The hospitality man

Osama Salhin has come a long way since his early days as a 17-year-old busboy at the coffee shop of the Le Méridien Hotel in Cairo. Thirty five years later as president of the hospitality division of Saleh Bin Lahej Group, he remains grounded, humble and realistic.

"I come from a middle-class family in Egypt. We were never really poor or rich. My life has had its fair share of ups and downs, but the most valuable lessons are learnt during the tough times," he says.

At 52 he has a keen sense of humour, but is equally pragmatic. He has been successful in making the Saleh Bin Lahej (SBL) Group, the UAE's biggest casual dining company in 11 years. When he first took up his post as general manager of the SBL Group, Chili's was the only restaurant in the UAE and was suffering financially. Today there are 20 Chili's restaurants in the UAE alone, each doing well.

With Dubai being such a cosmopolitan city, establishing a chain of successful restaurants has been no mean feat for Salhin. "Dubai is very different from where I come from. My previous experiences were very different in Cairo. When I worked in Egypt, the majority of the people I worked with were Egyptians. When I worked in Saudi Arabia, Saudis were the majority. But in Dubai, there's such a mix of Middle Eastern, Far Eastern and Western cultures. It wasn't an easy task to satisfy all these cultures and still fit the profile."

One of the many things that we needed to do was to change the menu so that everyone had something to suit their taste. "Initially, the menu we had at Chili's did not include any vegetarian options. When we realised that up to a third of the population comprises vegetarians, we knew we had to make some changes to cater to this need."

Salhin conducted a ‘guest nationality tracking system' and found that the Far East demographic was not present among their customers at all. "We changed the marketing and advertising strategy and it paid off. I'm proud to say that we cater to a wide variety of nationalities. It was really difficult to cater to the different cultures within this broad spectrum. We had to tailor-make a training programme for our employees so that they could read their customers and meet their needs accordingly. Our customers were happy because we were one of the first brands to apply such a system. We're proud to be one of the pioneers of this approach."

Salhin is a person who has weathered more than his fair share of storms in business as well as in his personal life. However, he maintains that he would not do a single thing differently. "I have no regrets in life because I like to think that I have succeeded in making the best of every given situation."

I, ME, MYSELF

I always dreamt of working for an airline. I applied to Egypt Air when I was at university but I was rejected due to my poor eyesight. Then one day during the summer break, a friend who was working for the Le Méridien Hotel in Egypt suggested that I join the hotel, since there were positions open for the summer. I just fell in love with the business and the work after I started.

I was also lucky, because after summer they were still in need of permanent employees and so they asked me if I wanted to continue. I agreed instantly.

I was still studying and asked if I could work the night shift, so I could attend college in the morning. It was a tough time balancing both, but I managed somehow.

I studied business administration at Helwan University in Cairo. It was a tough university but that was what was good about it. We had to take our studies seriously in order to get the best out of the experience. When I first started working I was 17. It was also my first year in college. I would finish work at 7am and at 8am I would be in class. It would take me 20 minutes to get from work to college, so I never went home. I would attend lectures until 2pm. If there was anything happening at the university after 2pm, I could never show up and it was my friends who would help me catch up with whatever I missed out on.

I enjoy working with people. In my line of business, I can't say I've ever had two similar days. Working with guests, employees, managers, suppliers and so many other people keeps the job dynamic. I'm a people person and I love the new experiences that a new day brings. Another great thing about the hospitality industry is that you see results instantly. If a guest is happy, you see it right away.

When I finished my studies at university I had to serve in the military for one year, but immediately afterwards I joined Le Méridien in Cairo again. They were kind enough to promote me one more time (having gone from busboy to waiter in my previous stint) within that year. I saw my job as extremely rewarding both in terms of an earning capacity, as well as from a job satisfaction point of view.

From Cairo I went to Saudi Arabia. During both job placements I worked in top hotels. But after I moved back to Egypt my career took a turn. I moved from hotels to the restaurant business. I opened Chili's in Egypt. This was the first branch of the franchise to open in the Middle East and I worked with them for two years. Soon after, I felt that it was time to do something on my own and I started my own business.

