Yaghi to oversee Le Méridien expansion in Kuwait

New general manager of Le Méridien Kuwait, and country manager appointed to oversee the luxury hotel group's expansion there, is Hannes Yaghi.

With 23 years' experience in the hospitality sector, most recently with Starwood, Yaghi has worked in many Middle East cities including Dubai, Muscat, Beirut, Cairo, Sana'a, Manama and Doha, as well as Cyprus and Tashkent.

His task in Kuwait is to spearhead Le Méridien's development with the A'amal Holdings group, which involves six new projects over a period of three years, including almost 450 hotel rooms and a conference centre. 

Initially, Yaghi will take control at the former Ritz hotel, to be renamed as Le Méridien Kuwait and scheduled for a refurbishment and expansion  programme this year, following which a new tower will be added as well as a purpose-built conference centre.

In addition, Le Méridien will launch its new Art+Tech concept in the region in a new hotel in Kuwait this year, and follow this up with a second similar hotel in the Mubarakia area in 2004, followed by Le Méridien Residence in Salmiya in 2006.

According to Yaghi, the wholesale expansion will bring a new dimension to the hospitality sector in Kuwait: "By launching the revolutionary Art+Tech  design for the first time in the Middle East in Kuwait, we are making a strong statement about how we view the emirate - as a dynamic business environment that will only go from strength to strength," he said.

"It's going to be an exciting period for Le Méridien as Kuwait becomes one of its key development areas - and I look forward to working with the A'amal Holdings, whose management have already demonstrated their commitment to moving forward in tandem with Le Méridien."