Appointments

Paul Doherty Ian Palmer

Dubai private business club The Capital Club has appointed Ian Palmer as general manager. Palmer has built extensive experience in international hotel operations, having started his career in his home city of London in 1991 with the Savoy Group of Hotels and Restaurants. He has worked at, helped set up and re-launched hotels and clubs including The Arts Club, Buddha Bar and The Club at Café Royal. Palmer will oversee the Capital Club Dubai team, its long-term strategy and operations, and will be responsible for reviving the club through a series of initiatives and new practices. Faithful + Gould has promoted Paul Doherty to the position of UAE country director. Doherty has been with the international project and programme management consultancy for 18 years, and will be responsible for developing the company’s business within the UAE. Doherty has held numerous posts at Faithful + Gould, including national business development lead of the SCAPE Asset Management Framework, and head of operations for the UK West Midlands region.

Alan Gow

Alan Gow has been appointed as group CEO of Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa, as the company prepares to launch operations in the UAE. He co-founded the original Virgin Mobile in the UK alongside Sir Richard Branson and was responsible for steering the company through a series of funding rounds and an IPO in 2004, followed by a $1.6bn sale transaction to create the Virgin Media group in the UK. Gow also advised on Virgin Mobile’s Latin American rollout and led the company’s expansion in Central and Eastern Europe.

Dr Sameer Al Ansari

The Industrial Group has named management veteran Dr Sameer Al Ansari as vice chairman and chief operating officer. Dr Al Ansari will join the executive team of CEO Sheikh Hussein A. Al Banawi, and be responsible for change management and transformation initiatives to drive strategy execution. His main focus will be on operational excellence, organisational effectiveness, and enhancing the group’s business model. The Industrial Group is a manufacture in the fields of packaging, specialty chemicals and food flavours. Based in Dubai, it covers the Middle East, Africa and the Indian Sub-continent.