Arora Hotels names GM for IHG O2
Arora Hotels has announced Hasham Soliman as general manager (GM) of its forthcoming luxury property InterContinental London - the O2.
Soliman joins the new 453-bedroom hotel with 25 years' experience, including his most recent position as hotel manager at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London.
Prior to that, he opened the Grange Tower Bridge hotel and spa as GM and spent eight years in the same role with Redefine/BDL Hotels, opening and repositioning the Holiday Inn London Docklands under the Crowne Plaza brand.
Surinder Arora, founder and chief executive of Arora Hotels, welcomed Soliman to the team: "Hasham brings with him an essential operational and commercial understanding of the conference and events market, fantastic local knowledge of Greenwich, Canary Wharf and Docklands and has a results-driven attitude that exactly mirrors ours."
Soliman's luxury hotel experience and knowledge of franchise operations under global hotel brands within the InterContinental Hotels Group was also considered "paramount" to his appointment, Arora said.
Soliman added: "Given the hotel's location in London's most exciting new district on the Greenwich Peninsula and its huge 4,500 sq m event space, the InterContinental London - the O2 is one of the most anticipated new London hotels for the luxury events and leisure market and I am thrilled to be part of it."
The 18-storey InterContinental London - the O2 is currently under construction as part of a 7.6 acre development scheme on the Greenwich Peninsula, opposite Canary Wharf and adjoining the O2 arena.
It is expected to open towards the end of the year and will feature a dedicated conference centre with a 3,100 sq m pillar-free ballroom and pre-function space overlooking the River Thames, as well as a fine dining and all-day dining restaurant, Tea Salon, Sky Bar and a luxury spa with indoor swimming pool.
The InterContinental London - the O2 is managed and operated by the Arora Group under a franchise agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group.
