Webinar: Caterer Middle East Conference Bitesize - Surviving the Rent Crisis by ITP Media Group FZ LLC

About this Webinar

The next instalment of the Caterer Middle East Conference Bitesize program will see us take on the topic making the biggest impact on the F&B scene at the moment – the rent crisis. With venues shut for months and forced to operate at a significantly decreased capacity when reopened due to social distancing guidelines, many restaurateurs believe they deserve rent relief from their landlords. But with their own bills to pay, many landlords have resisted. This webinar will discuss the best way forward for both tenants and landlords to ensure a continued working relationship post-Covid-19.

Agenda

How can you approach your landlord for rent relief?
What are your rights?
What should you ask for based on your current situation?
Can you work together with other operators for a better deal?

Simon Ritchie

editor, Caterer Middle East

Simon Ritchie is the editor of Caterer Middle East. A seasoned business and lifestyle journalist, Ritchie has worked across a number of publications and industries both in the UK, his home country, and abroad, before settling into F&B in Dubai.
George Kunnappally

managing director, Nando's Restaurants

A seasoned hospitality industry professional, George has been into franchise operations, brand development and management for over 20 years. He has launched and/or developed brands like Subway, Bateaux Dubai, Charley’s Philly Steaks, Whittard of Chelsea, Second Cup Coffee, Johnny Rockets and a host of UAE bred concepts in the Middle East, Africa and CIS regions.

Starting his career with the Taj Group of Hotels in India, George has worked at the senior management level with large conglomerates headquartered in Dubai with a MENA footprint. His previous roles were as the General Manager at Al Madani Group, General Manager & Board Member at BinHendi Enterprises, both in Dubai, and as Senior Franchise Strategy & Business Development Specialist at ADNOC Distribution, Abu Dhabi.

Currently, George is the Managing Director of Nando’s Restaurants, based in Dubai.

Most recently, George was Executive Director – Private Equity at Regulus Capital Limited, the Cayman Islands registered Investment Manager of over USD 1.2 Billion worth of assets in F&B, healthcare, education, logistics and real estate in the MENASEA region.

He was also the General Manager & Board Member of Al Faris Restaurants LLC (Exclusive Developer of Johnny Rockets Restaurants in the UAE, Oman, North & Sub Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe) and sat on the Boards of Diamond Lifestyle Limited, Gulf Pinnacle Logistics Limited, Al Najah Education Limited and Al Maha Infrastructure Limited.

George is a founding member of the recently launched Dubai Restaurants Business Group under the aegis of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, is on the advisory board of the Middle East Food Forum and regularly speaks at industry events. A graduate in Hotel Management, George also holds a Masters degree in Tourism Management.
Naim Maadad

founder and chief executive of Gates Hospitality

With over 38 years in the hospitality world across Australia, Asia, & the Middle East in various senior management roles, Naim has launched & operated some of the world’s best Hotels, Resorts, Spas & Lifestyle Food & Beverage Concepts.

Naim’s career has exposed him to some of the best properties around the world and he has been fortunate to partake & orchestrate several amazing openings & operations.

Covering a wide spectrum of positions within senior leadership, including the role of Managing Director for both Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas and The Anantara Group respectively. During his time with these exclusive properties, Naim was instrumental in nurturing sound relationships with owners, securing the best possible locations, negotiating and formalizing contractual agreements, and appointing teams to infuse and reflect the ethos of the brands.

Being based in the ME over the past 20 years, Naim has witnessed tremendous industry growth, gained a deep cultural understanding & has been endorsed by principals & organizations alike.

In 2010, Naim established “Gates Hospitality” a homegrown Hospitality Company representing handpicked Concepts catering for the affluent life-stylers.

Gates Hospitality, the owning company of well-known homegrown brands such as; Ultra Brasserie, the internationally acclaimed concept; Reform Social & Grill Dubai, Folly by Nick & Scott, as well as Publique, Dubai's premier "Apres Ski chalet", The Lion by Nick & Scott, Bistro Des Arts, Six Senses Zighy Bay, Red Farm London at Covent Garden London, and Stokehouse which opened at Trump International Golf Course, DAMAC Hills, Dubai.

