Position Summary

The Managing Director – Global Operations holds end-to-end accountability for the operational performance of Chedi Hospitality across its four operating divisions — Chedi Hotels, Branded Residences, Chedi Origins, and Serai — with stewardship of guest and owner experience, service delivery, operating standards, facilities, and operational profitability across the corporate office, the operating portfolio, and every property and residence yet to open.

This is a role of considerable consequence: the custodian of The Chedi's operating philosophy, the architect of operational excellence across distinct business models, and the guarantor of a single, coherent standard of craftsmanship across a growing portfolio. Leading the General Managers across the property portfolio and working in close partnership with Commercial, Development, and Asset Management, the Managing Director – Operations will be a principal driver of service quality, owner value, and lasting brand equity — upholding, in every decision, the discretion expected of a leading name in luxury hospitality.

Key Responsibilities

OPERATIONAL STRATEGY & PORTFOLIO LEADERSHIP

— Set and lead the group operational strategy across all four divisions in concert with the company's wider business objectives.

— Provide unified leadership to the General Managers across the Chedi Hotels, Chedi Origins, and Serai property portfolio, and to the Residence Operations Managers for Branded Residences.

— Define and embed coherent operating models, service standards, and procedures across every business model and the pipeline of new developments.

— Set portfolio-wide performance benchmarks and oversee their delivery across all properties and residences.

CHEDI HOTELS OPERATIONS

— Oversee hotel operations across rooms, food and beverage, culinary, and spa and wellness portfolio-wide.

— Drive guest experience, service excellence, and reputation management across the hotel portfolio.

— Support hotels in achieving gross operating profit, productivity, and guest-experience targets.

BRANDED RESIDENCES OPERATIONS

— Oversee residential service delivery, facilities management, and owner relations across the residences portfolio.

— Safeguard long-term asset value through planned maintenance, capital works, and life-cycle planning with Asset Management.

— Steward owners association and rental-programme operations, protecting owner interests and returns.

CHEDI ORIGINS OPERATIONS

— Oversee operations and handcrafted guest journeys across the Origins collection, rooted in each property's authentic sense of place.

— Develop, embed, and uphold the Origins brand standards across the collection, ensuring every property authentically expresses its distinct identity and sense of place.

— Drive immersive guest experiences, guest services, and food and beverage across the collection.

— Support Origins properties in achieving profitability, productivity, and guest-experience targets.

SERAI OPERATIONS

— Oversee operations and guest experience across the Serai portfolio, expressing the brand's distinct identity and sense of place.

— Drive service excellence, experiential programming, and food and beverage across all Serai properties.

— Develop, embed, and uphold the Serai brand standards across the portfolio, expressing the brand's distinct identity and sense of place in every detail.

— Support Serai properties in achieving profitability, productivity, and guest-experience targets.

Guest & Owner Experience

— Ensure a seamless, discreet, and highly personalised experience for guests, residents, and owners across every division.

— Champion guest and owner satisfaction, directing improvement where required.

— Track sentiment across the portfolio and continuously refine the operational and experiential offering.

BRAND & OPERATING STANDARDS

— Serve as principal operational custodian of the Chedi, Origins, and Serai brands, safeguarding their standards and identity.

— Develop and implement all brand and operating standards for Chedi Origins and Serai — and any other new brand emerging under Chedi Hospitality — defining division-specific standards under each division and ensuring consistent, authentic execution across every property in the collection.

— Establish and manage relevant brand partnerships across all brands, curating collaborations that reinforce brand positioning, elevate the guest experience, and generate incremental value across the portfolio.

— Ensure service delivery and every touchpoint consistently express each brand's design philosophy and sense of place.

— Direct regular LQA and standards audits across the portfolio and oversee corrective action.

FINANCIAL & COMMERCIAL PERFORMANCE

— Own consolidated operational P&L, operating and service-charge budgets, and cost control across all divisions.

— Review portfolio operational KPIs and direct corrective action where required.

