Executive Management

Ahmed Janahi was appointed Group Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Hotels Group in October 2023. Ahmed served on the board of Gulf Hotels Group since June 2016, and he was a member of the Board Executive Committee and the Board Investment Committee. Ahmed has over 25 years of professional experience in the fields of investment management, strategic and financial planning, mergers and acquisitions, asset management and development. Prior to joining Gulf Hotels Group, he held several senior leadership roles at the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain, including Senior Director – Private Markets, overseeing private markets investments across all asset classes and strategies, and Vice President of Investments overseeing real estate and hospitality investments in Bahrain and globally. He also served as an Acting Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Real Estate Investment Co (Edamah) in 2011. Ahmed currently serves as a Vice Chairman of Bahrain Family Leisure Company. Representing Gulf Hotels Group, he is a board member in Bahrain Airport Hotel Company, Paradise Realty Holding Company, and Injaz Bahrain. He has also previously chaired the board of Southern Tourism Company and has held key board positions in various companies including Cranemere Group, Durrat Khaleej Al Bahrain, Marina Durrat Al Bahrain, Southern Area Development Company, and ARC Logistics. He has been recognized by Forbes Middle East as one of the Top 100 Travel & Tourism Leaders for 2024 and 2025.

Mohamed holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Accounting and Finance from Swansea University, United Kingdom and is a Fellow Member of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. He also holds General Securities Qualification (CME-1) from Capital Market Authority. Mohamed is a seasoned financial executive with over 13 years of experience in financial management and audit expertise. For the past 5 years, he was the Chief Financial Officer with Morgan Stanley in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Prior to this, he held several finance positions at renowned firms such as Investcorp, KPMG Fakhro, and Grant Thornton Bahrain.

Shaheed Elaiwi has a Master’s in Commerce from Bhopal University and B.com from Delhi University. Shaheed started his career in the hospitality industry in 1992 with the Hilton International as management trainee and made his way to assistant FC, then was promoted to the role of Financial Controller in 1996. When Hilton moved from Bahrain end of 2005, Shaheed led the team in the final closing of the books and successfully handing over the hotel to the new operator, then proceeded with the pre-opening of a new Hilton hotel in Beirut, Lebanon. In mid-2006, he moved to work in the main office of Hilton International in Dubai in the role of Area Internal Auditor. On July 16, 2007, he joined The Gulf Hotel as Financial Controller and currently holds Director of Finance in Gulf Hotels Group.

Reem holds a Bachelor of Laws from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK, and brings over 16 years of legal and corporate governance experience to her role. Before joining Gulf Hotels Group in 2024, Reem spent many years in private practice with a leading Bahraini law firm, where she advised prominent local and international clients on corporate, labour, commercial and regulatory matters. She was licensed to appear before all levels of the Bahraini courts, including the Court of Cassation, and was ranked by Chambers Global 2024 as an “Associate to Watch” in both Corporate & Finance and Dispute Resolution. Her practice encompassed arbitration, intellectual property and company structuring across diverse industries such as hospitality, construction and financial services.

At Gulf Hotels Group, Reem oversees all legal, compliance and corporate governance functions across the Group’s diverse hospitality, property and F&B operations in Bahrain, Dubai, KSA, Sri Lanka and Zanzibar, and is actively involved in supporting the Group’s strategic growth and regional expansion initiatives. She also serves as the Group’s Board Secretary and Corporate Governance Officer, supporting the Board and Committees, ensuring alignment with Bahrain Bourse and Central Bank of Bahrain requirements, and leads the preparation of the Group’s annual ESG Report.

In addition to her executive role, Reem serves as a Non-Executive Director at Bahrain Family Leisure Company and Board Secretary of Paradise Realty B.S.C. (c). She is also a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb).

Amit Puri is Director of Human Resources & Development at Gulf Hotels Group, leading the Group’s people strategy across owned & managed assets and corporate entities in Bahrain and the wider region. With over 24 years of experience in hospitality and contract catering, he specialises in organisational design, performance management, and talent development, supporting the Group in adapting to new market realities and sustaining performance and growth.

Prior to GHG, Amit was Complex Director of Human Resources for The Westin & Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre (Marriott International), where he supported brand conversion, post-merger integration with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, and national talent initiatives; earlier, he was Director of People Services at Kempinski Bahrain City Centre and led high-volume recruitment and mobilisation for Abu Dhabi National Hotels Compass in the UAE. He began his career in food & beverage with Hyatt International before moving into HR and L&D.

An Indian national raised across Europe and Asia, Amit brings a global outlook to people strategy. He holds a Diploma in Hotel Management, is a Senior Certified Professional accredited by the Society for Human Resource Management, and has completed the Advanced HR certification program at IIM Ahmedabad. He remains an avid technology enthusiast and student of Middle Eastern culture.

Khalid is a hospitality professional with over 13 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at The Gulf Hotel Bahrain as a Management Trainee, following his completion of a Hospitality Certification from BHMS University in Lucerne, Switzerland.

He later joined the Human Resources Department of Gulf Hotels Group, where he steadily progressed through a series of leadership roles, including Cluster Human Resources Manager. In this capacity, Khalid successfully managed five properties within the Group, overseeing a workforce of more than 600 employees. His dedication to people development, operational excellence, and organizational growth has been a hallmark of his career.

Outside of work, Khalid is passionate about technology and enjoys keeping up with the latest tech innovations. He also has a strong interest in high-performance vehicles, reflecting his enthusiasm for precision and innovation.

Majd Hamamouchi is the Director of Acquisition & Business Development at Gulf Hotels Group, driving the company’s expansion across the Middle East and Africa. With 20+ years of international experience in hospitality, investment, and real estate, he has held leadership roles in Dubai and Morocco.

