We already know Amsa Hospitality and its exceptional services. That’s why we also interviewed Aamir Riaz, the Director of Business Development, Projects Management & Technical Services at Amsa Hospitality.
He is a competent leader with highly exceptional leadership skills. He has diversified work experience in hospitality, especially in KSA, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific.
Commencing The Exceptional Entrepreneurship Journey
We asked Aamir, “How did you start your entrepreneurship journey?”
“Nobody is born an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs take on a number of different roles, and these roles can vary depending on what field you choose to enter.
I started my career in the hospitality industry as Engineering Supervisor, where I learned all I could from AV-IT to MEP. Before moving to a top managerial role, I was first acting in charge of the department I was working in until I was promoted to a Chief Engineer position.
Since my life motto is that you must always be better and learn more skills to develop yourself and reach new highs, I eventually got a position as Director of Business Development, Projects Management & Technical Services.
That’s in that position that I recently decided to join Amsa Hospitality, a truly entrepreneurial company that aims at changing the hospitality landscape in the GCC and beyond. As you see, we meant to work together: we have the same mindset!”
Furthermore, we also asked him to share his advice for beginners.
Aamir continues, “If you truly want to succeed, put in 100% effort. Effort will always trump luck and skill, so if you’re serious about your job and career, you should never stop trying. You can look at my career path. I started at the lowest hotel engineering position, and today I am heading the business development, project management, and technical services of Amsa Hospitality, the ‘hallmark of Arabian hospitality.”
He further continues, “Only hard work got me to that position. Hard work pays.”
Continuing Business Seamlessly
“What do you believe is the most crucial part of continuing the hospitality business seamlessly?” we asked Aamir.
He replied, “I always say that a hotel is nothing more than a building made with similar bricks and mortar than its direct competitor, down the road. What makes the difference is your hotel’s team spirit and, therefore, the quality of service they provide.
As you know, guests will eventually comment on your hotel online. Bad ratings will immediately translate into a loss of business. Therefore, we have no choice but to provide good service. Good service means smiling and helpful staff and a fully functional hotel – and this is when quality on-site engineering kicks in!”
The Exceptional Leadership Needed For Business Growth
According to Aamir, a good leader proposes an exciting vision to their team, a vision worth getting up every morning and working hard to succeed.
He also says, “A department leader, such as I am, is someone able to develop their own vision within the company’s ‘master’ vision. Let me give you an example:
Amsa Hospitality has a great vision which is to bring a “centuries-old Arabian tradition of generosity and welcoming to today’s world.” In other words, to be the ‘hallmark of Arabian hospitality.”
“Exciting, right? As a leader myself, I developed my own departmental vision that integrates into the company’s, getting more department-specific so that my team and I enjoy the double challenge!
To succeed, I studied the greatest leaders of our world and followed their steps to know how to define your own vision, how to motivate each team member according to their own walk of life, be there when they need it, and eventually succeed with flying colors!” continues Aamir.
Getting Into The Hospitality Industry
When we asked Aamir about how he got the idea of getting into the hospitality industry, see what he said.
“Being able to provide a means to be away from home, surrounded by strangers and yet feeling welcome. This is what triggered me to join the hospitality industry.
I believe that is Amsa Hospitality CEO, Mohammad Alathel, who recently mentioned in one of his blog posts that our industry dates back to 3,600 BCE. Meaning that, since almost the beginning of civilization, hotels have been around to welcome and serve our fellow humans. I thought that I should be part of one of the oldest industries ever because there is so much to do:
One of the oldest and also one of the most vibrant, always at the forefront of new ideas, new technologies, and new challenges. It’s a great industry!” says Aamir Riaz, the Director of Business Development of Amsa Hospitality.
Further, we asked him, “What are your goals with Amsa Hospitality?”
He said, “As I mentioned before, Amsa Hospitality and I have the same entrepreneurial mindset. We were meant to work together!
Also, I appreciate that they portray themselves as a ‘citizen company,’ meaning they work most ethically, caring for their teams, the surrounding communities, the environment, and more.
