Accor has elevated Sushma Shetty to Cluster Director of Talent & Culture, positioning her to oversee human resources strategy across three UAE properties: Pullman Dubai Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Novotel Abu Dhabi Gate, and Ibis Abu Dhabi Gate. The appointment marks the culmination of a 17-year career trajectory that began at a single property in Deira and now encompasses cross-brand HR leadership spanning Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Shetty’s progression from Human Resources Coordinator at the Hawthorn Hotel in Deira to her current cluster-level role illustrates the evolving complexity of hospitality HR. Her portfolio now includes a five-star property with 354 rooms in Dubai’s Jumeirah Lakes Towers, alongside two interconnected properties in Abu Dhabi’s Al Maqta area – Novotel Abu Dhabi Gate with 224 rooms and suites, and the 252-room Ibis Abu Dhabi Gate. Together, these properties represent approximately 830 rooms requiring coordinated talent management strategies across different service levels and guest segments.
The cluster model reflects Accor’s operational structure in the UAE, where the company operates over 290 properties and plans to add more than 130 addresses by 2028. Shetty’s appointment aligns with Accor’s recent reinforcement of its UAE presence, including a six-hotel cluster partnership with Investment Corporation of Dubai in Deira Waterfront, demonstrating the group’s commitment to integrated property management.
Throughout her career, Shetty has worked with major hospitality brands including Hyatt and IHG Hotels & Resorts before joining Accor. Her experience spans multiple Accor properties, including Assistant Manager of Human Resources at Mercure Gold Hotel and Talent & Culture Manager at Mövenpick Grand Al Bustan Hotel & Convention Centre Dubai. Most recently, she served as Cluster People & Culture Manager for Accor properties in Dubai Deira Waterfront and the Gold Souk District.
The cluster director role requires balancing distinct operational challenges across three properties. Pullman Dubai Jumeirah Lakes Towers serves business travellers in the city’s commercial corridor whilst maintaining Green Globe Certification and Dubai Sustainable Tourism Silver Stamp recognition. Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi properties cater to guests visiting Yas Island attractions, ADNEC, and the Louvre Museum, requiring different staffing profiles and service approaches.
Shetty’s focus encompasses employee engagement, talent development, and workplace culture – priorities that reflect broader industry challenges. The hospitality sector faces ongoing talent attraction difficulties, particularly amongst younger professionals, prompting companies like Accor to reimagine their Employee Value Proposition. The group’s “Enjoy & Feel Valued” strategy positions wellbeing and meaningful work as central to recruitment and retention, areas where cluster directors play pivotal roles in implementation.
Her appointment comes as Accor emphasises talent wellbeing through initiatives like the GET ACTIVE, HEARTISTS! app and ALLympics competitions in the UAE, which brought together 20 hotel teams for sporting competitions. These programmes represent the operational translation of corporate strategy into property-level engagement, requiring coordination that cluster directors facilitate.
The role also demands expertise in UAE labour law, compensation structuring, and regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions. With properties in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Shetty must navigate different licensing requirements, visa processing systems, and employment regulations whilst maintaining consistency in talent management practices.
Accor’s Middle East expansion strategy, with the region representing 30 per cent of its current pipeline, creates heightened importance for effective talent management. Deputy CEO Jean-Jacques Morin has identified talent-driven innovation as fundamental to capturing growth in the region. Shetty’s cluster operates within this framework, where individual properties contribute to broader brand positioning and operational excellence.
The cluster structure enables resource sharing and best practice implementation across properties whilst maintaining brand-specific service standards. Pullman’s contemporary business travel focus differs from Novotel’s business-leisure balance and Ibis’s economy positioning, requiring tailored approaches within coordinated frameworks.
As the UAE hospitality sector continues its trajectory under Vision 2030 and UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, with travel and tourism contributing 11.4 per cent to GCC GDP by late 2024, the talent management challenges grow proportionally. Shetty’s role places her at the intersection of operational delivery and strategic workforce planning, where decisions impact both immediate guest satisfaction and long-term organisational capability.
Her journey from coordinator to cluster director demonstrates that hospitality leadership pathways exist for professionals who combine technical HR expertise with strategic thinking and cross-cultural competence. In an industry where talent challenges persist, such progressions offer tangible evidence of career development possibilities – valuable for both retention and recruitment in competitive labour markets.
