Dubai, UAE - 19 February 2015: Dubai Parks and Resorts, the Middle East's largest multi-themed leisure and entertainment destination, has completed the formation of its senior management team. The completion of the senior management team will drive the progress of Dubai Parks & Resorts, ensuring budgets are kept in check and timelines are on track for the region's most unique and anticipated leisure development to open in October, 2016.

Raed Al Nuaimi, CEO of Dubai Parks and Resorts, said, "The management team brings significant experience in their respective fields and will ensure that we have the right structures and processes in place to deliver this landmark project on time.  Our senior management team is fully equipped to ensure that Dubai Parks and Resorts offers one of the best resort experiences globally" 

The senior management team of Dubai Parks and Resorts is comprised of industry stalwarts and individuals with relevant and significant local experience.  Under the strategic guidance of CEO Raed Al Nuaimi, the team is poised to bring the vision of Dubai Parks & Resorts to reality.

The seven member Dubai Parks & Resorts senior management team consists of:

Paul La France, Chief Projects Officer, who has 37 years of experience in entertainment and hospitality development and has contributed to high-profile greenfield projects, for companies such as Walt Disney and Universal Studios, along with expansions and capital improvements to existing theme parks across the globe. 

Matthew Priddy, Chief Technical Officer, with more than 35 years of experience, with almost 20 of them at Walt Disney. His expertise includes the creative development of entertainment destination projects, with special focus on owners' representation, technical integration, design management and organizational leadership

Sandesh Pandhare, Chief financial and Investment Officer, has 23 years of experience in the private equity and investment industry. His expertise lies in deal brokering, business analysis, investment valuation, capital structuring, financing and asset monitoring. He has managed an impressive global portfolio across diverse industry verticals.

Stanford Pinto, Chief Parks Operating Officer, has over 20 years of professional experience. He is mandated to oversee the different theme park operators and ensure that the theme parks are performing optimally, and delivering memorable experiences

Vinit Shah, Chief Destination Management Officer, has over 15 years of experience in the leisure and hospitality industry. His proficiencies includes leading strategic planning mega projects, entertainment destination development and driving commercial decisions, he is mandated to promote the entire destination and enhance visitation by creating multi park and multi day packages for the visitors. 

Aida Hamza, Senior Vice President of Business Support, has 27 years of experience in managing corporate affairs, human resource management, and supply chain management with major regional organizations.

Klaus Assmann, Vice President of Retail and Hospitality, has 27 years of experience with many well-known hospitality brands, including Jumeirah, Hyatt and Shangri-La Group. His expertise includes hotel development, preopening management, hotel operations, asset management and retail operations. 

About Dubai Parks and Resorts PJSC
Dubai Parks and Resorts PJSC (DFM: DUBAIPARKS), will become the Middle East's largest multi-themed leisure and entertainment destination comprising three separate theme parks: motiongate™, a Hollywood movie inspired theme park concept; LEGOLAND® Dubai, the first LEGOLAND® theme park in the Middle East; and Bollywood Parks™, a first-of-its-kind entertainment destination that will showcase the authentic Bollywood movie experience.

The development will also host Lapita, a Polynesian themed family hotel which will be managed by the Marriott Group, and Riverland (formerly Riverpark), a 220,000 square feet complementary and centrally located retail, dining and entertainment district connecting the three theme parks and hotel.

Set to open in October 2016, the large-scale AED 10.5 billion project is spread across 25 million square feet of land strategically located on Sheikh Zayed Road close to the Palm Jebel Ali between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.  6.7 million ticketed visits are expected in 2017, the first full year of operation.

For more information go to: http://dubaiparksandresorts.com

For further information please contact:
Sameh Hamtini / Sarah Jackson
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
Email: sameh.hamtini@bm.com / sarah.jackson@bm.com
T: +971 4 4507600

© Press Release 2015