Hospitality Leaders Honoured at Future Hospitality Summit – FHS World Awards 2024

Dubai, UAE – 2 October 2024.  The best of the best in hospitality are honoured at Future Hospitality Summit – FHS World today, with a trio of FHS Leadership Awards presented by Jonathan Worsley, Chairman & CEO, The Bench, organisers of FHS.

Selim El Zyr, Rizwan Kassim and Errikos Christodoulou received accolades in recognition of their achievements, outstanding work and dedication to the industry – now and in the future. The winners were selected by award partners Hospitality News Middle East for the Leadership Award, EHL Hospitality Business School for the Future Leader Award, and industry peers for this year’s Lifetime Achievemement Award.

The FHS World Future Leader Award – a new category for 2024 – was presented to Errikos Christodoulou, Hotel Operations Manager, MarBella Collection, Greece. Rizwan Kassim, Founder & Managing Partner, RIKAS Hospitality Group received the Leadership Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award – the highest FHS Awards accolade – went to Selim El Zyr, Vice Chairman and Co-Founder, Rotana.

Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of The Bench, organiser of FHS, said: “The FHS Awards signify and celebrate the very best of the best in our beloved hospitality industry. This year we are proud to add a new category – the FHS Future Leader Award – to recognise the rising stars shaping the sector.  The dedication, achievements and outstanding work by Errikos, Rizwan and Selim are not only shaping the future of hospitality and tourism, but are pivotal to the sector’s continued growth, evolution and success.” 

FHS Lifetime Achievement Award winner Selim El Zyr co-founded Rotana, the first Middle Eastern hotel management company, in 1992.  As Vice Chairman and part of the Executive Committee, his ambitious managerial direction is credited with building Rotana’s portfolio of over 100 hotels in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Turkiye. 

Selim introduced to the industry at 16 years old, when he stepped into the newly opened InterContinental Phoenicia Hotel in Beirut and was inspired to pursue a career in hospitality. With his management expertise, he has established a strong presence for Rotana's signature brand in every city in the region, and launched new concepts including ‘All Suites’ – later rebranded Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana – in 1996, Centro Hotels by Rotana in 2006 and Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts by Rotana in 2008.  He also spearheaded partnerships with some of the world’s most respected franchises, including the award-winning Blue Elephant, Trader Vic’s, and Benihana, to further strengthen Rotana’s offerings; introduced the Rotana Rewards Loyalty Programme; launched the Club Rotana Executive Club concept and developed Rotana’s spa concept, Zen the spa at Rotana.

Commenting on his award, Selim said: “I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this award. Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working with incredibly talented teams and individuals who have inspired me every step of the way. From day one, our vision was to build an institution that could endure the test of time and evolve beyond individual contributions. That dream became a challenge - essential to achieving success while maintaining our humanity. Dreams, ambitions, and aspirations have guided us since Rotana's inception. This recognition is a testimony and a reflection of the collective success we built at Rotana and the treasured moments we created along the way.”

Rizwan Kassim is the first representative of a restaurant group to receive the FHS Leadership Award – a testament to the UAE’s spirit of entrepreneurship. He established the La Cantine du Faubourg in Paris over a decade ago and, with a vision for the brand in Dubai, went on to create the RIKAS Group, now one of the leading creators and operators in the Middle East dining scene. In nine years, he has opened 16 restaurant and beach club concepts in Dubai, many of which are listed in the inaugural Micheline Guide and recognised by Gault Millau, with another five set to open in the city this year. RIKAS Group is also expanding into Saudi Arabia, Europe, the United States and India. 

“It is an incredible honour to receive the FHS Leadership Award and I am truly humbled to be recognised alongside such esteemed industry leaders. It is especially significant as RIKAS Hospitality Group is the first restaurant group to receive this prestigious award,” he said. “This recognition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of my entire team, who continuously strive to elevate the culinary landscape in our region and are proud to contribute to the future of hospitality.  Winning this award is not only a personal achievement, it’s a celebration of our collective efforts and an inspiration for all in the industry.”

