Tourism Breaking News
FHS Saudi Arabia, taking place in Riyadh from 29 April to 1 May, has a strong female focus this year, reflecting the rise of women in the Kingdom’s hospitality and tourism industries, and encouraging more to embark on a career in the sector. With International Women’s Day (8 March) just around the corner and FHS Saudi Arabia less than two months away, female forces in the Middle East’s hospitality sector share their thoughts on what women already bring to the industry, and how hospitality and tourism businesses can turn KSA’s young women of today into the leaders of tomorrow.
As part of its commitment to recognise the important role of women in the sector, FHS Saudi Arabia organiser, The Bench, has launched #FHSWomenPower, a new campaign for this year’s event. Under the initiative, The Bench is offering female Saudi nationals who hold leading positions in the country’s hospitality sector to attend FHS free of charge.
Read on for insight and expert opinion from Marie-Louise Ek, Vice President Human Resources Middle East and Africa, Hilton; Shaikha Al Nowais, Corporate Vice President of Owner Relationship Management, Rotana; Marloes Knippenberg, Chief Executive Officer, Kerten Hospitality; Eng. Orobah Filfilan, Architect, Saudi Icon; Norah Al Tamimi, Chief Executive Officer, Baheej Company, and Aseel Bondagjy, Hotel Talent Development Manager, and Maryam AlQahtani, Brand Experience Professional, NEOM.
What is your organisation doing to champion gender diversity and women empowerment in the hospitality industry in line with Saudi Vision 2030 and the region’s social and economic aspirations?
Marie-Louise Ek, Vice President Human Resources Middle East and Africa, Hilton: At Hilton we are in a business of people serving people. We lead with culture and we are committed to creating an inclusive work environment, driven by purpose, offering strong growth opportunities, and providing support to empower Team Members to thrive every day. Last year, we were recognised as the World’s Best Workplace and we remain committed to providing a great place to work for all.
Gender diversity is a key objective for us and we’ve taken significant steps toward recruiting and upskilling more Team Members. Recently, we trained over 15 internal facilitators to run our ‘Women in Leadership’ programme across the Kingdom to help train and nurture the next generation of female leaders and hotel General Managers. Additionally, we’ve welcomed more than 250 trainees through our doors, including more than 200 women in the last two years, further igniting the passion for tourism and hospitality among youth. The impact is evident in the fact that 20% of our Team Members in KSA are now women working in roles ranging from frontline to hotel managers, and we have tripled the number of women in Heads of Department roles since 2021 across the Kingdom.
Eng. Orobah Filfilan, Architect, Saudi Icon: Saudi Icon gives equal opportunities to all its employees and embraces a positive team culture. I was hired as an architect, but upon viewing my skill set and potential, the company provided me with the choice to expand my field of responsibilities, roles, and tasks as an employee within the company and grow my career as a Saudi female architect.
Aseel Bondagjy, Hotel Talent Development Manager, NEOM: We are committed to promoting gender diversity and women empowerment in the hospitality industry. Our initiatives are aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and include targeted programs such as culinary arts and leadership training, which aim to empower Saudi women with the skills they need to achieve success in the hospitality sector.
Marloes Knippenberg, Chief Executive Officer, Kerten Hospitality: As a global enterprise, championing gender diversity and women empowerment is encoded in the DNA of Kerten Hospitality, aligning closely with Saudi Vision 2030 and regional aspirations. Gender diversity in recruitment, implementing mentorship programs, and cultivating an inclusive work environment is in our nature and forms an integral part of our UBBU (United Building a Better Universe) agenda. Nakhati, is one of the many ways we exemplify our commitment to empowering women and fostering community engagement. One of Kerten Hospitality’s brands, Nakhati stands as a pioneering force – the first female-led, purpose-driven brand. Saudi entrepreneur Eman Fallatah tirelessly cultivated both the brand and her own capabilities. Now, Eman passes the torch to another remarkable Saudi woman, Executive Chef Walaa Taher. Under Walaa’s leadership, Nakhati enters its next transformative phase, laser-focused on a franchise model aimed at empowering more women.
Shaikha Al Nowais, Corporate Vice President of Owner Relationship Management, Rotana: Rotana is committed to advancing gender diversity and empowering women in the workplace, across all departments and levels of our operations. As a company, we embrace diversity and inclusion that brings different perspectives, skills and experiences to the decision-making process. Whether equal pay and benefits, education and training, and supportive workplace policies. We introduced our flagship TAROT (The Accelerated Refinement of Talent) programme, which offers our employees a fast-track development path to be trained for 12 months with progressive growth opportunities. We currently have several female candidates across all departments, participating in this programme.
Norah Al Tamimi, Chief Executive Officer, Baheej Company: At Baheej, we believe in giving everyone – regardless of gender – a fair shot at success. While we are newly established, being the CEO of the company shows our commitment to gender equality and the progressive values of our shareholders. We’re not just talking the talk; we’re walking the walk, sending a powerful message about our commitment to breaking barriers, and creating a welcoming space for everyone to thrive.
