In luxury hospitality, excellence is not built overnight- it is the result of disciplined passion, unrelenting standards, and human connection. Few embody this more clearly than Hesham Abdalla, a hospitality leader whose work in Abu Dhabi’s high-end hotel scene continues to redefine what it means to deliver unforgettable experiences. From humble roots to leading food and beverage at one of the UAE’s finest addresses, Hesham’s story is one of heart, strategy, innovation, and most importantly, meaningful leadership.
Early Passion, Eternal Commitment
Hesham’s journey started in Egypt, not at a reception or in the kitchen, but in noticing the natural welcoming of visitors and service professionals. It was the planning, timing, and sense of intelligence behind humble gestures that ignited his early passion.
With a degree in Hospitality Management, Hesham did not take the easy route. Instead, he entered the company from the beginning—as a waiter. Gradually over the years, he worked his way dedicatedly through the ranks: waiter, captain, supervisor, assistant manager, and finally into executive management.
This journey wasn’t a simple one of learning technical know-how—it was an immersion experience. Each step was a lesson in priceless things about service nuance, team dynamics, and the psychology of guest experience. “You can’t lead people if you haven’t walked in their shoes,” he says, and this mantra still influences the way he trains and empowers his teams today.
A Presence and Purpose-Based Leadership Style
Hesham now spearheads a multinational large-scale group at Bab Al Qasr Hotel & Residences as Director of Food & Beverage. He runs outlets for international luxury travelers, regional VIPs, and locals alike. However, his leadership style steers clear from an authoritarian style.
Rather, he leads with empathy, transparency, and visibility. Whether leading a kitchen staff through menu re-engineering or inspiring front-of-house teams to connect with customers more intuitively, Hesham is a teacher and a team player in equal proportions. “Leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room,” he says. “It’s about creating space for others to rise.”
Hesham values being present over having a position. Staff members find him in kitchens, listening in on pre-shift meetings, tasting food, and lending a hand to high-stakes functions—not because he is a micromanager, but because he wants to remain plugged in. This ground-up method earns him trust and builds a culture of respectful cooperation.
Hospitality as an Art of Storytelling
To Hesham, drink and food is not merely a business category—it’s a storytelling medium. “People don’t just want to eat,” he explains. “They want to feel something. To remember something.”
Here, at Bab Al Qasr, he directed the creation and implementation of experiential dining that marries food artistry and storytelling. Ideas such as the retro-glam “Rose Mary”, the mysterious “Dining in the Dark”, and seasonally derived, culturally relevant pop-ups aren’t about being theoretical showstoppers—they’re designed to stimulate the senses, to spark curiosity, and leave an emotional mark.
“Guests leave with full stomachs, yes, but they leave also with something to say.” That is the essence of Hesham’s vision: emotional dining that leads to connection. Hesham ensures that innovation is not done in isolation. His team conducts ideation sessions, KPI-inspired creativity activities, and feedback-led enhancements. Such collaborative structure provides authority not only to creative output but loyalty, as members of his team feel like co-owners, not subordinates.
Operational Discipline: Weighing Scale and Soul
Running upscale operations in a 21st-century hotel is a balancing act—chaos with no flexibility, diluting without volume, uniformity without sameness. Hesham balances it all with precision.
From coordinating banquet configurations for groups of one hundred to designing cozy à la carte service for VIPs, he is committed to two objectives: perfect execution and significant interaction.
He uses market analytics, comment-of-the-guest analysis, and financial KPIs to guide everything from staffing levels to inventory cycles. But behind all of these numbers is a leader who is just as devoted to guest sentiment. “Profit and purpose are not enemies,” says Hesham. “They can—and should—exist together.”
Even under times of intense pressure, his leadership is reflective, reactive, and level-headed. His operating teams attribute to him infusing confidence, clarity, and efficient and empowering systems.
Sustainability as a Business Imperative
Even before “sustainability” entered the hospitality vocabulary, Hesham had already started practicing green thinking for food and beverage operations. Today, at the helm, Bab Al Qasr’s F&B division is a regional gold standard for green responsibility.
He has championed:
- Local buying over imported goods to cut carbon emissions and help local agriculture
- Seasonal menus to ensure maximum freshness and minimize food waste “We’re not in the business of rooms and restaurants—we’re in the business of moments, memories, and meaning.”
