InterContinental Doha The City is pleased to welcome Gilles Longuet as the new general manager.

Longuet joins the hotel from Djibouti Palace Kempinski, and prior to that role has also held the position of general manager of the Melia Hotel in Dubai as well as the Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach.

In his role, Longuet will over oversee a team of over 330 people and will maintain the service excellence synonymous with the InterContinental brand. A key responsibility in conjunction with the owning company Ajaj Al Kubaisi Trading will be to drive the strategic growth and revenue of 525 rooms, suites, and service apartments, as well as seven food and beverage outlets, a meeting and events centre with a grand ballroom of 1,100-sq-m, and a Health and Fitness Club.

Longuet brings with him a wealth of international leadership experience in the hospitality industry with over 35 years of experience, 15 years of which was spent in the GCC. His first post outside of France was at the Hotel Ivoire InterContinental in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and since then he has spent over three decades working in over 15 countries around the world in award-winning hotels. A performance driven individual who has set a standard for service excellence, Longuet has successfully opened several five-star properties as general manager in competitive and challenging environments.

“It is an honour to be joining such a prestigious brand and to lead an impressive team. The InterContinental Doha The City has an established reputation as an outstanding hotel and a leading choice for business and leisure guests and I look forward to working with the team towards many more achievements in the future,” said Longuet, general manager of InterContinental Doha The City. “It is also a privilege to be working alongside Ahmed Al Kubaisi, owner of InterContinental Doha The City, with a common goal to achieve excellence.”

Passionate about the culinary arts, Longuet started his career in the culinary department and was guided by renowned Chef Jöel Robuchon for three years while attending the Ecole Hôtelière de Paris - Lycée Jean Drouant.

This is not Longuet's first post in the country, having previously worked in Doha from 2004 – 2007 in a previous post, and he is pleased to be back. “I enjoyed my previous experience in Qatar and am happy to be back in the country. So much has changed since I was last here, and it is a pleasure to see how Qatar has grown, especially in the hospitality industry. It is truly a dynamic city, always on the move with ongoing projects, and it is fantastic to be part of the country’s vision moving forward.”
Originally from France, Longuet is the third generation in his family to have become a hospitality professional.

Perfectly situated in the exclusive West Bay area, close to all the major areas of interest, the stylish and modern Intercontinental Doha The City stands tall amidst the action of the city. The hotel offers 349 luxury guest rooms and suites, as well as 176 residence suites offering various layouts consisting of one to four bedrooms.

InterContinental Doha The City is located in the heart of the city within the financial and diplomatic districts. It is only five minutes from the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre and 20 minutes from Hamad International Airport. With its close proximity to Doha Golf Club, Souq Waqif, Katara Cultural Village and major shopping malls, the hotel is the perfect place for short- or long-term guests to enjoy business or leisure stays. - TradeArabia News Service