Guy Hutchinson to step down as CEO and president of Rotana

(Image: Supplied by Rotana)

Guy Hutchinson, president and CEO of Rotana, will be stepping down from his role next year.

In a statement issued by the Abu Dhabi-headquartered hotel management company, Selim El Zyr, Rotana’s co-founder and vice-chairman, said that Hutchinson will be departing from the group in “early 2024”.

“After nearly ten years at Rotana, his leadership has supported the group’s growth across the region. We wish Guy the best for what lies ahead and thank him for the contribution made during his tenure,” said El Zyr.

No replacement for Hutchinson has been announced at this point. However, earlier this month, Rotana announced the appointment of Eddy Tannous as its new chief operating officer. Tannous has held senior roles with global brands, and most recently, served as senior vice president of Operations overseeing the operational performance across Fairmont’s Middle East and Asian properties.

Meanwhile, Hutchinson will move on to the Hilton group as the next president of the Middle East and Africa region. The MENA is one of the group’s fastest-growing and most profitable regions which will be helmed by the former Rotana executive starting next year. Hutchinson succeeds the late Jochem-Jan Sleiffer.

Rotana’s expansive footprint

Rotana currently operates 72 hotels in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Türkiye, serving more than six million guests per year, including 10,159 keys across 36 hotels in the UAE alone.

The hotel management company said earlier this year that it will aim to reach 120 operating hotels spanning across 28,000 keys by 2030. Saudi Arabia and Egypt will be the key markets for the group’s expansion plan within the region.

Outside of the Middle East, the brand also announced plans to open its first properties in the UK, with the development of up to 1,500 keys under the Centro brand in greater London.

The first two hotels are confirmed for New Malden and Kingston, with the 70-apartment Centro New Malden set to open this year across from the town’s rail station, followed by the 31-apartment new-build Centro Kingston on the north edge of Coombe Road in 2024.

Read: Bloom Holding partners with Rotana for hotel apartment on Saadiyat Island

This article originally appeared on Business Traveller Middle East