Dubai - UAE, 26 January 2016 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced the appointment of Stefan Breg as Director of Food and Beverage for the Europe, Africa and Middle East (EAME) region.  Breg will spearhead the formulation and implementation of the company's food and beverage strategy across the EAME region which currently operates nearly 1200 Restaurant and Bars across more than 260 hotels.

In this new role, Breg will, amongst others, develop restaurant and bar concepts for Starwood's 345 upcoming renovations and new properties across its 10 distinct lifestyle brands.  His role will also encompass training and development and enhancing the food and beverage performance across the company's portfolio in EAME.

"Stefan has a wealth of experience and we are delighted to have him on board to lead our food and beverage strategy across the division," said Flavio Buccarelli, VP Operations, Europe, Africa & Middle East, Starwood Hotels. "The role is crucial to ensure our food and beverage brands and concepts within our existing and upcoming properties are positioned as destinations in their own right; compelling and relevant to the local guests as well as our hotel guests."

Breg will be based in Starwood's Middle East office in Dubai, home to one of the most vibrant and rapidly evolving dining scenes in the world. He will support the pipeline of restaurants and bars in Starwood's upcoming new build and refurbished hotels. In the Middle East alone, Starwood operates over 300 outlets.

With over 25 years of experience, Breg has a proven track-record of providing robust strategic development for restaurants and bars and has successfully navigated more than 200 restaurants from concept stages to opening across Europe, Middle East and Asia.  He previously headed concept development for IHG Asia & Middle East and has held senior roles at Hilton and Ernest & Young.

Breg is also a well-known industry speaker and lecturer on food and beverage strategy including five years as Visiting Professor at the Lausanne accredited Emirates Academy in Dubai.

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About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 1,270 properties in some 100 countries and over 180,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences under the renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Tribute Portfolio™, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, Element®, along with an expanded partnership with  Design Hotels™. The Company also boasts one of the industry's leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG®). Visit www.starwoodhotels.com for more information and stay connected @starwoodbuzz on Twitter and Instagram and facebook.com/Starwood.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Media Contacts:
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Middle East
Chandan Belani
Regional Director of Communications
Tel: +9714 307 9919
Chandan.Belani@starwoodhotels.com

Tryphena Greenwood, or Dana Sleiman
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
Tel: 971-4-4507600
Starwood@bm.com

© Press Release 2016