OUR JOURNEY SO FAR

Simon Coombs brings an invaluable depth of knowledge and regional expertise to the Shaza enterprise. A highly motivated and determined individual, he brings a very particular and distinguished skill to Shaza - that of establishing and growing businesses from the ground up. Simon is the man who has genuinely done it all before. His position before joining Shaza as President and CEO was as Executive Vice President and CFO at Kempinski.

Prior to his appointment at Kempinski, Simon spent 16 years with Hyatt International in various positions linked to development, tax planning, corporate, and hotel finance. Most recently, he held the Hong Kong based position of Vice President of Finance for the Asia Pacific region.

Using this wealth of experience, and his fluency in the business language of the region, Simon is instrumental in the development and expansion of the Shaza brand. Since taking the helm of Shaza Hotels in 2010, Simon had dedicated his efforts to creating the Shaza’s brand from the ground up, with the objective of bringing a completely unique luxury brand to the market. His vision is to establish a distinct and sincere organisational culture that will be reflected in every hotel under operation, in terms of both service style and design concept.

Simon holds Honours Degrees in both Economics and Strategic Planning from Leeds University in England.

Leading the new Developments and Portfolio Growth of the company along with the existing role in heading sales, revenue and marketing strategies for the operating & upcoming hotels. Shaji has been a part of the Shaza family since 2009, before which he spent several years with Kempinski Hotels in various Sales & Marketing roles. He also holds an MBA from NEOMA Business School in France in Hospitality & Tourism Management.

Leading corporate finance, driving financial performance, implementing internal control, and overseeing pre-opening budgets and tax compliance. A CMA certified professional, Franck holds two bachelor’s degrees in finance and accounting, and information systems from Fordham University and Skema Business School, and an MBA from Ecole Hotelier Lausanne. As a member of the Shaza Family for the past 12 years, he has a very good understanding of the brand and all areas of the organisation.

Responsible for corporate finance, hotels' financial performance, implementing company's internal controls, hotel's pre-opening budgets, as well as hotel management agreements & SOP compliances. Umair reviews performance management through monitoring established KPIs & targeted performance drivers. Umair brings a combination of business management and financial analytical acumen to the team. As a member of the Shaza family for the past 7+ years, he holds good understanding of the brand & the organisation.

A qualified Chartered Global Management Accountant (CIMA), Umair holds a Master’s (MBA) and bachelor’s (BBA) degrees in Business Administration from the National University of Computer & Emerging Sciences (FAST-NU) and a Diploma in IFRS (ACCA).

Leading the Human Resources, Training and Quality functions for the group. He is an accomplished people professional who has spent over 20 years in the hospitality industry during which he lived and worked across four continents. Sandeep holds dual bachelor degrees in commerce and hotel management and an MBA from Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne. Sandeep has been with the group since 2018 and possesses a keen appreciation of the distinctive Shaza brand philosophy and culture. Prior to his appointment at Shaza, Sandeep spent 18 years with Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces in various leadership roles in India, Yemen and the United States of America.