A man whose first hotel job in Dubai was cutting vegetables for a pizza restaurant has returned 22 years later to take up a GM post.
Stuart Deeson, 38, joined the Park Hyatt Dubai less than two months ago as general manager, but said his first experience of Dubai’s hospitality industry was far less glamorous.
“I had a summer job at the Hyatt Regency and was assigned to the pizza restaurant cutting vegetables. I was not even worthy of the title Commis Chef,” he told Hotelier Middle East.
But Deeson soon moved up the ranks, and took his first job with the Hyatt group in 1995 as sales manager, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.
Since then his career has seen him in roles such as director of sales and director of rooms at Hyatt Regency Xian, executive assistant manager, rooms, at Grand Hyatt’s in Tokyo and Seoul, and in 2005, at the tender age of 36, Deeson was appointed general manager of Hyatt Regency Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
“I guess hotels are in my blood,” said Deeson, who grew up earning pocket money washing pots and pans in his father’s hotel in Scotland.
In addition, Deeson’s uncle, Brian Deeson, is a noted hotel industry big cheese. The CEO, Greater China and senior vice president, Asia for the Accor hotel group was recently made chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).
Deeson spent his first few weeks speaking to staff and guests to gauge the property’s strengths and weaknesses.
“My first impressions are that the property is quite unique,” he said. “The staff are warm and friendly and there is a residential feel. We want to capitalise on that.”
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