I came to Dubai 11 years ago and joined Saleh Bin Lahej Group. I had met the owner when I was in Saudi Arabia working at the Ajyad Makkah Hotel. At that time, the owner [of SBL] had opened another Chili's branch in Dubai but it wasn't doing too well, so they brought me here to run it. Dubai is a great city and even then it was a well-established brand. I was excited about the challenge and keen to join them.

I started as the general manager of the group but at that time there was no hospitality division in existence. It was just a restaurant company and it only had one restaurant, which was Chili's.

One of the first things I did when I joined was find out what their vision was. I knew that this company was successful in the construction business, but when it came to restaurants they made me feel as if I was going to run my very own business. The owners agreed to provide me with financial assistance, and then gave me the green light to go ahead with what I thought was necessary. I was surprised to be offered this opportunity so early on. Saleh Bin Lahej Group have afforded me such great opportunities from the very beginning. I count myself as very lucky.

I believe that value has nothing do with a price tag. Many people confuse value with price. They think that if something is not expensive then it has no value, but if something is very expensive then it has high value. This perception is totally false, because there are many factors involved in the value of something. Value includes price, service, location, convenience, staff friendliness – it's the total experience and is not bound by any one thing.

I feel that challenges exist in every market, but the thing that makes the UAE different is that the people here are much more sophisticated and to an extent, more expectant. People here are very quality-oriented and they are not forgiving when it comes to mistakes in quality. Second grade is unacceptable here and this is what makes business a real challenge. The growth of the country has helped businesses that are established here to grow as well.

I think that Dubai has developed a great deal. Today, when we go to attend conferences abroad, people convey the view that Dubai is a role model. When we talk about high standards, Dubai takes the lead and when we do good business, it speaks for itself. We have to live up to the image that the country has created for itself.

I think that dealing with people is about dealing with emotions. If you disregard emotions then there is no way to succeed. My objective in business is to think big and see the bigger picture. In the end, business is about give and take.

I don't believe that there is such a thing as a one-man show. Business is about teamwork and mutual cooperation.

I think that appreciation is so important. Appreciation is conveyed in different ways. It's done through a smile, a pat on the back or even a salary increase. But nothing can beat my seeing someone happy because of something I've done for them. I don't necessarily need to hear a thank you. It's up to each individual and what he/she considers a show of appreciation.

I had to deal with a heart attack and cancer in 2007. I learnt about the cancer by accident and I was scheduled for surgery. One month before my surgery, I suffered a heart attack and the surgery had to be postponed. When I underwent chemotherapy, I noticed so many people who called and visited me and that was a priceless feeling. To have had cancer and a heart attack within two months was tough, but by believing in God and through my family's support, I made a recovery. I'm never without my faith. I believe in God and people.

I want to be remembered as a successful leader and as a good family member who made a positive impact on the people around me.

I, ME, MYSELF

Me and setting up the hospitality division

One of the first tasks I did in this company was to establish the position of the Chili's brand.

The objective then was to become a role model in the market since that would allow us to bring new brands to the country and any franchiser would be happy to sign an agreement with us. We know that it would be based on the success of Chili's and that's exactly what happened!

After about five years, things started to flow and we soon signed an agreement with Thailand for Minor International, followed by an agreement to bring in Black Canyon, another concept from Thailand.

Then came, what I call the bottleneck of this company, which was to sign a master developer's agreement with a US-based company CRO, for four brands in 13 countries including the Gulf region, Egypt, Pakistan, Malaysia, Brunei, Sudan, Iraq, Iran and others. In 2006, we established the hospitality division of the SBL Group, which is its specialised arm.

Me and my plans

From the beginning, I envisaged developing the brand outside the UAE. We have already expanded our portfolio with operations in Oman, Bahrain and Egypt and still there is more to come.

I had just one vision for expansion, spread over 15 years, and it has been working very well.

