The First Group Hospitality Appoints Khaled El Sharbatly as Director of Guest Engagement
The First Group Hospitality Appoints Khaled El Sharbatly as Director of Guest Engagement
The First Group Hospitality has announced the appointment of Khaled El Sharbatly as its new Director of Guest Engagement, marking a significant addition to its leadership team. With an illustrious career spanning over 25 years across the Middle East and Africa, El Sharbatly brings deep expertise in customer engagement, sales, reservations, and front office operations with leading global hotel brands.
A Proven Hospitality Leader with Global Expertise
Prior to joining The First Group Hospitality, Khaled El Sharbatly spent 15 years with Marriott International, where he held multiple leadership positions and contributed immensely to the brand’s success. Most recently, he served as the Head of Marriott’s Dubai Customer Engagement Centre (CEC), managing central reservations for nearly 70 hotels across the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
- During his tenure, El Sharbatly’s team achieved exceptional milestones, including:
- Winning the Reservations Team of the Year Award and Associates Engagement Survey Award
- Surpassing 135% of enrollment targets, ranking first globally in 2024 across the entire Marriott International network
- Driving Forbes Luxury Properties Audit scores up to an impressive 98%
His leadership and strategic acumen have made him one of the region’s most respected figures in guest experience management.
Driving Guest Engagement Excellence at The First Group Hospitality
In his new role, El Sharbatly will collaborate closely with reservations, revenue management, sales, marketing, finance, and F&B teams, along with property general managers, to elevate service quality and streamline cross-departmental collaboration.
As The First Group Hospitality continues to expand its hotel and dining portfolio across the Middle East and beyond, El Sharbatly’s expertise will play a key role in ensuring operational excellence and superior guest satisfaction.
Leadership Perspective on the Appointment
Commenting on the appointment, Tom Stevens, Senior Vice President – Operations, The First Group Hospitality, said: “Khaled brings to this new role a remarkable knowledge of operations, including process optimisation, customer service strategies, and performance metrics. I am confident Khaled’s knowledge will be invaluable in implementing best practices to enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency across our portfolio of diverse hotels and dining outlets.”
A Strategic Step in The First Group’s Growth Journey
This appointment reinforces The First Group Hospitality’s commitment to delivering world-class guest experiences while driving innovation and efficiency across its operations. With Khaled El Sharbatly at the helm of guest engagement, the company is well-positioned to strengthen its reputation for excellence and service leadership in the global hospitality sector.
