Dubai-based leading independent hotel management company, Aleph Hospitality, has announced the appointment of Jad Shamseddin in the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the Middle East.

Jad joins Aleph Hospitality from his most recent role as Chief Hospitality Officer at Ajlan Bros Holding Group in Riyadh, KSA.  Previously, Jad was Managing Director of the hotels division at Al Hokair Group in KSA and Regional Director Hotel Openings for the Middle East, Africa, Turkey and Georgia at Millennium & Copthorne Middle East & Africa.

Based in the Aleph Hospitality headquarters in Dubai and a member of the executive team, Jad will be responsible for developing and driving Aleph Hospitality’s operational excellence and lead the implementation and management of the company’s operational strategies across its growing hotel portfolio.

Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality, commented: “We are very excited to welcome Jad to the team in what is a critical role for the business as our growth accelerates with the expansion of our hotel portfolio across the Middle East and Africa. Jad is a highly experienced and dynamic hospitality leader with a very strong track record, and his entrepreneurial spirit is the perfect fit for our company culture.”

A Lebanese national, Jad brings over 20 years of international hospitality experience to Aleph Hospitality of which he spent 15 years in leadership roles in strategy, development, operations, business transformation, commercial, and mergers, takeovers and acquisitions in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Turkey.

“In addition to his focus on operational strategy and excellence, Jad will be instrumental in further strengthening our relationships with hotel brands, owners and investors across the Middle East and Africa which is at the core of our success,” added Haddad.

Commenting on his appointment Jad Shamseddin said: Third-party hotel management is rapidly growing in the Middle East Region, following its success in Europe and the United States over the past decades, with owners looking for a shift from the traditional hotel management agreements. I am very proud to join Aleph Hospitality as the leader in its field, and as team, we look forward to further expansion in the region, ensuring unparalleled deliverables to hotel owners, whilst practicing the highest industry standards to protect brand integrity for the brand owners.”

Aleph Hospitality, which has earmarked a pipeline of 50 hotels in the Middle East and Africa by 2025, manages hotels directly for owners, either on a franchise basis for branded properties or as a white label operator for independently-branded hotels.