New for 2024, the FHS Future Leader Award was presented to Errikos Christodoulou, Hotel Operations Manager at MarBella Collection in Greece.  With over a decade’ experience in the hotel industry, he is recognised for his proactive approach, anticipating and exceeding guest expectations, and building successful teams. Thriving in high-pressure environments, with an inherent drive to seek new challenges and opportunities for growth, Errikos’ ambition, communication, and proactive problem-solving skills shine through day in, day out. In his relatively new role as Operations Manager, he is leading a diverse team of 350 employees and oversees a 362-room hotel with 12 F&B outlets, and further honing his skills in understanding operational and financial intricacies and the nuances of guests’ needs.

Receiving the award, Errikos said: “I am deeply honoured and grateful to receive the FHS Future Leader Award, a testament to my passion for and dedication to the hospitality industry. I am excited to continue contributing to the sector’s innovation and growth, and look forward to collaborating with inspiring leaders as we shape the future of hospitality together.”

About The Bench

The Bench has established a legacy for delivering world-leading investment forums and conferences in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. The key principle behind these platforms has remained ‘dealmaking’. Transforming the way business connect, Bench has developed a reputation for creating innovative and high-impact meeting spaces for the industry. 

For over two decades - government leaders, tourism ministries, global travel & tourism associations, the world’s most influential hospitality brands, hotel owners & investors, renowned restaurant groups, airlines & aviation authorities, destination developers, asset managers, financial groups and consultants – have been participating in The Bench’s events for their respective objectives. These include AHIC, AHIF, FHS, AHF, IDEEA, AviaDev and RENEW –where industry players showcase their brands, position themselves as thought leaders or innovators, and connect with the right opportunities and knowledge. 

Learn more on thebench.com

About FHS World

Dates:                           30 September – 2 October 2024

Location:                       Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE

Sponsors: 

Jumeirah as Host Sponsor; Italia Hospitality, Maldives Fund Management Corporation, Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development-SMIT and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority as Country Pavilion Sponsors; Aseer Development Authority, Hilton, NEOM, New Murabba, Radisson Hotel Group and Taiba Investments as Platinum sponsors; Accor, Club Med, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Minor Hotels, Red Sea Global and Rotana Hotels and Resorts as Emerald Sponsors; Action Hotels, Adyen, Aleph Hospitality, ARC International Design Consultants, Ark People Solutions, Asfar, AtkinsRealis, Barriere Group, Cavendish Maxwell, CBRE, Colliers, Compagnie Hoteliere et Immobiliere du Congo (CHIC), Compass Project Consulting, Dusit International, Elaf Group, Emaar Hospitality Group, Enterprise Greece, HVS, Hyatt, IHCL, JLL, JT+Partners, Kearney, Knight Frank, Les Roches Abu Dhabi, LEVA Hotels, Livit Consulting & Design, Louvre Hotels Group, Prologic First, PwC, Quo, Rikas Hospitality Group, roboSculptor, Rove Hotels, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), The Ascott Limited, TUI Hotels & Resorts, United Hospitality Management, Unox and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts as Gold Sponsors; Aldar, Conran Business Group, COREcruitment, EHL, H World International, Shaza Hotels, Studiomint Design Group, STR, Sunset Hospitality, The Summary Executive Properties, and Time Hotels as Silver Sponsors; Forsite Creative as Data Partner - Restaurant Invest; Lokalee as Start-up Exhibitor; Lock Stock & Barrel as After Party Host; BE WTR as Water Station Sponsor; COREcruitement as Coffee Sponsor; Considerate Group, HAMA, Skyline University College, Sustainable Hospitality Challenge, The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, The Emirates Culinary Guild, UAE Restaurants Group, UN Tourism and World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance as Supporters.