Amanda Elder
Chief Commercial Officer and
member of the Kempinski Hotels
Management Board
kempinski.com
If you were to summarize your career in one sentence, what would you say?
A career globetrotter with a genuine passion for luxury hospitality and connecting with people from all walks of life.
What is your most eagerly anticipated project?
The launch of Discovery 2.0 – the new and enhanced version of our loyalty program. As I am serving on both the shareholders board and the Marketing Advisory Board of the Global Hotel Alliance, it is exciting to be instrumental in shaping the future of loyalty for Kempinski.
What qualities define a true leader?
Trust in people, trust in themselves and having a clear vision for the company they are leading. With trust comes transparency and honesty that propels teamwork to a completely new level.
What would you like to be known for in the industry?
What I say is what I do and my promises are kept. That my people know I have their back at all times, and that I am interested and care about their wellbeing while we strive to achieve our goals together.
Where does the company stand in terms of its growth trajectory and its strategy for the MENA region?
Kempinski Hotels continues to strengthen its international foothold as a leading luxury hospitality operator. The strong pipeline of new projects that expands the group’s presence in exciting destinations worldwide includes, among others, prestigious hotels in the Middle East and Africa. In order to meet the growing demand for wellness and to offer guests an even wider range of services, Kempinski Hotels has lately acquired all outstanding shares of Resense Spa not already held by the group. Resense is a company focused on sustainable wellness solutions, and Kempinski Hotels will use the company’s infrastructure and expertise to further integrate wellness into its operations globally.
UPCOMING PROJECTS IN THE MENA REGION
About author
Rita Ghantous
Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector. Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC). She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book. She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter. Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler. It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.
