“Out of 210 Omani colleagues at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah, Youssef was one of the 30 top talents who were chosen to take part in our Omani Development Program. The program is designed by professional learning and development experts to help our Omani colleagues grow, acquire external exposure and develop their leadership skills to become leaders of the future. Within just a few months through the program, Youssef got promoted and has succeeded to become one of our key F&B leaders and prominent role models,” René D. Egle added.

Fueled by the desire to do more, Youssef has championed several initiatives that solidify his position as an exemplary leader.  The Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah team has highlighted his key achievements as increasing his financial performance target from 200% to 400% and introducing safe social experiences like ‘Majlis by the Beach’, where he uplifted the ambience and setup of private dining by the beach. Youssef also drove the initiative to celebrate teachers’ hard work and dedication on Omani Teachers Day, showcasing the hotel as a trendsetter by offering special discounts to teachers and their families, which has driven massive business results.

From his side, Youssef Al Abri said, “I am sincerely humbled by the praise and warmth bestowed upon me. I hope to continue making a difference in the hospitality landscape of the Sultanate with innovation and integrity so that each guest is given a memorable experience. I would also like to thank my supervisors and my team at the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah for the opportunities given to me and the relentless support to put my ideas into action. It is truly an honour to be nominated for the Caterer Middle East Awards 2021 and I can not wait to pass my experience and knowledge to develop more Omani colleagues of mine.” 

This year has seen the Food and Beverage sector face challenges like it has never had before with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the slow road to recovery starts, the Caterer Middle East Awards strives to bring the region’s culinary community together to celebrate the excellence as well as the resilience that the region’s restaurants exhibit daily.  

The Caterer Middle East is the sister magazine for Hotelier Middle East magazine, the leading destination for hospitality industry professionals covering hotelier news, hospitality news, hotel, and events. Last month, Sarah Khaled, Director of Marketing and Communications for Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah and Shangri-La Al Husn was selected amongst the Top 50 Hotel Marketing Talents in the Middle East and she was the only one on the list from Oman’s hospitality landscape.