Manal Hashem Al-Bar was recently appointed director of marketing at the Jabal Omar Jumeirah Makkah. The hotel is the UAE-based chain’s first to open in Saudi Arabia and one of its biggest to date. Spread across four towers it houses a variety of food and beverage venues, more than 90 retail outlets, a gym, executive lounge, and meeting facilities. Al-Bar will be responsible for leading the marketing team and overseeing integrated marketing and public relations campaigns for hotel rooms, restaurants, and all other facilities. With more than 13 years’ experience in hospitality leadership roles in Saudi Arabia, she was previously the marketing director for the Venue Jeddah Corniche Hotel. Al-Bar also worked as director of marketing at the Bonyan Group where she managed Al-Rashid malls in Abha, Madinah, and Jazan, in addition to Marriott hotels in Madinah and two properties in Jazan. As marketing manager for the Marriott International group in western Saudi Arabia, she oversaw the opening of several hotels, including the Courtyard, Residence Inn Jazan, and Jabal Omar Makkah Marriott. After joining Hyatt, she was part of the opening of the Jabal Omar Hyatt Makkah, the company’s first branded hotel in Makkah and first Hyatt Regency brand in Saudi Arabia where she developed the marketing plan and introduced the brand and hotel offerings. Al-Bar gained a bachelor’s degree in English language from King Abdulaziz University and successfully completed several courses to build her marketing foundational skills and techniques. She also attended a Misk leadership program to obtain on-the-job experience.