Anna-Marie Dowling, GM of Nofa Riyadh, is a champion of purpose-driven hospitality, where people, sustainability and meaningful progress shape a deeper kind of luxury. Here, she shares how her decisions are made, offering a candid look behind the scenes of hotel leadership.
How do you personally define strong decision making in the context of hotel management?
For me, strong decision making in hotel management is about balancing agility with responsibility. Furthermore, in a dynamic hospitality environment like Nofa Riyadh, a Radisson Collection Resort, every decision must support the guest experience, protect the business and empower the team. Moreover, strong decisions are not made in isolation. They are based on facts, data and experience. Additionally, they require listening to different perspectives, especially from those on the front line.
I encourage an open culture where feedback is valued. However, when it’s time to decide, I believe in being clear, confident and decisive, even when facing uncertainty. Equally important is aligning decisions with long-term goals. Whether it’s improving guest satisfaction, driving financial results or advancing our sustainability initiatives, good decisions must serve both immediate needs and the broader vision of the resort.
Ultimately, strong decision making is also about accountability. It’s understanding that not every choice will be perfect but standing by your actions, learning from outcomes and improving. That mindset, I believe, fosters trust within the team and drives consistent success for the resort.
What steps do you take to ensure that decision making is aligned with both guest satisfaction and business performance?
I recognize that guest satisfaction and business performance are deeply connected; indeed, you simply cannot sustain one without the other. With this in mind, every decision we make is consistently guided by our commitment to this fundamental, performance-driven hospitality principle.
Firstly, I believe a data-driven approach is essential; therefore, we monitor guest feedback via GRI, direct surveys and informal conversations. Also, we track core business metrics, from revenue performance to cost management, ensuring a complete, balanced view of operational health. Furthermore, before making any decision, I always ask: “Will this enhance the guest experience and be commercially viable long term?”
Secondly, I actively involve the team, because collaborative leadership ensures our people understand how their choices impact satisfaction and profitability equally. As a result, our heads of department meet regularly to share insights, review results and align on strategy and execution.
Together, we make sure our operational decisions reflect both our brand values and the financial sustainability necessary for long-term success. Moreover, we prioritize long-term thinking; in other words, we avoid short-term savings that could compromise service quality or guest perception. Therefore, I consistently challenge the team to innovate responsibly, thus protecting guest experience while maintaining positive financial and operational outcomes. One example is our sustainability initiative: producing fruit and herbs on-site reduces costs, lowers emissions and improves guest experiences with local ingredients. In the end, excellent decision making at Nofa means honoring our hospitality values while driving sustainable, responsible business growth across all areas.
How has your experience as a woman in hospitality influenced your decisions over the years?
My experience as a woman in hospitality has shaped my leadership style and decision making in many positive ways. This industry, especially in the earlier years of my career, was very male dominated. That’s how I learned quickly the importance of resilience, empathy and leading by example.
Being a woman influence my decisions by making me more people focused. Therefore, I strongly believe that when you create an environment of inclusion and empowerment, both the guest experience and business performance improve. Here at Nofa Riyadh, our teams are encouraged to contribute ideas, grow their careers and take ownership of their roles.
As a woman in a leadership role in Saudi Arabia, I understand my responsibility to uplift other women in hospitality. Therefore, I consistently seek ways to open doors for female talent through recruitment initiatives, personalized mentorship or focused professional development programs. Moreover, this commitment shapes my decisions, influencing how we structure teams and design a workplace that reflects culture and brand values. Consequently, my journey has revealed that true leadership extends beyond results; it’s about people, diversity and long-term, meaningful impact across the board.
How do you involve your team in the decision-making process while still leading with clarity?
I firmly believe the best decisions come through collaboration; however, as a leader, I must also provide clear, strategic direction. To support that, I involve the team by fostering an open environment where ideas, feedback, and solutions are welcomed without hesitation.
For example, through daily briefings, department head meetings or informal chats, I ensure every team member knows their voice matters. Because our team is closest to guests and operations, I believe their practical observations and real-time feedback are absolutely invaluable and necessary. Meanwhile, I lead with clarity by clearly setting expectations and transparently communicating business goals from the very beginning. Whatever the goal is, I ensure everyone understands what matters and why. This way, when we evaluate suggestions or reach decisions, the full context is clear, and the rationale remains open and consistent. Furthermore, I strike a balance, recognizing that not every decision requires consensus, yet every opinion deserves thoughtful consideration and respect. After listening and assessing diverse perspectives, I communicate decisions with confidence, clarity and the consistency needed to maintain team trust. Ultimately, involving the team while offering clear direction fosters ownership, accountability and unity, qualities vital to our success at Nofa Riyadh.