- Energy-saving and water-saving smart kitchen systems
- Zero use of single-use plastics across all stores
- Waste and inventory tracking software that measures and reports on sustainability KPIs
But Hesham believes that sustainability can’t be done simply in policy. He has created a culture where employees naturally think green. Training sessions, employee-led sustainability initiatives, and even contests encourage such a culture. “If the team doesn’t own it,” he says, “it won’t last.”
Bab Al Qasr’s adherence to standards such as ISO 14001:2015, WTTC’s Sustainability Basics, and DCT’s Carbon Calculator and BOLISATY–EAD highlights this responsibility—not for publicity purposes, but as a moral and strategic necessity.
Resilience During Crisis: A Turning Point
If the most pivotal chapter of Hesham’s leadership tenure is any indication, then it certainly is the COVID-19 pandemic. Guest behavior shifted, staff morale was mercurial, and operating models needed to be reconsidered with a sense of urgency.
In response, while working at Crowne Plaza Downtown in the recovery phase, Hesham made a sharp turnabout. He redefined service models, launched contactless but engaging dining options and ideas, and created new outdoor ideas to address shifting safety standards. He restored team confidence through being openly communicative, emotionally nurturing, and accommodating to various timetables.
The return was not just economic resurgence but reputation enhancement. Guests still recall feeling nurtured, and employees recall feeling safeguarded—results that can’t be quantified by numbers.
Mentorship and Internal Talent Development
Aside from innovation and planning, what is most distinct about Hesham is his faith in the potential of human beings. Development of talent is not secondary—it’s the focal point of everything he does. With the objective of enhancing the skills of the staff, he has launched:
- Internal mentorship programs
- Cross-exposure initiatives across departments
- In-house training initiatives to motivate star performers
- Succession planning for upcoming leaders
Hesham feels that every team member should have an odyssey—not an assignment. His passion for learning, dating back a few years, led him to complete leadership modules from Cornell University, reinforcing further his conviction that lifelong learning needs to be emulated from the top.
Some of his original team members are now in management and director positions—testament to his impact not only on operations, but on careers.
Technology Meets Humanity
As technology revolutionizes hospitality, Hesham is an ardent proponent of “tech that empowers people, not replaces them.”
He’s brought in:
- AI-driven guest feedback analysis
- Digital menus and QR-ordering
- Smart inventory and scheduling systems
- Guest loyalty tracking for bespoke service
Technology is employed with measured moderation. However, Hesham makes certain no device ever takes the place of a warm welcome, a sympathetic chat, or the unpremeditated generosity that characterizes genuine hospitality. “The more efficient we become,” he goes on, “the greater the need to protect what’s human.”
Cultural Intelligence in Leadership
Being a multicultural city, Abu Dhabi requires leaders who can manage diverse teams and host foreign guests; more than language proficiency—it requires cultural competence. Hesham has designed training that is inclusive and sensitive to cultures while remaining in accordance with global service standards. His team comprises professionals from every continent, yet they form a single unit—united by values rather than place of birth.
Such inclusivity builds team spirit and guest delight. As Hesham rightly puts it, “When you respect every story, you tell a better one yourself.”
Legacy in Motion
When asked what he’d like to be remembered for, Hesham answers both modestly and profoundly: “That I made others better—guests, colleagues, teams.”
He doesn’t wish to be remembered for titles, but for the impact that he has left behind. Not for the loudest of voices, but for the hardest of work. For establishing cultures of greatness as the norm, of learning as a way of life, and of kindness as a given.
His dedication has already started to yield results: loyal teams, inspired protégés, and better guest experiences at every hotel he has had the privilege of serving.
Message to the Next Generation
To young hoteliers, Hesham shares these words of wisdom: “Fall in love with the process, not the prestige. Every detail counts. Every minute counts. Success is not in titles—it’s in how many you lift up, how many guests you touch, and how much you can give of yourself. It’s a business of heart, not transaction. Make it matter.”
Moving Forward: The Future is Personal
In a time when hospitality is changing at breakneck speed, Hesham’s strategy is innovative and rooted. He is a contemporary leader who understands that people and profit, innovation and heritage, tech and emotion must all meet. As he guides Bab Al Qasr Hotel & Residences, he is not only creating unforgettable guest experiences—he is transforming the very DNA of luxury hospitality in the Middle East. To those looking for a 21st-century model of leadership in the hospitality industry, Hesham Abdalla is not only an example, he’s the benchmark.