Me and my business philosophy

I consider any business as a triangle. There are three cornerstones to a business: one represents money, the second represents the brain and the third represents the muscle. If you lose one corner, the whole triangle will collapse.

Me and the most valuable lessons I've learnt

The two most valuable lessons I have learnt in life is to trust and to set realistic goals. I have seen a lot of people who had big dreams but they were not realistic and failed as a result.

Me and quality time

Time spent with my family or alone is what I call quality time. Work is never really labour for me because I enjoy it so much. I'm not a workaholic and  I don't like that word. The truth is that I just enjoy doing what I do. No matter what you do, if you're enjoying it, then it's quality time. Whenever I have free time, I spend it with my family, watch comedy movies or football games. I use my driving time to listen to my favourite music.

Me and home

Home is where you feel calm and relaxed. I have learnt how to divide between my time at work and my time at home. That's what I do when I'm driving back home. I draw that line, I switch off and then I switch on again at home.

I think it's very wrong to take a bad mood to the office, if you have any problems at home. If a manager comes to work and he is glum or irritable, he will have a direct  impact on the mood of his colleagues  and employees.

Me and my family

My wife Samah and I have been married for 20 years and she is my biggest supporter. Without her beside me, I don't see myself being where I am today. My eldest son Haitham is the prince of our family and I'm confident that he will be successful in life as he has many positive qualities. My eldest daughter, Heba, is doing her senior year at a German University in Cairo. Both of them are from my first marriage. Here in Dubai, I have three daughters – Hadir (Grade 11), Haya (Grade 10) and Hana (Grade 4). I love having daughters and God gave me four sweet and beautiful ones.

Me and success

Success is a journey, not a destination. In life, success or goals are like bus stops. I believe that you cannot succeed without the right people around you, no matter how great you are. One piece of advice I offer to others is to be passionate in whatever you do in life. If you're honest with yourself, you will be successful.

Me and my most embarrassing moment in life

This was when I started my own private business and it failed. I could not face anyone. It was the most embarrassing situation in my life, because my family suffered as a result of its failure. The only question they ever asked me was, ‘what went wrong?'

I think it happened because I was a hypocrite when it came to my own teachings. From that experience, the one lesson I learnt in life was to never be proud.

Don't ever think that you're a hero and you can do something that no one else can do. There is no such thing in life. At that time, I felt that  I was a big person and I became ignorant. It's easy for one's ego to get in the way.

I, ME, MYSELF

How do you deal with pressure and politics in the workplace?

Politics will always be there in life and work, but if you put yourself in other people's shoes, you'll be  able to understand them, accept them and deal with them.

What is your take on self-development, self-appraisal and having a proactive approach to life?

If you cannot do a self-evaluation or self-assessment, you will not improve in life. You first need to self-evaluate and then self-develop, because you cannot grow without knowing which areas you need to work on.

What, according to you, is the right approach to running a successful franchise?

I'd say that it all stems from the choice you make. A lot of people have the money and they may also be successful in other businesses, but of the utmost importance for any franchiser is that the franchisee should have the capital to sign up. The next stage of hiring professionals is easy, but it's up to the investor to choose the right franchise and undertake proper market research. It's all about finding out what people like and want, and ultimately the choice has to be based on market demand. If there is demand for such an opportunity, then you can go ahead, but if the market demand is weak then it's not a good idea.

Who has influenced you in your life?

There are three people who have influenced me. The first is my father. He taught me the ethics of work and how to live by ethics, no matter what happens. In business, it was Ulrich Huth (currently general manager of Cairo Marriott Hotel), who taught me much of what I know today. I consider him to be my mentor. He showed me how to be a hard worker, how to plan my life, how to treat people and how to set goals and objectives for myself. The third person was Jamal Abdul Nasser, who led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 and was the second president of Egypt from 1956 until his death in 1970. I found him to be an inspiring leader. In my opinion, management is doing things right and leadership is doing the right things.

– Karoline Xavier is a Dubai-based freelancer