of growth. We are seeing an awful lot of potential in the region; specifically Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, among others due to a spike in leisure tourism and business travel,” says Elie Milky, Senior Director Business Development. Company strategy Currently, Carlson Rezidor is expanding in both midscale, upscale, upper-upscale and luxury segments to meet growing demand for hotel accommodation across the region. Its service offering is broken down into hotels, resorts, and serviced apartments.
SUPPLIER PROFILE
- Elie Milky, Senior Director Business Development.
ASSA ABLOY (VCE GROUP)
VingCard Elsafe, the world leader in hotel security technology, has products installed in more than 42,000 properties worldwide. VingCard electronic locking system solutions include the latest RFID contact-less electronic locks compatible with NFC and BLE. Elsafe provides the only UL-listed (1037) anti-break-in hotel safe series on the market today.Orion by VingCard Elsafe provides an intelligent energy management solution. Local service and support in nearly 170 countries.
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CARLSON REZIDOR
Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence, Jeddah Gate
“In this region we are experiencing a high demand from families and corporate clients who want to stay in a studio, one or two bed apartments for short and long stays,” explains Milky. “Hence the need for the extended stay product.” The company also operates a number of midmarket hotels under the Park Inn by Radisson brand within its portfolio, as well as upper-upscale offerings with Radisson Blu properties. “We are in a fortunate position, whereby we can cater for a broad range of clients,” says Milky. Already 2015 is ramping up to be a big year for Carlson Rezidor in the Middle East. “We have a number of serviced apartments opening in Dubai; one in July and another three scheduled for the next three years. In Dubai we have a lot of up and coming serviced apartments. Saudi Arabia is also part of the company expansion plan, which includes serviced apartments under both Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson brands,” he says. Unlike many of its competitors, the company operates serviced apartments under the group’s established brands.
Park Inn by Radisson Hotel and Residence Duqm one bedroom chalet
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The key to success, is people The success of the company however, is not down to process alone; it is also down to recruiting and nurturing the right people. “The need to recruit the right talent to sustain growth is critical to our business success. We have a lot of planned development in the next few years and the most critical element comes from a human
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perspective.” said Milky. “We believe in growing people already within the Carlson Rezidor family and as such provide our employees with the support and tools they need to grow both personally and professionally. The most important thing for us is strong people and effective people management.” he said. A modern supply chain As well as having a team of experts on the ground, Carlson Rezidor has a sophisticated supply chain set up, which sets it apart from the competition.
The key to success, is people
Radisson Blu Resort Fujairah w w w. r e z i d o r. c o m
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CARLSON REZIDOR
WE HAVE THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY
LOCKED IN.
In the not-so-distant future, your guests will rate their stay on how much you let them do on the go. Fortunately, Kaba is well ahead of the mobility curve. Plus, our mobile functionality is built on the security backbone you’ve grown to trust. It’s more than mobility without limits. It’s security without compromise.
For more information, please contact: Rune Venaas: +34 615 481 544 rune.venaas@kaba.com Philip Van Neer: +971 4 501 56 36 philip.van.neer@kaba.com © Kaba Ilco Inc, 2015, all rights reserved. Patents pending and protected.
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March 2015
www.kabalodging.com
CARLSON REZIDOR
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Ramsay Rankoussi, Director of Business Development says, “This is one of our most important initiatives in terms of growth; everything is about growing capacity in terms of our portfolio, our suppliers and our supply chain network. We are expanding our sales, technical and supply chain resources in Saudi Arabia so there is a lot of momentum going on at the moment. Carlson Rezidor has a revenue and distribution management team, which is constantly looking into the latest innovations in the fields of e-buying, e-procurement and e-business to drive efficiency. “We have an optimisation team in Brussels and they focus on e-development and e-distribution which are key factors in relation to the business moving forward.” Rankoussi said. That same team also manages suppliers, which translates
SUPPLIER PROFILE
A serviced apartment
KABA
Kaba is a leading source of high quality access management solutions and hotel access systems. Kaba’s latest offering of RFID locks are mobile-access compatible, giving operators a range of guest entry options and leveraging Bluetooth Low Energy technology: guest can use their smart phones to access Kaba guest door locks. Kaba is an innovator of the integration of NFC, BLE and other technologies that enable the issuing and management of mobile credentials. With their smart phone, guests keep moving, bypassing the front desk check-in process, allowing them to proceed directly to their room, enhancing their stay and streamlining hotel operations. Website: www.kabalodging.com
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CARLSON REZIDOR
Exterior
“We are acutely aware of the fact that we are a global company and as such need to focus on sustainability, the environment and the world for generations to come” - Elie Milky 12
to direct cost savings due to the buying power of the global company. “We have a regional head in each arm of the business and they all work together to locally source and globally source the right materials and equipment for the business”. A unique business model Carlson Rezidor is one of the largest companies in the world and one of the fastest growing in the Middle East. “We are very solution driven when it comes to helping owners and investors developing and managing hotels on their behalf. Our response rate is high, we can move quickly when
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opportunities arise, we have less bureaucracy than other companies and at the same time we are business minded in our approach. “We have strict standards and specifications – we will live by them so we don’t jeopardise the final product but then again, we look at solutions from a business angle. We can make decisions on the ground, which are business minded and in the best interest of the owner and the end-user. This is a level of flexibility that other companies are sometimes unable to achieve” said Rankoussi. Carlson Rezidor takes pride in developing its hotel brands with both the investor and the consumer in mind. “We look at functionality, ROI and the usability for the consumer. When it comes to operations we have some of the highest profit margins in the industry, but it doesn’t stop there. We are acutely aware of the fact that we are a global company and as such need to focus on sustainability, the environment and the world for generations to come. “We have an award winning responsible business program and all our buildings have high sustainability rates – in everything we do, we aim to give back to the community and the environment.” he said. Carlson Rezidor is a company build on strong foundations. Its positive, empowering values truly make it stand out from the crowd. Carlson Rezidor is based on a culture of respect - for its employees, its customers, its stakeholders and the environment. That is a winning formula.
Company Information OP E RATI NG HOTE LS I N THE M I DDLE E AST:
Quorvus Collection: 1 Hotel (169 rooms) Radisson Blu: 26 Hotels (6,873 rooms) Park Inn by Radisson: 7 Hotels (1,181 rooms) Total 34 hotels / 8223 rooms HOTE LS UNDER DE VE LOP M E NT I N THE M I DDLE EA ST:
Radisson Blu: 15 Hotels (3,861 rooms) Park Inn by Radisson: 13 Hotels (2,806 rooms) Total 28 hotels/ 6667 rooms
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www.carlsonrezidor.com