Majd specializes in business development, investment management, and strategic advisory, with a strong record of growing hotel brand portfolios in Middle East and Africa markets, including Saudi Arabia, the Maldives, Tanzania, and Morocco. Renowned for his global network and deal-making expertise, he plays a key role in identifying new opportunities and building strategic partnerships. His leadership underscores Gulf Hotels Group’s commitment to innovative growth and regional expansion in the dynamic MEA tourism landscape.

Noor is an experienced Marketing and Corporate Communications professional with expertise in digital strategy, branding, and public relations. She began her career in 2005 in Public Relations and has since expanded her skill set across marketing and communications. Noor graduated with distinction in Arts and holds an M.A. in Public Policy from the University of Sydney, along with a diploma in Digital Marketing and professional certifications in Social Media Strategy and PCM Content Marketing. Throughout her career, Noor has held key roles with the U.S. Department of State and Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, earning the Meritorious Honor Award and Franklin Award for Promoting American and Bahraini Businesses. She has represented Bahrain at the U.N. General Assembly and has lectured in Communications at a university level. Noor gained experience in marketing across a wide range of industries and served as a consultant, delivering strategic solutions and marketing campaigns for clients in events and conferences field. Beyond her professional achievements, Noor is an active Rotarian, currently serves as the Director of Services on the board. She is also the chairperson of the WTO Healthy Cities Youth Committee at the Northern Governorate in Bahrain. She regularly contributes her time to several NGOs and societies focused on social impact, youth empowerment, and education. In her current role, Noor continues to drive innovative marketing initiatives, develop impactful campaigns, and deliver measurable results, all while ensuring that her work contributes to the ongoing growth, success, and positive impact of the organization.

Ali Abdulla is a Bahraini property management professional with 7 years of experience. He has a proven track record in managing a variety of high-profile commercial and residential properties in Bahrain. Ali acquired his Property Management and Owners’ Association Manager Licenses issued by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) from BIBF in 2019.

Mr. Shuvendu Bakshi PMP, is an architect and a Project Management Professional who brings with him 25 years of experience in serving the building industry. His architectural education is from Bengal Engineering College under the University of Calcutta, India; and PMP from PMI, Pennsylvania. He had initially worked in the design offices of well-known consultants – designing hotels, palaces, religious buildings, luxury villas and apartments. Later, he moved into Project Management and Construction Management and has successfully managed the design and construction of numerous hotels and other commercial and residential buildings. He had been working in different countries of the Middle Eastern region for the past 23 years.

Mr. Bakshi started working with the Gulf Hotels Group in June 2015 in the position of Director of Projects. He is entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing all construction related activities including Architecture, Interior Design and Civil projects that are undertaken by the Gulf Hotels Group. Mr. Bakshi manages his own team and also looks after all procurements relating to construction and refurbishment works. His involvement and responsibility ranges from creating the initial project charter to handing over of the completed building.

Mahmood is a Bahraini national with 11 years of professional experience in construction and project management and development. He was appointed as a Projects Manager in April 2024. Prior to joining GHG, Mahmood established the foundation of his career at Ahmed Mansoor Alaali (AMA) in Bahrain and later gained regional experience in Saudi Arabia with The Gulf Icon Construction company. Subsequently, he joined Nass Contracting Bahrain, where he successfully executed various projects.

Mahmood holds a Master of Science degree (MSc) in Project Management in Construction from the University of Salford – Manchester, United Kingdom, and a Bachelor of Engineering degree (BEng Hons) in Civil Engineering, also from the University of Salford – Manchester, United Kingdom.

Extensive experience in the food and beverage sector across the GCC, Wentzel brings a wealth of expertise to support the group’s strategic growth in catering and restaurant management. His recent role as Managing Director at Kitopi, a tech-driven food company, highlights his ability to lead large-scale operations, manage multimillion-dollar markets, and drive profitability. Previously, as COO of Group Six, he oversaw the growth of four major casual to high-end brands across Saudi Arabia and the GCC. Wentzel’s success in restaurant management includes key roles as Director of Operations for Al Ghalia in Bahrain, where he managed high-end brands and led successful pre-opening strategies.

With over 20 years of experience, this seasoned IT professional has made significant contributions across various sectors, including retail, FMCG, and hospitality. He holds an MBA from the University of Bolton, UK, a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, and professional certifications including Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Project Management Professional (PMP), High-Performance Leadership (HPL) from Cornell University, and IT Service Management (ITIL).

He began his career in the UAE as an IT Administrator in the retail industry. In Bahrain, before his tenure with the Gulf Hotels Group, he contributed to one of Bahrain’s leading FMCG companies, TRAFCO Group, managing their IT operations, and later served as Cluster IT Manager at Dar Al Huda, a local hospitality asset management company overseeing properties such as Frasers and Lagoona Beach, along with their restaurant operations.

Ganesan Lakshmanan is a highly skilled and accomplished Technical Service Director with a diverse portfolio in the hospitality industry. With a background in Electromechanical Engineering, Ganesan specializes in designing projects that prioritize guest experience and incorporate sustainable measures from the initial design phase.

With over 30 years of experience, Ganesan has received numerous awards for his expertise in energy conservation and has worked with renowned brands such as Hilton, Starwood Hotels, Marriott, and Hyatt. He has also played a key role in the pre-opening operations of hotels and malls in India, serving as a former Vice President on the developer side. Additionally, he has conducted property audits in the Middle East, including the prestigious Starwood property in Fiji.

Ganesan holds a master’s degree in Energy Management and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, which further enhance his deep understanding of hotel design, operation, and maintenance. His unique combination of technical knowledge and strategic planning makes him an invaluable asset to any engineering project.