Hospitality Plus presents you the 2020 edition of the Power 25 Women in Hospitality, the only list that recognises and celebrates the top 25 most influential women hotel professionals working in the hospitality industry. Two in a hierarchy out of the 25 women hotel professionals are covered every month. Give a read and feel inspired.
Sarah Walker Kerr
Vice president, communications
MEA, Marriott International
Sarah Walker Kerr arrived in the region in 1998 but this year has been a pinnacle year for her.
She says: “I am very proud to be one of the five founding members of the FLI programme. We launched this to foster a confident and successful community of female leaders in Marriott International in the Middle East & Africa.”
The pilot scheme was launched in the UAE and next they are looking to move to Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Walker Kerr continues: “At Marriott, we have a real focus on diversity and inclusion. Even looking at my own team we have a myriad of backgrounds, which I believe is very beneficial in bringing different understandings of cultures to the table, who are all united by one purpose.”
https://www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/lists/113090-sarah-walker-kerr
Anne Scott
General manager , W Dubai The Palm
Anne Scott founded FLI – The Female Leadership Initiative across Marriott in Middle East and Africa.
The initiative aims to look at easing various issues such as maternity policies, partnerships with companies to support working moms, hosting focus groups, educating male leaders on how to support female growth amongst many tasks.
Scott says: “We achieved a positive GOP at W Dubai – The Palm in the first month of operation, which is incredibly difficult to achieve in the hospitality industry in Dubai. We also met owner’s expectations by opening the hotel on the third day of operation with 92% occupancy. The aim is to grow awareness and recognition for FLI in MEA and globally by 2022.”
