The president and CEO of Millennium & Copthorne Middle East and Africa, Ali Hamad Lakhraim AlZaabi, reveals his hotel development plan and brand strategies in this interview.

　　Our interview takes place over lunch at Ritz-Carlton Dubai International Financial Centre, one of Alzaabi’s most high-profile hotel purchases, but the focus is not on his owning company, Emirates Hotel Group, but on his hotel chain, Millennium & Copthorne.

　　Ready for Growth

　　Currently, there are 15 hotels operating and around 30 in the confirmed pipeline, with the current focus on expansion in emerging markets such as Iraq and everyone’s favourite, Saudi Arabia. Across the region, 10-12 hotels are expected to open within the next 12-18 months.

　　A hotel has recently opened in Sulaymaniyah in Iraq, with two additional properties due to open this year and more on the cards, while in Saudi Arabia, there are 18 hotels “signed, sealed and under construction”. Not bad considering Alzaabi only made in-roads in the Kingdom three years ago.

　　“We are actually the fastest growing hotelier and probably the biggest in terms of pipeline number of rooms in Saudi Arabia. If you look at IHG or Hilton in Saudi Arabia, or others who have been there for 40/50 years, considering we have just entered three years ago, we have more rooms than them,” Alzaabi claims.

　　The success he says, is “mainly driven by relationships and also driven by us being so focused on bottom lines for the owners”.

　　However, he admits the numbers are not quite where he would like them to be, acknowledging that the recession of 08/09 put some serious speed bumps in his way. Indeed, back in 2009, Alzaabi told he wanted 100 hotels signed by 2015. Now, he’s pushed this target to 2020.

　　“Contracts for more than 20 hotels did not materialise because of the recession. They are not cancelled. They have been shelved for now,” Alzaabi tells me.

　　Still, growth is starting to accelerate again for Millennium & Copthorne, with Millennium the “bread and butter brand” for expansion, followed by Copthorne. There are also new brands to add to the mix; Agarwood, a four-star brand aimed at the Middle East; luxury brand Biltmore; Millennium Executive Apartments; and funky three-star loft-concept, Studio M.

　　Alzaabi explains the differentiation: “Agarwood will be a new four-star brand for the Middle East, Africa and India that will go hand in hand with Copthorne. So, we’ll have the Copthorne and the Agarwood serving the four-star segment.

　　And then for five-star you have the Millennium, plus you have our deluxe brand, which is the Grand Millennium. And then we are expanding also slowly the luxury brand, Biltmore. We also have Millennium Executive Apartments for long staying guests.”

　　There are Biltmore hotels signed in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, and Millennium Executive Apartments in Abu Dhabi and Dubai Marina. Experience has taught Alzaabi he has his work cut out in expanding these concepts, however.

　　“It’s not easy to bring a new brand into the region. Even with Millennium, it has been a challenge to be honest. It’s been a challenge to come and compete with the big brands who have been here for 50 years,” says Alzaabi.