Emma Banks, the Managing Director of JRG Dubai - the emirate’s leading home-grown restaurant management company, which is part of Dubai Holding - has been crowned ‘Hospitality Leader of the Year’ at the Middle East Hospitality Awards, part of The Hotel Show Dubai 2018 which ends tomorrow.
Having overseen a remarkable turn-around in the financial performance and internal efficiencies of JRG Dubai in the last 18 months, Banks has also overseen the arrival of Flow, the homegrown healthy eating and creative hub at Jumeirah Emirates Towers; guided JRG Dubai through the first major relaunch of its flagship The Noodle House brand; and boosted the casual dining chain’s commercial revenues by implementing a state-of-the-art delivery hub and pioneering industrial kitchen to reach residential communities far removed from physical outlets.
The Middle East Hospitality Awards judges also highlighted Banks’ role in championing JRG Dubai’s ‘plastic amnesty’ programme, a wide-ranging initiative which has effectively banished all non-essential guest-facing single use plastics across the Group’s entire portfolio of restaurants and bars.
“I sincerely believe learning never stops and, throughout my career, I’ve been extremely fortunate to learn from both accomplished leaders and the operational teams around me,” said Banks. “The hospitality industry is the epitome of a team game – we win and lose together – so I would like to dedicate this award to all of my colleagues, past and present, that continue to inspire me on a daily basis.”
On the far-reaching impact of JRG Dubai’s ‘plastic amnesty’ programme, Banks added: “It’s important to fight for the things we are passionate about and I believe we should all be fighting for our environment. I urge all of my fellow industry professionals to continue fighting the good fight because together we can end an era of single use plastics. There are more alternative suppliers that can help us limit our industry’s environmental impact.”
JRG Dubai operates 12 restaurants and bars ranging from casual dining venues and lounges to high-end and premium restaurants. The portfolio includes Al Nafoorah, Flow, Pai Thai, Pierchic, Perry & Blackwelder’s, Pierchic, Segreto, The Noodle House, and Trattoria Toscana.
