Ritz-Carlton, DIFC Appoints New Sales, Marketing Head

 Soufiane El Allam
Soufiane El Allam
TT

Ritz-Carlton, DIFC Appoints New Sales, Marketing Head

 Soufiane El Allam
Soufiane El Allam

The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has recently appointed Soufiane El Allam as the new director of sales and marketing.

El Allam will concentrate on widening business opportunities for the hotel, strengthening existing ties with key partners, enhancing food and beverage marketing and creating breakthrough concepts to showcase the gastronomic excellence of the hotel’s dining. Under his guidance, The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC will strengthen its position as the place to be for culinary discoveries and entertainment for both the local community and beyond.

El Allam has more than 16 years of experience working in luxury hospitality and has recently returned to Dubai following five years as executive assistant manager, in charge of sales and marketing at The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain. He is now responsible for directing and developing the overall commercial marketing and sales strategies of The Ritz- Carlton, DIFC.

El Allam brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge successfully leading multi-cultural teams. Soufiane’s experience in hospitality ranges from corporate business hotels to luxury destination resorts as well as golf hotels. He is working closely and strategically with international tourism operators, tourism boards, blue-chip companies, Mice and travel agencies. During his time with The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain, the team under his leadership successfully sustained the hotel’s performance and position as Bahrain’s leading luxury city resort whilst reinforcing the positioning of the property as the hub for large events, conferences, and destination weddings.

El Allam commented on his appointment saying: “I am delighted to return to Dubai and to continue my career with the prestigious The Ritz-Carlton brand. I am pleased to join a very special team at The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC and to continue my journey with the very successful team of ladies and gentlemen in creating #RCMemories for all of our guests and crafting the exceptional and timeless service for which The Ritz-Carlton is globally recognized for. The DIFC is growing and we are very confident that our luxury travelers would always choose to stay with us as we pride to provide the finest and genuine service."



Bangladesh Garment Factories Reopen after Sheikh Hasina’s Flight

Garment factory workers break for lunch, in Dhaka on August 7, 2024 (AFP)
Garment factory workers break for lunch, in Dhaka on August 7, 2024 (AFP)
TT

Bangladesh Garment Factories Reopen after Sheikh Hasina’s Flight

Garment factory workers break for lunch, in Dhaka on August 7, 2024 (AFP)
Garment factory workers break for lunch, in Dhaka on August 7, 2024 (AFP)

Garment factories in Bangladesh, forecast to account for 90% of the country's exports, reopened on Wednesday hoping to swiftly resume full operations after production was disrupted by violent protests that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina this week.

Hasina resigned and fled the country on Monday after around 300 people were killed and thousands injured in a crackdown on student-led protests since July.

Garment and textile factories which supply major western brands such as H&M, Zara and Carrefour had been forced to shut under curfews imposed during the unrest.

"We lost a total of four days, it is too early to make an estimate of the loss. There was little physical damage to factories," Miran Ali, vice president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), told Reuters.

"I am hopeful that in the next few days, we will see complete normalization," he said. "I'm confident our buyers will stand by our side."

He added that H&M, which sources garments from about 1,000 factories in Bangladesh, had already said it would not seek discounts due to the delays. The world's second largest fashion retailer had said it was concerned about developments in Bangladesh.

At a factory belonging to apparel maker Urmi Garments in Dhaka, the mainly female employees were back operating sewing machines.

"We went out of work, sitting idle at home. We were scared. We are poor people depending on daily wages and overtime. If we sit back home, how can we run our families?" 38-year old Razia Begum, an employee at the factory, told Reuters.

Factory manager Emdadul Haq said the factory had lost 228,000 pieces of production worth $107,000. In all, Urmi, which counts H&M, Japan's Uniqlo and Britain's Marks and Spencer among its clients, had lost about $2.2 million across three units, he said.

The International Monetary Fund expects the ready-made garments industry will account for 90% of Bangladesh's $55 billion annual exports in the financial year 2024.

Bangladesh was the third-largest exporter of clothing in the world last year, after China and the European Union, according to the World Trade Organization. Nearly half of its exports in the July 2023-May 2024 period were to the EU, worth $21.65 billion.