— Partner with Commercial and Revenue functions to maximise profitability across the portfolio.

— Implement tools and systems that drive superior revenue performance and profit margins across all divisions.

— Present consolidated operational and financial performance to executive leadership and ownership.

PEOPLE & LEADERSHIP

— Lead, mentor, and develop the divisional Heads of Operations and senior operational leaders across the portfolio.

— Foster close collaboration across Operations, Commercial, Development, and Asset Management.

— Build succession depth and a pipeline of operational talent across all three divisions.

— Cultivate a culture of service excellence, accountability, and continuous refinement.

QUALITY, RISK & COMPLIANCE

— Ensure full compliance with health, safety, security, fire, food-safety, and regulatory requirements across the portfolio.

— Oversee crisis and business-continuity planning and response.

— Safeguard data privacy and the confidentiality expected of a luxury brand.

— Maintain robust governance and operating controls across all divisions.

PRE-OPENING & GROWTH

— Lead operational mobilisation and pre-opening readiness for new hotels, residences, and Origins properties.

— Direct operating-equipment, manning, and SOP planning for openings across all business models.

— Partner with Development and project teams from design review through to handover.

— Ensure each opening launches to the full Chedi operating standard.

STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT

— Partner closely with General Managers, corporate executives, owners, and owners associations.

— Represent Chedi Hospitality at industry events, conferences, and operational forums.

— Build enduring relationships with owners, investors, developers, and strategic partners.

— Support the Development team during acquisitions and pre-opening phases from an operational perspective.

Qualifications & Experience

— Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or a related discipline.

— Master's degree (MBA or equivalent) highly preferred.

— A minimum of 18 years of progressive operational leadership experience within luxury hospitality.

— 8–10 years in a senior multi-property, multi-brand, or corporate operations leadership capacity.

— Demonstrated experience overseeing diverse operating models — hotels, branded residences, and lifestyle or experiential properties.

— A deep understanding of luxury service delivery, operating standards, and owner value creation.

Experience Requirements

— Minimum 8–10 years within recognized luxury hospitality brands at a senior level.

— Prior Middle East Hospitality Experience Is Required.

— Experience within corporate or regional multi-brand leadership structures.

— Demonstrated success leading hotel, residential, and experiential operations.

— Experience supporting openings and luxury brand expansion across multiple business models.

— Substantial exposure to international markets, owners associations, and multi-property operations.

— Proven experience across the ultra-luxury, boutique, and lifestyle hospitality segments.

Knowledge & Skills

— Multi-brand luxury hospitality operations and service design

— Operating standards (SOP/LQA) development and audit

— Pre-opening and mobilisation leadership across business models

— Consolidated budget planning, P&L ownership, and cost control

— Operational analytics and performance reporting

— Health, safety, security, and regulatory compliance

— Strategic planning and execution

— Executive, owner, and investor stakeholder management

— Senior team leadership and talent development

— Polished presentation and negotiation skills

Language Requirements

— Fluent English (written and spoken) is mandatory.

— Fluency in one or more additional languages — particularly Arabic, French, German, Italian, Spanish, or Mandarin — is highly preferred.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

— Consolidated portfolio operational performance

— Guest, resident, and owner satisfaction

— Brand and operating-standard compliance across all divisions

— Attainment and retention of Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star ratings across eligible properties

— Condé Nast Traveller Readers Choice Top 20 rankings in respective regions

— Performance against comparable industry accolades and guest-review indices (e.g. Michelin, Travel + Leisure, LQA and mystery-guest scores)

— Value and performance of brand partnerships and collaborations across all brands

— Gross operating profit, profitability, and productivity

— Operating and service-charge budget management and cost control

— Quality-audit (LQA) outcomes across the portfolio

— Asset condition and long-term value preservation

— Health, safety, and regulatory compliance

— Guest and owner retention and advocacy

— Operational leadership engagement, succession, and development

— Successful support of openings and brand expansion across all business model

Managing Director - Global Operations - Q2