Aleph Hospitality Appoints Senior Leaders and Expands Regional Offices in Middle East and Africa

Aleph Hospitality has strengthened its leadership team and expanded its regional platform to support rapid growth across the Middle East and Africa. The company currently operates more than 50 hotels and has over 30 properties in its pipeline, spanning 23 countries and 39 cities.

Aline Barhouche has been appointed Chief HR Officer, overseeing the company’s people strategy, leadership development, talent management, culture, and governance. Barhouche brings 23 years of human resources experience across Oceania, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Estelle Chambost has been named Vice President, Learning & Development. After ten years with the company, Chambost will lead the strategy to build a strong learning culture, focusing on developing future leaders and leveraging technology and partnerships for scalable development programs. Chambost has 27 years of experience in hospitality and leadership programs.

Marc Matar has joined as Vice President, Food & Beverage, tasked with developing Aleph Hospitality’s food and beverage division as a key driver of growth and value creation. His focus includes innovation, operational excellence, and owner-focused profitability across Africa and the Middle East. Matar has 25 years of experience in food and beverage operations and strategy across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

Abdellah Essonni has been appointed Regional Vice President for North Africa and will be based in Casablanca. Essonni is responsible for the strategic, operational, and financial performance of the North Africa portfolio, as well as market expansion, partnerships, and new management and franchise agreements. He has 35 years of experience in hospitality and real estate across four continents.

Aleph Hospitality is rolling out new regional offices as part of its strategy to operate more closely with its hotels and owners. In addition to an office in Riyadh, a new office is being established in Casablanca, Morocco, with further offices planned in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Cape Town, South Africa; and Nairobi, Kenya.

Aleph Hospitality has reached its previous goal of operating 50 hotels by 2025 and has now set a new target of operating 100 hotels by the end of 2029.