photo credit: Lila Photo
Haytham Said began his career with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in his hometown of Cairo, Egypt, at the start of the millennium as a 21-year-old room service employee. Now he is general manager of the luxury brand’s Fort Lauderdale, Florida, location, which opened in 2022.
When asked what drew him to the hospitality business and to Four Seasons specifically, Said said it was the elegant uniforms with the red tie, white shirt, and gray pants. But he has stayed for 24 years because the company values him and other employees.
“In my career with Four Seasons, I’ve been fortunate to be part of a company that prioritizes people above all else,” Said said. “They’ve not only supported me but also believed in me from the beginning.”
His international journey with the Canadian company began in Cairo but has spanned cities including Las Vegas, San Francisco, Baltimore, and Atlanta upon his relocation to the United States in 2006. He was also part of a hotel opening task force in São Paulo, Brazil, and Seattle. Said’s roles have included pool manager, food and beverage manager, and eventually, assistant director of food and beverage, hotel manager, and, finally, general manager.
While Said worked at the Four Seasons in Atlanta, he enrolled in Robinson’s Master of Global Hospitality Management program in 2018. He graduated in 2020.
“In a class taught by Kyle Hight, we were assigned to create a budget for a hotel brand sector,” he said. “We analyzed factors like location, population, income, and economic opportunities. Our choice of Atlanta, specifically Midtown, provided a realistic and engaging experience.”
Said also took a hospitality management class taught by Soon-Ho Kim, who challenged him to reconsider hospitality as a mindset, examining the industry’s $11 billion global economic impact from micro-level performance to worldwide contributions.
Haytham Said poses in his cap on the day he graduated from the Master of Global Hospitality Management program.
“Obtaining a master’s degree makes a difference in your resume. It goes beyond expanding your horizon and understanding,” Said said. “The program provided a higher level of education that contributed significantly to my growth.”
In 2022, Four Seasons tapped Said to lead its new Fort Lauderdale resort, which attained the esteemed AAA Five Diamond rating within its inaugural year of operation. As the hotel celebrates its second anniversary with a team of 284 employees, Said remains committed to offering guests personalized experiences.
Said is particularly proud of advocating for the lift of a 30-year ban on beachside alcohol sales. Hotels meeting certain criteria in the city of Fort Lauderdale can now apply for a permit to serve alcohol on the sand.
Beyond the world of hospitality, Said is a connoisseur of Thai and Peruvian cuisines, finding solace in the art of cooking his favorite dishes. His leisure pursuits extend to fishing, and he passionately supports his favorite football club, Liverpool.