In the past few weeks, the luxury resort has promoted Mustafa Kemal to Director of F&B, Barkin Kartal to Director of Operations, Birles Bizhkenov to Director of Rooms, and Ibtissam Doubaj to Cluster Director of Sales
These latest promotions demonstrate the hotel’s continued commitment to staff development, acknowledging the effort of its most dedicated individuals and supporting their growth
Dubai, UAE -: Rixos The Palm Dubai Hotel & Suites, the renowned luxury ultra-all-inclusive resort nestled on the eastern crescent of the breathtaking Palm Jumeirah, proudly announces its latest series of promotions, recognising the hard-work of its best-performing staff. The hotel has recently appointed Mustafa Kemal as Director of F&B, Barkin Kartal as Director of Operations, Birles Bizhkenov as Director of Rooms & Housekeeping, and Ibtissam Doubaj as Cluster Director of Sales. With its long history of promoting from within, Rixos The Palm Dubai Hotel & Suites reinforces its commitment to helping its staff members achieve their goals.
Mustafa Kemal – Director of F&B
With nearly two decades of experience in hospitality, including 6 years with Rixos The Palm Dubai Hotel & Suites, Mustafa Kemal’s well-deserved promotion to Director of F&B reflects his consistently outstanding performance. Spending most of his time on the floor, personally engaging with team members and guests, Mustafa’s inspiring leadership and welcoming nature have always been a pillar of the hotel’s impeccable service, with guest satisfaction rates soaring to a staggering 98% in the last 18 months.
In his previous role as Assistant Director of F&B, his passion for elevating the culinary experience culminated in the recent launch of BODRUM and Bar1, two of the resort’s most iconic venues. Beyond his impressive performance, Mustafa has an engaging personality, and his values are deeply rooted in the Turkish saying “Sukretmek – Sabretmek – Ogrenmek” (gratitude, perseverance, and continuous learning). His guiding principles and passion not only apply to his style of work but also to his way of parenting, as he recently welcomed his firstborn, a beautiful baby girl.
Barkin Kartal – Director of Operations
Working at Rixos The Palm Dubai Hotel & Suites for nearly 5 years, Barkin Kartal’s remarkable career development is a result of his dedication as a manager and his approachable personality. Starting as a Director of Housekeeping in 2019, Barkin has long been one of the resort’s key leaders in navigating the intricacies of managing staff. His unique character, which combines discipline and kindness, helps encourage his team to always work diligently while being open and understanding.
Armed with a master’s degree from HTMI Switzerland, a leading hotel management institute, Barkin’s extensive experience in hospitality spans over a decade. He has worked with luxury hospitality brands for years, in different departments honing his operational management skills and learning new techniques from every property. Some of his key achievements include increasing the cleanliness score of the resort to 99% and raising the colleague engagement score of the team to 80%
Birles Bizhkenov – Director of Rooms
From his early role at Rixos The Palm Dubai Hotel & Suites as Front Office Manager, Birles Bizhkenov’s excellent service has reflected in his character as an “all-rounder” along with his ability to adapt to last-minute changes. His 14 years of consistent performance as a member of the Rixos family has resulted in outstanding guest retention and he also actively participated in the development of the resort’s Suite Collections.
Birles Bizhkenov previously worked with one of Rixos’ properties in Russia, playing a pivotal role during the hotel’s pre-opening and hosting esteemed delegations during the Winter Olympic Games, including the U.S. and Austria Olympic Committees. Beyond his remarkable career, Birles Bizhkenov values a balanced lifestyle, enjoying reading and exploring the culinary gems of Dubai. In his new role as Director of Rooms, Birles Bizhkenov will be leading a team of over 170+ individuals in multiple departments, continuing his contribution to the prestigious Rixos brand.
Ibtissam Doubaj – Cluster Director of Sales
After only one year in her position as Director of Sales, Ibtissam Doubaj’s incredible contribution to the launch of the All-Inclusive Concept has ultimately led her to be appointed as Cluster Director of Sales. Boating over 16 years of experience in the UAE, working with a series of 5-star hotels, she has sharpened her skills in everything commercial. With her fluency in an impressive four languages, namely English, Arabic, French, and Italian, she fosters meaningful connections with clients and associates, whilst also continuing her passion for training and inspiring her team members.
Ibtissam also led the hotel to surpass last year’s performance, beating the competition with an RGI (revenue generating index) of 150. Her strong international network portfolio enables her to monetise strategic alliances, relationships, and partnerships, supporting the hotel in achieving its goals. In her new role, Ibtissam envisions seeing both Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites and Rixos Premium Dubai ranking number 1 in their respective competition set.
Murat Zorlu, General Manager at Rixos The Palm Dubai Hotel & Suites, shared his remarks on these promotions, saying, “We are so proud of our dedicated team members and these promotions reflect the appreciation we have for the hard work that Mustafa, Barkin, Birles Bizhkenov, and Ibtissam have all put in over the years. Each of the new appointees’ journey showcases outstanding discipline and dedication, and I believe they will bring continued success and innovation in their new roles, contributing to the growth and prosperity of Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites. It is an honour to work alongside them, and I am looking forward to watching them continue to grow and prosper.”
In prioritising internal promotions and fostering a culture of continuous development, Rixos The Palm Dubai Hotel & Suites believes in the significance of acknowledging its incredible workforce. This approach not only cultivates a healthy and supportive work environment but also ensures that success and dedication are recognised, which ultimately leads to the continued prosperity of this stunning resort.
