Luxury international hotel company Raffles Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of Andrew Abram as general manager of Raffles Dubai.

Peter French, President, Raffles Hotels & Resorts, said: "I am delighted to welcome Andrew into the Raffles family. He has extensive experience in the luxury hospitality industry, and brings a truly global outlook to Dubai. I am confident that Andrew's expertise will be inspirational for the next chapter of the story of Raffles Dubai."

Abram joins Raffles from the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, where he has held a number of positions since 2003, a statement from the hotel said. He was most recently general manager of the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

He joined the group as resident manager of The Excelsior Hong Kong, and went on to lead the renovation and reopening of the Mandarin Oriental Jakarta, holding the role of general manager for eight years.

Abram brings an insider's knowledge of Dubai to Raffles, having held the position of corporate director of sales and marketing with the Jumeirah International group in the Middle East, the statement said.

During his tenure, he was responsible for the branding and launch for several projects, including the Burj Al Arab, The Jumeirah Beach Resort and Emirates Towers. He also worked at the Carlton Towers in London.

Raffles Dubai is Raffles Hotels & Resorts' first hotel in the Middle East. The landmark city hotel is in a distinctive pyramid shape and merges Asian style with an Egyptian aesthetic.

The hotel has recently been named by TripAdvisor in its 2013 Travellers' Choice Hotel Awards across five categories including Top 25 Luxury Hotels in the Middle East, Top 25 Luxury Hotels in the UAE, and Top 25 Hotels for Service in the UAE. – TradeArabia News Service