General Manager of soon-to-open Andaz Doha, Thibault de Vries has appointed his leadership team for the new 5-star property. He will be supported by Christina Valentine as Director of Operations, Evoy Pinto, Director of Human Resources and Ashwani Vyas, Director of Food & Beverage.
Andaz Doha will mark the debut of the brand in Qatar, a luxury lifestyle brand of the Hyatt family. Andaz properties are vibrant boutique hotels and resorts which immerse the guest in the local culture through different touch points from cuisine to design, music and more.
The property features 256 rooms, 32 suites, 4 Royal suites, and 56 residences in addition to three distinctive dining concepts, The Salt Road, Mr. and Mrs. Hawker and Mumble Jungle, along with Spa and recreational facilities.
Located in the famed West Bay area, Andaz Doha will capture the best of local design and cuisine, offering distinctively local touches that stimulate the senses while delivering thoughtful, unscripted service.
With these new senior appointments, Andaz Doha is building a resourceful and talented team to handle the hotel’s imminent launch, set to coincide with the same time football fans around the world will turn their eyes to Qatar.
General Manager – Thibault de Vries
A talented hotelier, Thibault has over of 22 years of experience ,16 of which have been with the Hyatt brand across Europe, Asia, Africa and Russia. Prior to his appointment at Andaz Doha, Thibault was General Manager of Hyatt Regency Moscow for over 2 years where he oversaw the hotel’s opening and continued success in the Russian capital.
He’s an alumni of the prestigious Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, where he received a Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management and speaks English, Dutch, French, German, Italian and Russian. He is a passionate and an empathic leader with an innate understanding of the luxury hospitality industry.
Spearheading the launch, Thibault is responsible for overseeing the hotel’s designs, projects and operations, in addition to promoting the Andaz philosophy of providing guests with an authentic local experience.
With the word Andaz meaning ‘personal style’, Thibault’s is represented by the saying, “Always have a unique character like SALT – its presence is not felt but its absence makes everything tasteless.”
Christina Valentine – Director of Operations
Assuming the role of Director of Operations is Christina Valentine, who brings with her extensive exposure of the Hyatt portfolio in the U.S. that include Andaz, Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency brands. In her previous role, Christina was the Director of Operations for Andaz Napa – located in one of the world’s premier wine regions – where she oversaw operations for over a year, maintaining a strong occupancy rate even during the challenging COVID-19 restrictions. She has worked for the company in Chicago, Denver, San Diego, New York and California, making her a true Hyatt specialist.
In her new position at Andaz Doha, she will oversee multiple departments to ensure the efficient management of the hotel’s operations, drawing on her proficiency and knowledge of the luxury lifestyle Andaz brand.
Christina’s Andaz is influenced by her travels and her life’s motto is “I haven’t been everywhere but it’s on my list.”
Evoy Pinto – Director of Human Resources
Evoy Pinto has been appointed Director of Human Resources, having over 16 years of expertise within his field, 9 of which are with Hyatt. A native of Goa, Evoy’s most recent assignment was with Hyatt Centric Chandigarh, where he held the role of Human Resources Manager for over 2 years. Evoy’s career spans across India, Kuwait and Adis Ababa where he implemented many successful HR strategies within Hyatt, including those for the pre-opening stages of Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa, Hyatt Regency Al Kout and Hyatt Place Pune Hinjewadi.
At Andaz Doha, he will direct the hotel’s talent acquisition plans, performance management and employee wellness engagement initiatives.
“Jobs fill your pockets, but adventures fill your soul”, is what Evoy’s Andaz is all about, as he loves adventure sports and adrenaline-pumping activities.
Ashwani Vyas – Director of Food & Beverage
With over 2 successful decades of rich industry experience across international markets, Ashwani Vyas will lead the hotel’s eclectic food and beverage department. Ashwani has worked with Hyatt for over 5 years, having climbed the ranks from Executive Chef in Hyatt Regency Moscow to Director of Food and Beverage in Hyatt Regency Yekaterinburg to the same role at Hyatt Regency Rostov on Don.
Geared to position the hotel’s dining venues amongst the best that Qatar has to offer, Ashwani will steer the culinary and service course for The Salt Road, Mr. and Mrs. Hawker and Mumble Jungle in addition to overlooking the in-room dining and banqueting facilities.
As a creator, Ashwani’s personal style is much like Art – “it’s not what you see but what you make others see, just like with food, you eat with your eyes first.”
The Andaz Doha team will look forward to welcoming guests to the expansive property when it officially opens its doors to the public in November 2022.
