Minor Hotels appoints Amir Golbarg as COO for Middle East & Africa

Minor Hotels has appointed Amir Golbarg as Chief Operating Officer – Middle East & Africa, effective 1 January 2026. The appointment follows a record year of growth for the region, marked by strong performance across key indicators, multiple new hotel signings, and expansion in core markets including Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Under Amir Golbarg’s leadership, the Middle East & Africa portfolio received several industry distinctions in 2025. Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel was named #1 Favourite Business Hotel in the Condé Nast Traveller Middle East Readers’ Choice Awards. Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort was voted No.1 Resort in North Africa & the Middle East in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards and was also ranked among the Top 100 Hotels in the World. Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara received a Michelin Key.

Amir Golbarg joined Minor Hotels in 2012 as Director of Operations & Hotel Openings in Bangkok. He subsequently held several international roles before being appointed Hotel Manager at Souq Waqif Hotel Doha. He returned to the group in 2019 as Vice President Operations – Middle East & Africa, where he led operational excellence and strategic growth across the regional portfolio.

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In 2021, his responsibilities expanded to include Southern Africa, Mauritius, and Seychelles, further broadening his oversight across diverse markets.

Earlier in his career, Amir Golbarg held senior roles with Al Rayyan and Katara Hospitality, contributing to landmark hospitality projects including The Ritz-Carlton Doha and Raffles Singapore.

“Amir’s leadership, deep understanding of the market, and commitment to excellence have been instrumental to our success in the Middle East and Africa,” said Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO of Minor International and CEO of Minor Hotels. “This promotion recognises his outstanding contribution and our confidence in his ability to drive the next phase of regional growth.”

A Danish national, Amir Golbarg began his hospitality career in 2007 with Burj Al Arab and Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. He is a graduate of the Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland and is based at Minor Hotels’ Middle East Regional Office in Dubai.

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