Hospitality veteran and highly respected leader, Bill Keffer has announced that he plans to step down from his current role as General Manager of the iconic JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai and Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites in June 2023. He will relocate back to his home state of Tennessee, USA, to enjoy retirement after more than 35 years of dedicated service to the hospitality industry, including 30 years as a loyal advocate of Marriott International.
In addition to being a talented leader in the industry, Bill has made an exceptional impact on so many of his fellow associates and will be dearly missed, especially by his team at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, where he has played a pivotal role in the hotel’s remarkable 11 year history.
With more than three decades of experience, Bill started his career with Marriott International in Tennessee, USA, followed by positions in Florida at the Harbor Beach Resort, and five years at the New York Marriott Marquis. In 2000, Bill relocated overseas and spent two years in Japan as the Food and Beverage Director of the Renaissance Hotel, Sapporo, followed by three years in South Korea as Director of Operations at the JW Marriott, Seoul.
In 2005, Bill moved to London, as Area Director of Operations for the United Kingdom and Ireland, converting over 60 hotels from franchised properties into Marriott managed hotels. Four years later in 2009, Bill moved to the UAE to manage the conversion of the Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites as General Manager. During his tenure the hotel was awarded Global Hotel of the Year for Marriott International.
In January 2012, Bill joined the pre-opening team at JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai as the Hotel Manager. Shortly after, he was promoted to Cluster General Manager overseeing both the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai Hotel and Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites, leading a team of over 1,600 associates of 70 nationalities.
Throughout his impressive career with Marriott, Bill has been the recipient of various prestigious awards including Continent General Manager of the Year four times, Continent Hotel of the Year three times, Global Hotel of the Year in 2011, and three individual recognitions for leadership and engagement excellence. Bill has always been a natural leader and he was recently recognized in the Hotelier Middle East’s Power 50 in 2021, Power 100 in 2022, and Hotel and Catering Middle East Top 30 Hospitality Heavyweights for 2022. Further adding to his list of accolades, Bill chaired the Marriott Business Council in Dubai from 2010-2012, and was the Guidance Leader for all Middle East and African Business Councils from 2020-2022.
Bill’s energy and enthusiasm for the hospitality industry is infectious. His kind and friendly demeanor have made him an approachable, well-trusted and inspirational leader to those who have had the pleasure to work with him. Always mentoring associates to further their career, Bill has helped so many of his team members progress within the hotel across various departments, enabling them to expand to new opportunities all over the world.
