Ursula Chidiac
Ursula Chidiac is a seasoned hospitality executive with over 25 years of international experience leading luxury and upper-upscale hotel brands across the Middle East and Africa. She began her career in London, where she built a solid foundation in operations and guest relations before advancing into leadership roles across diverse markets. Her hands-on experience laid the groundwork for a global career defined by perseverance, innovation, transformation, and results.Ursula has earned a distinguished reputation for her expertise in hotel pre-openings, brand transformations, and strategic F&B innovation, consistently driving revenue growth, elevating guest satisfaction, enhancing operational performance, and fostering employee engagement. Her leadership has been recognized with multiple industry accolades, including the Arabian Travel Award (2019), Millennium MEA Best Opening Award (2018), World Travel Award (2017), and the Rotana President’s Award (2017).
Ursula is recognized for fostering high-performing teams, driving business growth, and inspiring a culture of engagement and continuous improvement. With a culturally agile mindset and deep industry insight, she continues to shape the future of global hospitality through innovation, collaboration, and leadership excellence.
Ursula will contribute her extensive industry insight to shaping academic strategy, mentoring emerging talent, and strengthening the connection between education and global hospitality practice. She brings a culturally agile leadership style and a deep passion for developing the next generation of hospitality professionals.