
Karim Bizid appointed as Chief Operating Officer of Chedi Hospitality as the Brand Enters New Era of Growth
Chedi Hospitality proudly announces the appointment of Karim Bizid as Chief Operating Officer, a strategic leadership move that marks a defining moment in the group's evolution. With an expanding portfolio of landmark destinations and private residences, the appointment reinforces Chedi Hospitality's vision to deliver exceptional experiences, cultural authenticity, and guest-centric innovation.
As Chief Operating Officer, Bizid will oversee global operations and the implementation of brand standards across new and existing properties. He will play a critical role in shaping the group's operational frameworks, guiding teams, and supporting the seamless opening of upcoming developments in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and beyond. His leadership will be pivotal in ensuring that each destination upholds the refined values and distinct identity that define the Chedi experience—one rooted in intuitive service, architectural elegance, and meaningful guest connection.
'Karim's appointment as Chief Operating Officer is a natural evolution of his leadership and a reflection of the value he brings to our brand,' said Stephan Schupbach, CEO of Chedi Hospitality. 'As we expand into new destinations and strengthen our global presence, Karim will ensure our operations are both agile and aligned to our ethos. His deep understanding of the brand and its people makes him a key pillar in our next chapter.'
'I am honoured to step into this new role at such a pivotal time for Chedi Hospitality,' said Karim Bizid, Chief Operating Officer of Chedi Hospitality. 'Having witnessed the brand's transformation first-hand, I am deeply inspired by our vision and proud to be a part of the next phase of growth. I look forward to working closely with our talented teams and partners worldwide to shape operations that are as thoughtful and distinctive as the destinations we create.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Syria tilts West as Gulf capital drives post-Assad recovery
After more than a decade of war and isolation, Syria is edging back into the global economy. The signs are familiar: commercial flights have resumed, sanctions are being eased and its debts are being cleared. Gulf investors are circling. Infrastructure deals are being announced. The headlines suggest the country is on the cusp of reintegration. But this is not simply an economic reawakening. It marks a deeper geopolitical repositioning – one that places Syria within a widening western and Gulf-aligned bloc, as influence from Iran and Russia recedes. Syria's recovery will not be decided by GDP charts alone. It will depend on whether the country can reclaim enough political agency to rebuild on its own terms – or whether, like Iraq before it, Syria becomes a postwar economy designed around the interests of its financial and political sponsors. Sanctions relief from the US and EU has reopened the door to international investment in Syria, particularly in energy. The policy shift has catalysed a wave of Gulf-backed deals, most notably a $7 billion agreement involving Qatari, Turkish and US companies to rebuild Syria's power infrastructure. These developments signal more than capital flows, they point to a convergence of western and Gulf interests. The energy deal led by Qatari companies is the clearest bellwether. It follows a well-established template seen in postwar Iraq, where US and western firms including ExxonMobil and Shell helped rebuild the oil sector in ways that aligned output with western markets. With Russian and Iranian influence in Syria greatly diminished, its energy sector is being restructured to serve a different geopolitical order. Syria's new economic vision is increasingly shaped by partnerships with Gulf nations. Flights from Dubai-based airlines to the Syrian capital Damascus are resuming. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have paid Syria's arrears at the World Bank. Major regional banks are exploring correspondent relationships with Syrian institutions – something that was unthinkable just a year ago. The momentum is clear. This pivot also hints at Syria's eventual role in a broader integration of regional infrastructure. Syria is not formally part of the Iraq Development Road (IDR), a $17 billion infrastructure project that aims to facilitate trade between the Gulf and Europe through Turkey. But recent infrastructure moves suggest a potential alignment. Syria is negotiating a $300 million fibre-optic project with Gulf telecoms companies under the SilkLink initiative and it has signed agreements with Gulf and French firms worth more than $1.5 billion to develop its Tartus and Latakia ports. These projects aim to restore Syria's position as a logistical bridge and may yet dovetail with broader regional integration efforts, such as the IDR. Gulf support for Syria is driven in part by strategic considerations. With a population exceeding 20 million and a pressing need for reconstruction, Syria offers economic opportunities in sectors including energy and infrastructure, attracting interest from Gulf nations seeking to diversify their own economies beyond oil. Six months after former president Bashar Al Assad was deposed, Syria remains deeply unstable, but the direction of travel is unmistakable. Political volatility persists, with pro-Assad insurgents challenging the government, led by President Ahmad Al Shara. Sanctions have been eased, yet investors remain cautious. A true investment boom will require more institutional guarantees and credible reforms. Yet Syria's fundamentals are hard to ignore. Its geography gives it access to five key markets (it borders Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Israel and Lebanon) and a Mediterranean port system, offering direct access to Europe through the Suez Canal. It has natural resources, untapped agricultural capacity and a large, dispersed diaspora, including millions of highly