Speakers

I am native to Sri Lanka the land rich for natural & cultural Heritage. I have completed my Higher Education from Wesley College, & I have been certified for my Housekeeping Specialization course from Sri Lankan Hotel school in the year 1983.

I am a seasoned Housekeeper with 41 years of professional experience in the Hospitality Industry out of which I have successfully leaded teams of diverse professionals for more than 20 years. I commenced my career from scratch with Hilton Group back in the mid-80s when tourism was booming in Sri Lanka. I later on moved to Saudi Arabia in the early 90s on managerial roles & got the opportunity to work with brands of Hilton and Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) in several cities as Jubail, Olaya, Jeddah & Al Khobar for more than a decade. It was in 2006 I moved to the Emirates of Dubai & joined the Luxury 5 star Resort in Jumeirah, Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa. I was associated with them for 5 years until I joined Chelsea Tower Hotel Apartments on Sheikh Zyed Road which was later rebranded as Al Salam Hotel Suites and Stay Bridge Suites. During my tenure with them I successfully managed 1,271 units with a big team of 79 Housekeeping & Laundry Professionals. I was able to improve the service standards & maintain the quality of the property which also reflected on their social media scores & ratings.

I was instrumental in the preopening Hotel of IHG Holiday Inn Olaya Riyadh Saudi Arabia. I was responsible for setting up the Housekeeping operations per the established IHG standards & launched it successfully in the allotted time.  

My passion at work wants me to offer an unbelievable experience to the Guests for a memorable stay. My smiling personality impacts my team to be motivated which makes my job provide an exceeding expectation in service quality to our valued guests. I ensure my staff are happy in what they do which reflects in happy guests & repeat business.

I am currently positioned as Cluster Director of Housekeeping to manage 3 Properties for the Swiss Brand of J5 Hotel groups(J5 Rimal Hotel Apartments/J5 Hotels Port Saeed /J5 Holiday Homes) based here in Dubai comprising a total inventory of 600 units. , I am responsible for day to day operations in the Housekeeping, cost control & maintain quality standards in the Hotels without any compromise. I am the point of contact for the Hotels in terms of maintaining the statutory regulations from Dubai Tourism (DTCM), Dubai Municipality (DM) & Dubai Municipality Health Authority(DMHA). I am always involved in the introduction of innovative & cost effective services to the Hotel operations.

Seasoned Housekeeping Director with extensive pre-opening experiences; a passion for knowledge sharing, inspiring and positively impacting young and upcoming hoteliers.

Within the hotel, I contribute as a member of the diversity and inclusion committee, the hotels sustainability committee and as a Chairwoman of the Dubai Chapter of Woman@Hyatt.

I chair the UAE Professional Housekeepers Group and write a monthly column for the Clean Middle East Magazine.

These and other contributions have earned me to be Nr. 21 on the list of Top 25 Woman in Hospitality ME in 2019 and Nr. 4 in 2020.I also have been awarded the Housekeeper of the year by the Hotelier Middle East Magazine in 2008, 2010 and again in 2019 and 2021.

Holding the Industry Personality of the year award 2023 from the MECHF as well as the Woman in Cleaning award from MECHF in 2024.

For decades, Leela has shattered stereotypes and forged paths of success, driving innovation and excellence in the hospitality industry. From pioneering eco-friendly practices to revolutionizing technology in sanitation, she has made significant contributions to best practices at Le Meridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre and the other five properties under her portfolio. Her leadership, resilience, and dedication have brought successful business and empowered associates. Leela's relentless commitment to excellence continues to shape the hospitality industry landscape.

Leela's career journey in the industry reflects her dedication and expertise. She has been with Le Méridien Dubai Hotel, and Conference Centre for over five years and has served as the Complex Director of Housekeeping since October 2021. In this role, she oversees housekeeping operations across multiple properties, ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness and service. Prior to this, she was the Executive Housekeeper at Le Méridien Dubai, a position she has held since January 2019.

Seasoned professional in the Housekeeping & Laundry operations with experience in managing International brands for over 16 years spanning UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and India. Currently positioned as Director of Housekeeping to manage a stunning Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Resort and Villas. Responsible for day-to-day operations, team development, cost management, upkeep of quality standards in the Resort and meeting the statutory regulations of Department of Culture & Tourism Abu Dhabi, & Abu Dhabi Public Health Authority (ADPHC).

An Active Pioneer Permanent Member of UAE Professional Housekeepers Group in UAE since 2016, Active Member of Housekeepers Social media network, Asia Housekeepers Association (AHA), & Qatar Housekeepers Association. Championed group meetings, contributed as a speaker multiple times during Hotel Show. Actively participating GCC housekeeper’s conferences.

