Marriott International has appointed Michel Nader as its area vice president for the United Arab Emirates.

In his new role, Nader will oversee the company’s operations in the country, which currently features 60 operating hotels and over 16,000 rooms across 20 brands. He will take over from Sandeep Walia, who starts his new role as COO for the Middle East on July 1, 2021.

Nader brings over 20 years of international experience in the hotel industry. Most recently, he was the market vice president for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt for Marriott International.

Nader joined Marriott in 1999 as assistant food and beverage manager at the Le Bristol, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Lebanon, before moving to the Sheraton Coral Beach as food and beverage manager. In 2004, he took on a new challenge as director of Six Sigma, Black Belt at the Sheraton Mencey and Sheraton La Caleta in the Canary Islands.

In 2006, he took on his first GM role, opening the Hotel Marques de Riscal, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Elciego, Spain. He was then appointed to renovate and run the iconic Hotel Maria Cristina, a Luxury Collection Hotel in San Sebastian.

Nader moved to the UAE in 2013. He held the position of general manager of the Aloft Abu Dhabi while overseeing a total of eight hotels in the capital as area general manager.