DUBAI EXPAT STORIES. Rising from the ranks

“I started as a telephone operator in a Safir hotel in Cairo then my career development took off,” Sameh El Amri, general manager of S Hotel Group tells Dubai Vibes Magazine.

He then moved in rooms division where his career development took off as Front Office Manager, Deputy Manager, Executive Assistant Manager, Hotel Manager, General Manager and Cluster General Manager.

Sameh, who hails from Egyot, has worked for reputable names like Safir, Starwood JW Marriott, ACCOR , IHG and recently with S Hotel Group.

“It is vibrant, evolving and full of teamwork,” Sameh says of the hotel business. 

“The hospitality is not like a normal working day in a bank – you come, you work and you go home. There is always something new happening and it is worth exploring that. If you are a dynamic person, you will love the job,” he says.

“I’m motivated by my ability to be of a positive influence that leads others to find success. Also, the feeling that the work I do for others is appreciated. It is a great feeling knowing that I’ve just made someone’s day. You can achieve high job satisfaction through making others’ experiences happy,” he added.

Sameh has been in the hospitality industry for 30 years. After graduating from college, he traveled to Saudi Arabia and worked in Oasis Motel in Jeddah. He then moved to Kuwait City and stayed there for almost 3 years working at the Le Meridian Hotel. 

He moved to the UAE in 1998 and is currently living with my his family in UAE. Sameh had worked as Cluster General Manager of Holiday Inn Express Hotels in Internet City, Safa Park, Airport, and Jumeirah. 

He has also been the Hotel Manager for Holiday Inn Express Airport; Hotel Director for Ibis Al Barsha Dubai; Executive Assistant Manager for Mercure City Centre Hotel Abu Dhabi, and Deputy Manager for Ibis World Trade Centre Dubai.

With a master’s degree in Hospitality Management from Cornell University, USA, and a training program for International Hospitality Management in Paris, France, Sameh possesses an expansive knowledge of the hospitality industry, including corporate strategy, HR management, sales and marketing, revenue management, communication, finance, and distribution systems.

“I am a positive person and I hope for good things to happen in future. Even in times of distress or confusions, I just hope that everything will be all right. And yes, this hope, it keeps me going,” said Sameh.

To those planning to work in the hospitality, Sameh has this advice: “A job in the hotel industry allows a great deal of freedom and mobility, as well as the rare opportunity to meet, provide service, and interact with people from all walks and corners of life. 

“The key advice is that if you would like to work in the hotel industry, you should enjoy working with people. It’s all about people. You have to laugh, to travel. You have to be ready to deal with stress and long hours at the hotel.”