Continuing the successful growth in 2018 making it a year of consolidation for the Gates Hospitality’s portfolio, the Red Farm opened at Covent Garden, London, U.K., the first global foray of the group vide an international venue outside the region making it a truly global brand, as well as Stokehouse which made its grand launch at the prestigious Trump International Golf Course located at DAMAC Hills in Dubai. 2019 saw the spectacular launch of its tenth venue – the chic and modern Verve bar and brasserie at the Grand Plaza Movenpick located on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai Media City.

In principle, GH expertise that are extended are indicative but not limited to; Hospitality Guidance | Asset Management | Pre-opening Foundation | Day-to-day Operational Success.
Naim’s philosophy & approach are simple, connecting like-minded investors, operators & brands to define concepts, successful portfolios & continue on shaping the hospitality industry.
Jonathan Davidson

dispute resolution lawyer and founding partner, Davidson & Co.

Jonathon is a dispute resolution lawyer and Founding Partner at Davidson & Co. Jonathon has been in the UAE since 1999 and 21 years regional dispute resolution experience, acting in all manner of disputes for institutions, brand owners, investors and public companies, as well as for private companies and individuals.

Jonathon first arrived in Dubai in March 1999 and prior to founding Davidson & Co. in October 2008, was a legal consultant at Clyde & Co, the international legal practice, based at its Dubai offices and, more latterly, Associate Legal Director of Sama Dubai, the international real estate arm of Dubai Holding.

Jonathon has significant experience of the GCC real estate market, in particular in the area of dispute resolution, having acted for many years for a range of clients in the conduct of mediations, arbitrations (DIAC, LCIA and UNCITRAL), local litigation (Dubai Court of First Instance, Court of Appeal and the Federal Court of Cassation) and the High Court of England and Wales (Admiralty, Queens Bench and Chancery Division).

Jonathon is particularly well known for his wealth of experience litigating in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts and the Dubai World Tribunal (DWT) and is often seen in the local and international business press providing case commentaries.

In addition to his work with the firm, Jonathon has also sat as Chairman of the British Business Group of Dubai and the Northern Emirates, Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee of the British Business Groups of the UAE and as Chairman of the SME Task Force, a sub-set of the UAE-UK Business Council, an economic forum established jointly by the UK and UAE governments to promote bilateral trade and commerce. Jonathon is also an experienced arbitrator and regularly conducts arbitrations under the auspices of Dubai International Arbitration Centre and Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Rizwan Kassim

owner of La Cantine du Faubourg

Rizwan was born and raised in Paris to a family of entrepreneurs where he learned the values of respect, perseverance and honesty at a young age and continues to uphold these core fundamentals to his business philosophy today.

After studying in finance, he started working in retail, developing high-end international fashion brands in his home country. Growing up in France, it was only natural that gastronomy was an integral part of Rizwan’s life, and it was not long after, that he discovered his true passion for restaurants.

Of the numerous restaurants in the city of Paris, Rizwan frequented La Cantine du Faubourg on 105 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, the most and with time developed a friendship
with the owners, Pierre Pirajean and Héléna Paraboschi. In the years that followed, Rizwan, Pierre and Héléna became business partners and have now been working together for over 12 years. In 2015, the team brought the innovative concept of La Cantine du Faubourg to Dubai.

The heartbeat of the project lies within the harmonious trio, and Rizwan finds himself humbled by the artistic talent and vision of his avant-garde colleagues with continued admiration as they stay ahead and anticipate evolutions of the F&B industry.

Introducing La Cantine du Faubourg to Dubai became a dream come true for Rizwan. Not only anchoring a concept in a highly competitive environment such as Dubai, but also having a successful and acclaimed venue over 5 years, is a Milestone providing a steppingstone to further global expansion.

Meanwhile the group has been successfully growing with the addition of Eugene Eugene in Paris area, Bozin and Cafe de la poste in Marrakech, 105 by La Cantine in Ibiza and the addition of NINIVE in Dubai on the 15th of November 2017 at Emirates towers. The group’s development is going further with the addition of two new restaurants at the end of this year.