Therefore, working with Amsa Hospitality is doing good while doing business:
Like any other company, its aim is to be financially profitable and grow.
But the way they conduct business is great.
Therefore, my goal is to ensure that they succeed.
As simple as that!”
The Pathway To Team Integrity For Business Improvement
“Integrity is one of the core values to be a citizen company, which you may also understand as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
As Amsa Hospitality is dedicated to being a full-fledged ‘citizen company,’ integrity is more than mandatory when you work for this company! That’s another reason why I’m happy to work with them.
I always saw integrity as being the only choice.
What’s more, there are valid business reasons for making it a priority:
Integrity enhances your reputation, which can help attract and retain customers, stimulate employee loyalty and become a more attractive investment proposition.
Having integrity in the workplace is essential to building trust with your colleagues and employees. It’s also integral for making ethical decisions and addressing challenges calmly and purposefully.”
This is what Aamir Riaz says on team integrity and its importance for businesses, specifically, Amsa Hospitality.
What inspired you to develop an entrepreneurial mindset?
“My dad, a serial entrepreneur, was a joyful workaholic. He had a contagious love for his work even when times were tough.
I wanted to be like him.
Inspired by dad, I filled my youth with small ventures of my own.” says Aamir.
What keeps you moving forward even during challenges?
According to Aamir, “Determination allows you to focus only on achieving a specific goal without being distracted by less important things or spontaneous desires.
Moreover, self-confidence, persistence, stress management, problem-solving skills, creativity, and ideas generating are the key skills to overcome any challenge that life may throw at you.”
Also Read : The Woman behind AGORA – meet Reem Kassem
Technology & Digitalization Towards Transitions In Businesses
According to Aamir, “Technology is a must these days for every type of business, even more so when it comes to the hospitality industry.
“I believe that your average hotel is now almost more digitalized than the space shuttle, and it’s only the beginning! You’ll see even more Technology in the years to come all over the hospitality world.
At Amsa Hospitality, we are implementing Technology all the way:
We are all equipped with the latest computers and other state-of-the-art IT equipment, and we have a great number of integrated software and applications at our disposal to help us work stress-free from anywhere!
That’s for our head office.
When it comes to hotels, we listen to guests who are asking for more and better unified digital services, from check-in booths to NFC bedroom locks and everything else you can imagine!
While remaining cost-conscious, we are working towards outfitting our hotels with the level of technology guests want.”
We also asked him if technological advancements and digitalization are helping the hospitality industry to develop. He replied:
“Absolutely. Technology has helped reduce costs, enhance operational efficiency, and improve services and guests’ experience.
Both customers and businesses can benefit from improved communication, reservations, and guest service systems.
As discussed before, our growing industry is also undergoing an important digital transformation, making guests’ experience more personalized than it has ever been.
Technologies such as facial recognition, artificial intelligence, chat-bots, and data analytics (just to name a few) are relatively modern innovations shifting the industry.”
Do you use innovative ideas to be unique?
“When you work with Amsa Hospitality, having innovative ideas is almost a daily must! Not only do I not mind, but I like it.
I built my career on being continuously innovative.
In this very competitive life (and the more you climb the hierarchy ladder, the more it becomes competitive), only those with innovative ideas succeed in the long run.
I’m planning to keep succeeding for a long time to come!” Aamir shares.
Lastly, we asked him, “Would you like to say anything else to our viewers?”
With that, he says, “The hospitality industry is a great industry. Compared to other fields, it is a lot more challenging.
True.
But look at me; In which other industry can you start as a simple hotel engineer – not to say ‘handyman’ – and become one day Director of Business Development, Projects Management & Technical Services?
Almost only the hospitality industry can do that, as long as you are ready to work hard and be dedicated to keeping learning new skills and aiming for the sky.”
We thank Aamir Riaz for his time for this interview.
It was great to get to know this exceptional career journey and learn more about Amsa Hospitality along the way.
Connect with Aamir Riaz on LinkedIn.
Contact Aamir on:
Email: aamir.riaz@amsahospitality.com
phone: +966 057 007 1972 Find Amsa Hospitality on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter
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