LEADERSHIP, CULTURE, AND GROWTH: INSIDE ALEPH HOSPITALITY’S PEOPLE STRATEGY

Aleph Hospitality is strengthening its leadership team as it expands across the Middle East and Africa. We spoke with Aline Barhouche, Chief Human Resources Officer, about how strong leadership building, clear people systems, and a strong culture will support the company’s growth and long-term performance.

Aleph Hospitality is at an exciting stage of expansion. What motivated you to join the company at this moment?

I was drawn to the chance to add structure and governance while keeping the entrepreneurial spirit that has fuelled Aleph’s success. The company has ambitious plans and a founder-led culture built on trust, accountability, and speed. It’s clear that leadership, people, and culture are seen as key drivers of growth, which made this the right time for me to join.

Aleph Hospitality’s model is built on combining global standards with strong local expertise. How does this philosophy resonate with your leadership style?

It aligns closely with my own leadership approach: setting clear global standards to create consistency and trust, while giving local teams the freedom to adapt to their markets. My role is to provide the tools and guidelines that help teams succeed in diverse markets, without diluting Aleph’s culture or brand promise.

As Aleph grows, how do you ensure leadership strength and succession planning support performance and protect owner value?

Strong leadership and succession planning are essential. We set clear leadership standards, assess talent regularly, and build succession plans for key roles. This reduces risk if someone leaves and keeps operations stable. We also connect leadership readiness with operational, financial, and guest results to maintain performance across the portfolio.

What are your priorities for developing future hospitality leaders?

My priority is to develop leaders who understand both global brand standards and the commercial needs of local owners. This starts with clear leadership expectations, targeted assessments, and development paths focused on financial acumen, owner relations, and operational excellence. We invest in experiential learning, cross-market exposure, and coaching to ensure leaders can make practical decisions that support long-term performance.

Stability and retention matter to owners and investors. How does Aleph approach this?

We treat retention and leadership continuity as critical to protecting value. That includes clear career paths, transparent performance management, and strong engagement. We also make sure there are succession plans for key roles. This helps avoid disruption, preserves operational knowledge, and supports consistent performance; ultimately safeguarding long-term asset performance and investor confidence.

Looking 12–18 months ahead, what would success look like for you?

Success would mean that Aleph has a strong and scalable people foundation that directly supports performance. This includes clear leadership standards, robust succession pipelines for key roles, improved retention in critical positions, and a more consistent employee experience across the portfolio. For me personally, it’s when HR is seen by owners, brands and leaders as a trusted partner that helps mitigate risk and strengthen performance.

What do you see as the biggest trends within HR over the next 12-18 months?

HR will increasingly be a strategic driver of growth and value rather than a support function. Companies will rely more on people data to guide decisions, develop leaders who can manage both global standards and local realities, and create consistent employee experiences across markets.

Aleph Hospitality’s future in one word

Thriving. Aleph is building strong leaders, empowering teams, and creating a culture where people can perform at their best. It reflects a workforce that is engaged, capable, and aligned; directly enabling sustainable growth, operational excellence, and long-term value for owners.

LEADERSHIP, CULTURE, AND GROWTH: INSIDE ALEPH HOSPITALITY’S PEOPLE STRATEGY

Blogs