As the one-year anniversary of the Marriott International and Starwood Hotels and Resorts merger draws close, the world's largest hotel company has announced a new leadership team for Middle East and Africa to support its enhanced footprint and growth plans in the region. With a current portfolio of more than 240 hotels with 54,000 rooms in 30 countries, Marriott International is targeting a projected growth of 150,000 rooms operational and pipeline in 38 countries by 2022 across Middle East and Africa.
Led by Neal Jones, CSMO, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International, the team will support the company’s regional portfolio and will be responsible for driving revenue for Marriott International brands. The rest of the team includes...
Paul Dalgleish, VP of Sales & Distribution
Paul Dalgleish, VP of sales & distribution, will be responsible for property, market and area sales organizations and the global sales organization while leading the Middle East and Africa distribution strategy. Previously VP of sales for Marriott International, Dalgleish has assisted in the rapid expansion of the Middle East and Africa region with new sales strategies.
Sarah Allen, VP of Revenue Strategy & Analysis
Sarah Allen, VP of revenue strategy & analysis, will be responsible for property, market and area revenue management, remote revenue management solutions and revenue management analysis. Formerly VP of revenue management, Marriott International Middle East and Africa, Allen has assisted in moving hotels onto Marriott’s revenue management platforms, implementing processes and setting up shared services across the markets to drive synergies. She also led the integration of Africa's Protea Hotels, which Marriott International acquired in 2014 and maintains as a brand.
Jitendra Jain, VP of Digital, Loyalty and Portfolio Marketing
Jitendra Jain, VP of digital, loyalty and portfolio marketing, will be responsible for the company’s loyalty programs, partnerships, cross-brand marketing of Marriott International’s regional portfolio. Jain will also lead all digital marketing, platforms and products. A Starwood veteran, Jain previously led the marketing function for the former Starwood portfolio in the Middle East, where he spearheaded the transformation of marketing processes, talent and culture.
Sandra Schulze-Potgieter, VP of Premium and Select Brands
Sandra Schulze-Potgieter, VP of premium and select brands, will be responsible for brand marketing and management for Marriott International’s portfolio of premium and select brands. Shulze-Potgieter will oversee restaurants & bars marketing and area field marketing. She was previously SD, brand marketing & e-commerce for Marriott International Middle East and Africa managing field marketing, brand marketing, public relations, partnerships, social media, digital and loyalty. She assisted in strengthening Marriott International’s brand marketing in the region.
Sarah Walker Kerr, VP of Communications Middle East and Africa
Sarah Walker Kerr, VP of communications, Middle East and Africa, will be responsible for devising and implementing the communications strategy for Marriott International in the region. She will give counsel to the senior executive leadership team, managing internal and external communications, crisis communications, reputation management and brand communications. A seasoned communications specialist, Kerr was previously RD of public relations Middle East, Africa, India & Japan for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
Raheel Baggia, Senior Director, BMSC Planning and Services
Raheel Baggia, SD, BMSC planning and services, will be responsible for integration and change management, program execution and training. Prior to this, Baggia served as director, BMSC consulting-Middle East and Africa. Since joining Marriott in 2013, Baggia has been working on continent projects both in his previous role supporting BMSC-Middle East and Africa and in Europe as part of the global operations team.