Dubai, UAE: With a legacy spanning over four decades, JA Resorts & Hotels remains a favourite among travellers, guided by a signature approach to hospitality defined by generosity, authenticity, and care. Building on this reputation, JA The Resort, Jebel Ali Beach has recently appointed three new leaders to join the teams at JA Palm Tree Court, JA Lake View Hotel, and JA Beach Hotel. Together, Saskia Evraert, Natalia Gecziova, and Joao Garcia bring fresh perspectives and diverse backgrounds to each property, helping the brand continue to resonate with modern guests. 

Saskia Evraert - Hotel Manager of JA Palm Tree Court  

Saskia Evraert steps into her new role backed by two decades of experience across internationally recognised brands, having led city hotels, multi-property environments, and large-scale luxury operations. Originally from Germany, she began her career with an apprenticeship at Sheraton Frankfurt before uprooting to Dubai, where she held senior leadership roles at the likes of Sheraton Creek, Le Meridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre and Jumeirah.  

A key chapter of her career was at Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre, where Saskia took on the role of Hotel Manager, overseeing five hotels within the complex. Managing a large and diverse operation, she worked closely with teams across the property, balancing day-to-day operations with the guest experience and learning how to lead at scale without losing the human touch. 

As Hotel Manager of JA Palm Tree Court, Saskia’s focus is on protecting the property’s calm, spacious character while evolving the experience in ways that feel thoughtful and intuitive. She believes the strongest guest experiences come from teams who feel listened to and supported, placing real importance on collaboration and mentoring. By encouraging ideas from those closest to the guest experience, she aims to create stays that feel warm, personal, and truly memorable. 

Natalia Gecziova - Hotel Manager of JA Lake View Hotel    

Recently appointed as Hotel Manager of JA Lake View Hotel, Natalia joins the JA The Resort portfolio with a clear focus on elevating luxury service delivery and creating seamless guest experiences. Overseeing all aspects of the contemporary lifestyle property and its strong focus on sports and wellness, she aims to deliver a refined stay defined by consistency, attention to detail, and a strong sense of place within the wider JA ecosystem. Central to her approach is how she supports her team, placing emphasis on collaboration, clarity, and empowerment as she leads the hotel into its next chapter. 

Natalia’s career spans Europe and the Middle East, with experience across luxury resorts, lifestyle hotels and complex multi-property environments. After relocating to Dubai, she built a strong foundation in the city’s luxury and resort market at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, gaining deep guest-facing experience across rooms and operations. She later moved into cluster roles with Hilton at Al Seef, overseeing operations across Canopy by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton, and Hampton by Hilton Dubai Al Seef, a three-hotel cluster totalling 540 keys. 

Most recently, Natalia spent over three years as Hotel Manager of Studio One Hotel Dubai, where she held full responsibility for end-to-end hotel operations and asset performance. Her remit covered rooms, food and beverage, sales and marketing, finance, engineering, and shared services, while working closely with ownership on strategy, budgets, capital planning, and long-term value creation. During this time, she led major refurbishments, repositioned food and beverage marketing strategies,  and embedded sustainability practices that achieved Green Key certification and DET Sustainable Stamp recognition. 

Joao Garcia - Executive Chef at JA Beach Hotel and JA Palm Tree Court  

With more than two decades spent in professional kitchens, Joao Garcia brings a career shaped by classical training and hands-on experience across international dining scenes. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America and the Alain Ducasse School, he has worked in Michelin-recognised kitchens in Europe before taking on senior culinary roles in the Middle East. Earlier in his journey, Joao served as Group Executive Chef at Meraas, where he developed and oversaw a wide range of dining concepts. Most recently, as Executive Sous Chef at Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts, he played a key role in shaping the brand’s flagship beach dining projects.

As Executive Chef across JA Beach Hotel and JA Palm Tree Court, Joao is focused on strengthening culinary identity while respecting what makes each venue distinct. His approach is rooted in seasonality, fresh produce, and honest flavours, paired with a strong emphasis on team development behind the scenes. By building connected kitchens and nurturing talent, he aims to deliver dining experiences that feel balanced, engaging, and closely aligned with JA’s people-led approach to hospitality. 

Rene D. Egle, Cluster General Manager, JA The Resort, shared, ‘JA The Resort holds a very special place in our story, home to JA Beach Hotel, the first property in our portfolio, and the foundation of who we are today. Remaining relevant in today’s hospitality landscape means welcoming new voices and fresh ways of thinking, while staying true to the values that have shaped us from the beginning. With leaders like Saskia, Natalia, and Joao bringing their perspectives to the resort, we’re confident we have the right people behind us to deliver intuitive service and experience-led stays.’ 

These appointments reflect JA Resorts & Hotels’ continued focus on people-led hospitality driven by thoughtful leadership. With new perspectives shaping operations, guest experience, and culinary direction, JA The Resort is well placed to evolve while remaining deeply connected to its roots. Together, the new leadership team reinforces the brand’s belief that meaningful stays begin with the people who bring them to life. 

ABOUT JA RESORTS & HOTELS   

A heritage UAE brand with roots dating back to 1981, JA Resorts & Hotels is built on a legacy of nurturing hospitality and creating thoughtful experiences. Named after the original Jebel Ali Beach Hotel, the group’s portfolio spans nine distinctive properties across the UAE, Indian Ocean, and Scotland — each with their own character, yet united by a shared spirit of generosity, authenticity, and care. In the UAE, guests can choose from a collection of meaningful stays, including the beachfront JA Beach Hotel, the spacious all-suite JA Palm Tree Court, and the contemporary lifestyle-led JA Lake View Hotel, all located along the peaceful shores of Jebel Ali Beach. Over on the lively Jumeirah Beach Residence promenade, JA Ocean View Hotel offers uninterrupted views of the Arabian Gulf paired with a vibrant coastal energy. For a change of pace, JA Hatta Fort Hotel provides a mountain escape rooted in nature and discovery, while The Manor by JA in Al Furjan offers a modern business stay designed for comfort and convenience.  
 
In the Indian Ocean, the Forbes Recommended JA Manafaru offers barefoot luxury in the pristine natural Haa Alifu Atoll at the northern tip of the Maldives, a place where nature and Maldivian culture are deeply woven into every stay.   

Meanwhile, in Scotland, JA Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort, a grand 240-acre estate on the banks of the River Clyde near Glasgow, blends heritage architecture with modern comforts. Nearby, JA The Bruntsfield in Edinburgh offers townhouse charm and warm hospitality just steps from the city’s iconic landmarks.  
 
Adding to its experience portfolio, JA Resorts & Hotels will soon launch the JA Sports & Shooting Club, a new destination for recreation and performance, opening later this year.  
 
JA Resorts & Hotels is also a proud member of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), which is the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands with 50 brands and over 950 hotels in 100 countries. Its award-winning loyalty programme – GHA DISCOVERY – provides 34 million members with recognition, D$ rewards and exclusive experiences across its hotels and partners, both with and without a stay. GHA DISCOVERY generated US$2.7 billion in member hotel revenue and 11 million room nights in 2024. Through membership in GHA, brands expand their global reach, drive incremental revenue and reduce dependence on third-party channels, all while maintaining management independence and individual positioning. For more information, visit globalhotelalliance.com or ghadiscovery.com