Abu Dhabi-based Rotana, a leading hotel management company, announced the general manager and other senior appointments for its new property in Iraq, the five-star Karbala Rayhaan by Rotana.

General manager Nader Mobader, a seasoned hospitality player with 18 years of industry experience in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, has been leading the team through the crucial pre-opening phase and will head the operations when the hotel opens its doors to guests next month.

A native of Lebanon, Mobader is a graduate from Les Roches International School of Hotel Management, Switzerland. Prior moving to Rotana, Mobader worked with several international hotel chains.

Rotana also announced other key appointments, including Ali Kamar who has been appointed to the role of Rooms Division manager, and Wissam Injibar who takes on the position of director of Sales, and Hassan Salameh as executive Chef, overseeing the daily operations of the F&B department encompassing the hotel’s four dining outlets and one meeting room.

Mohamad Haj Hassan, Rotana’s area vice president – Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Sudan said: “Iraq is a market that holds a great deal of interest for Rotana, and we wanted to make sure that the right team was in place to consolidate our reputation for service and excellence when we opened our second property in the country.”

The Karbala Rayhaan by Rotana will be the first and only five-star hotel to open in the city of Karbala, which annually attracts more than 12 million visitors.

The 200-room, 14-storey hotel is accessible from both Najaf Airport (80km) and Baghdad Airport (130km). – TradeArabia News Service