Fairmont The Palm has appointed Stavros Fassaris as the new Director of Food and Beverage and Dhaval Patel as director of revenue management.

 

Born and raised in Greece, Stavros brings over 15 years of international experience in high-end hospitality, with a career spanning Europe and the Middle East.

 

Growing up in Greece, where tourism and hospitality are pillars of the economy, Stavros first entered the industry during his student days.

 

A seasoned professional with deep roots in both hotel and standalone restaurant operations, Stavros began his leadership journey in 2011 as Bar Manager at The Westin Resort in Greece. Shortly after, he moved to the Middle East to join W Doha, where he took on the role of Assistant General Manager at the Spice Market. He later led Market by Jean-Georges for over two years. By 2015, he was promoted to Assistant Director of Food and Beverage, overseeing multiple venues and driving operational excellence across the hotel’s dining portfolio.

 

Stavros relocated to Dubai in 2017 to lead BB Social Dining in DIFC as General Manager, where he spearheaded the pre-opening and development of one of the city’s most celebrated dining spots. He then took on the role of Concept Developer for Hellenika in Saudi Arabia. Before joining Fairmont The Palm, Stavros returned to W Doha as Director of Food and Beverage, where he led a team of over 240 front-of-house colleagues across 11 venues, banquets, and catering units - delivering standout events including Formula 1, MotoGP, AFC Cup Hospitality, and WEB Summit Qatar.

 

His career is decorated with multiple industry accolades, including Best Newcomer Restaurant, Best European Contemporary, and Best Individual Restaurant Awards by Time Out, as well as Best Hotel Restaurant in the Middle East by Condé Nast. In 2024, Stavros was awarded the Ambassador of Excellence by Qatar Tourism during Hospitality Qatar, recognising his outstanding performance and high standards of excellence - an honour bestowed on the top Director of Food and Beverage in the country.

 

Dhaval Patel 

With more than 15 years of global experience in luxury hospitality revenue strategy, Dhaval brings a data-driven mindset and a proven track record of commercial success to the leadership team.

 

Originally from India, Dhaval’s hospitality journey began in 2008 with a management training role at The Delamar Greenwich Harbor. His passion for optimizing performance through analytical precision quickly propelled him into roles with industry-leading brands such as The Armani Hotel, Address Hotels & Resorts and JA Resorts. He later expanded his impact through senior revenue management roles at Marriott International and Hilton Corporate Office in Dubai.

 

In his most recent role as Revenue Lead at Hilton Worldwide, Dhaval oversaw strategy for flagship properties including Waldorf Astoria DIFC and Conrad Etihad Towers. He has been instrumental in driving market share growth and delivering record-breaking ADR performance, earning accolades such as the top ranking in RevPAR Index change across Hilton EMEA Luxury. 

 

Dhaval holds an MBA in Hospitality Finance from Les Roches Swiss Hotel School, and combines his commercial acumen with a collaborative leadership style that develops high-performing teams and fosters innovation.

 

At Fairmont The Palm, Dhaval will focus on driving forward strategic revenue growth, enhancing pricing and distribution strategies, and strengthening the hotel’s market positioning in Dubai’s competitive luxury landscape. - TradeArabia News Service