Narayanan Mohankumar holds 10+ years of experience in the field of housekeeping. He has worked across multiple industries which include hotels, healthcare and medical space.

He started his journey as a room attender in 2010 and now heads the housekeeping of Medcare Hospitals & Medical Centres.

With a successful career spanning over 22 years in the hospitality business, my expertise is both broad and deep, reflecting a dedication to excellence, innovation, and leadership.  I have polished my skills in hotel management, with a particular emphasis on housekeeping and soft services, where I have welcomed and navigated the challenges and possibilities of maintaining perfect standards of cleanliness and guest pleasure. My professional path has led me over the world, allowing me to make my imprint in significant countries such as Australia, Borneo, Seychelles, the Middle East, and Malaysia.

This foreign experience has broadened my awareness of the many cleaning industries and improved my capacity to adapt and innovate in a variety of cultural and operational settings. Played key roles in the openings of luxury hotels such as the Ritz Carlton, W, St Regis, and Marriott's, demonstrating my ability to lead teams through complicated, high-stakes scenarios while maintaining the highest levels of quality.  Known for my creative thinking, strong leadership abilities, and excellent communication skills, I thrive in fast-paced environments and deliver results that exceed expectations. Additionally, I have designed and implemented training programs that enhance employee performance and engagement. Known for my strong interpersonal skills and ability to build rapport, I excel at fostering a positive and productive work environment.

I have a strong interest in sustainability in the cleaning sector and keeping up with current developments in the field. With my excellent problem-solving abilities and meticulous attention to detail, I often complete excellent projects on schedule and under budget, winning the respect and admiration of stakeholders and clients.

With over 22 years of experience in the industry and more than 13 years of head of department experience, Subhojit Bannerjee has embraced his role as Director, Housekeeping at Atlantis, The Palm with an incomparable dedication and extremely sharp skills in terms of planning, organsing and commitment to excellence. Managing the housekeeping team with 500 colleagues, 1,544 rooms and many versatile spaces is unlike most similar roles in Dubai. In addition to the guest rooms and suites, Subhojit is responsible for various public areas in the resort, such as Aquaventure Waterpark and all of the restaurants, bars and cafes, ensuring they always look immaculate and are in line with five star resort standards. Subhojit’s commitment to exceptional service has not gone unnoticed.

Earlier this year he was named Director of the Year at Atlantis, The Palm, a true testament to his leadership qualities and dedication to his team. Managing such a large group, while maintaining cleanliness at a massive property, is no small task, but Subhojit has always remained up to the challenge. With him at the helm, there is no doubt that Atlantis, The Palm is in its best possible shape to deliver an extraordinary experience to guests.

Georgette Quesada, she ensures adherence to quality standards, reduces linen losses, and fosters collaboration across departments. Georgette has spearheaded the development of a performance analysis tool, enhancing data- driven decisions, and improved management through clear expectations and KPIs. Her commitment to sustainability is evident in launching an in-house water bottling system.

Sheeja Sasidharan, the Executive Housekeeper at Radisson Blu Hotel in Dubai Deira Creek, over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry.

Sheeja's journey in hospitality began with a post-graduation in Hotel Accommodation Operation and Management, following her graduation in Zoology. She then started as a Management Trainee at Hotel Kempinski Leela Palace in Bangalore, India, and continued her service with the Kempinski group for four years, including Indian and Dubai hotels. Sheeja also had the opportunity to work with renowned hotel management companies such as Hilton and Hyatt before joining the Radisson Hotel Group.

As the Executive Housekeeper at Radisson Blu Hotel, Sheeja leads a team of housekeeping professionals responsible for driving quality, cleanliness, and sustainability at the hotel. She strongly believes in continuous learning and development and makes sure her team is engaged and cared for.

Talal Ali Mohamed is a highly accomplished professional with a wealth of experience in multiple industries. He holds a Master of Science degree, an Executive MBA, a certification in professional Human Resource Management, and a Doctor of Business Administration with emphasis on Strategic management, corporate strategy and innovation studies.

Dr. Ali Mohamed has held various senior leadership roles throughout his career, including, Director, Group Supply Chain Manager, and Manager positions in several multinational companies. He has extensive experience in strategic planning, strategic sourcing, inventory management, operations management, business development, and talent management.

In addition to his professional achievements, Mr. Mohamed is an active member of various professional organizations and has contributed to several publications and conferences in his field of expertise. He is also a gifted trainer and coach in several areas, including leadership, communication, and organizational development, marketing, soft and hard skills.