educated Syrians who fled to North America and Europe after the civil war broke out in 2011. If Syria can secure peace and policy credibility, it has the potential to become, over time, a regional node for trade, logistics and skilled industries. So, what kind of state might Syria become? The Iraq model is one possibility, an externally funded recovery shaped by competing interests and vulnerable to internal fragmentation, though Syria's more diverse international backing could set it on a different course. Another, more aspirational model is the UAE, a service-driven economy boosted by expatriate talent and foreign capital. But unlike Syria, the UAE built from a foundation of stability and oil wealth. The more plausible path is somewhere in between: a hybrid economy rebuilt with Gulf capital and western acquiescence, plugged into regional logistics but still dependent on foreign support. However, Syria could become globally connected, but politically constrained, with its economic direction increasingly shaped by the terms set abroad. That raises longer-term questions about sovereignty. Syria remains heavily dependent on external support for reconstruction, currency stability and basic financial credibility. Its future will hinge on whether it can preserve any meaningful policy autonomy while accepting sustained foreign involvement. The signals to watch over the coming year will be telling: foreign direct investment, particularly in infrastructure and education; return migration from Europe and North America; and concrete steps towards institution-building. If the country invests in people, not just in roads and power plants, its recovery may be sustainable. If those signals fail to materialise, Syria risks being increasingly shaped by the interests of its backers. It is not returning to the global stage as a neutral actor. It is returning with its orientation, at least economically, tilted towards the West.


Khaleej Times
11 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Iran says no sanctions relief in US nuclear proposal
Iran's parliament speaker said on Sunday that the latest US proposal for a nuclear deal does not include the lifting of sanctions, state media reported as negotiations appear to have hit a roadblock. The two foes have held five rounds of Omani-mediated talks since April, seeking to replace a landmark agreement between Tehran and world powers that set restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief, before US President Donald Trump abandoned the accord during his first term in 2018. In a video aired on Iranian state TV, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that "the US plan does not even mention the lifting of sanctions". He called it a sign of dishonesty, accusing the Americans of seeking to impose a "unilateral" agreement that Tehran would not accept. "The delusional US president should know better and change his approach if he is really looking for a deal," Ghalibaf said. On May 31, after the fifth round of talks, Iran said it had received "elements" of a US proposal, with officials later taking issue with "ambiguities" in the draft text. The US and its Western allies have long accused the Islamic republic of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, a charge Iran has consistently denied, insisting that its atomic programme was solely for peaceful purposes. Key issues in the negotiations have been the removal of biting economic sanctions and uranium enrichment. Tehran says it has the right to enrich uranium under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, while the Trump administration has called any Iranian enrichment a "red line". Trump, who has revived his "maximum pressure" campaign of sanction on Iran since taking office in January, has repeatedly said it will not be allowed any uranium enrichment under a potential deal. On Tuesday, Iran's top negotiator, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, said the country "will not ask anyone for permission to continue enriching uranium". According to the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state in the world that enriches uranium up to 60 percent -- still short of the 90 percent threshold needed for a nuclear warhead. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday rejected the latest US proposal and said enrichment was "key" to Iran's nuclear programme. The IAEA Board of Governors is scheduled to meet in Vienna later this month and discuss Iran's nuclear activities.


Khaleej Times
11 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Hajj 2025: UAE leaders congratulate Saudi King on successful season
As the wrapping up of Hajj 2025 season nears, UAE leaders have expressed their congratulations to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz on the success of organising the pilgrims' journey to the Muslim holy sites. This year, more than 1.6 million Muslims are performing the sacred pilgrimage, with majority of them from outside Saudi Arabia, according to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to congratulate him on the successful season. Sheikh Mohamed expressed "his sincere congratulations on the success of the Hajj season this year, which was achieved by the grace of Allah the Almighty, and thanks to the generous care of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, his wise government and its institutions, to ensure that pilgrims can perform their rituals in tranquillity and safety". Similar messages were sent by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Fujairah, and Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Quwain also congratulated the Saudi king on the occasion. After a year that saw fatalities because of heat during Hajj, the kingdom has imposed higher penalties this year for anyone attempting to perform Hajj without a permit, including fines of up to 20,000 Saudi Riyals, arrest, and deportation. The kingdom also suspended short-term visas for 14 countries earlier this year, and security personnel can be seen across holy sites in Makkah.