28+ year industry veteran joins dynamic team

Abu Dhabi, October 8, 2015- Rotana, the leading hotel management company in the Middle East and Africa, announces the arrival of Mathieu van Alphen to lead the helm at the company's flagship hotel Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi. Van Alphen assumed his role in mid-August.

Mathieu van Alphen joins the Beach Rotana from his previous post as the opening GM for the flagship InterContinental Moscow, where he worked for the past 3 years. Van Alphen was also GM at InterContinental Budapest, the InterContinental Koln, and has held various posts throughout his 28+ year career in Europe. This is his first post in the Gulf region.

Van Alphen is well known as a passionate and highly motivated leader, whom focuses on strategies for operational success and excellence, while ensuring the best in guest experience delivery. He maintains the belief that in building a healthy and successful operation from the inside out, the operation succeeds in growing a deep seeded talent force that excels at meeting and exceeding guest service expectations. He deeply believes in driving guest loyalty and long term guest relationships.

Van Alphen commented, "I am thrilled to join the Rotana Hotel team, and especially the flagship Beach Rotana hotel. These are very exciting times for both the hotel and the Company. To be a part of a growing dynamic company that is expanding at such a high pace is both exciting and challenging, and it affords us all an opportunity to make a lasting mark within the organization, for our owners, and for our long-term guest relationships. I look forward to myself and my family becoming quickly integrated into the capital city life and hopefully will make a positive and lasting impact to this iconic hotel."

Van Alphen comes from the Netherlands, having studied hotel management at the Middelbare Hotehschool Heerlen. His early career started in accounting and finance, progressing into financial controller positions, before assuming the hotel manager position at the InterContinental Frankfurt, and eventually General Manager at the InterContinental Koln. He is fluent in English, Dutch, and German; and enjoys travel with his family.


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About Rotana
Rotana currently manages a portfolio of over 70 properties throughout the Middle East and Africa with an aggressive expansion plan in place. Rotana has chosen to acknowledge how precious time is by making all time spent in their range of hotels 'Treasured Time'. This means Rotana has pledged to understand and meet the individual needs of all guests. In so doing, Rotana has evolved its product brands to include, Rotana Hotels & Resorts, Centro Hotels by Rotana, Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts by Rotana and Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana. Treasured Time. The Rotana promise to you.

Further information on any Rotana property, its brands or reservations can be obtained by visiting rotana.com or by contacting one of the regional sales offices.

For more information, please contact:
Lisbeth ('Liz") Beneski
Director of Marketing & Communications
Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi
Tel: +971 2 6979100
E-mail: lisbeth.beneski@rotana.com

© Press Release 2015