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Hospitality, destination and major-event readinessHospitality and event readiness

From masterplan to live operation.

Independent advisory for developers, operators and event organisers across the UAE and GCC. I help senior teams plan pre-opening, prepare for operational readiness and design operating models that work on day one.

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  • Pre-opening and readiness
  • Operating model design
  • Major events and venues
Andrew Holland, Founder of Holland Management Consulting
Andrew Holland FIHFounderFormer Head of Hospitality,
EXPO 2020 Dubai
20+ years' experienceUK · Europe · USA · GCC
  • Experience gained in previous roles
  • EXPO 2020 DubaiHead of Hospitality
  • NEOMDirector, Community Operations Services
  • 3 multi-sport GamesGlasgow 2014, Baku 2015, Baku 2017
  • FellowInstitute of Hospitality

Services

Advice for the decisions between masterplan and opening day

Three core services, with supporting work where a project needs it. Select a service to see a typical brief and outputs.

Supporting work

  • Governance, standards and KPIsSLA frameworks, service standards and KPIs that keep operators consistent across sites.
  • Capacity, throughput and F&BCapacity planning, catering strategy and supplier coordination for high-volume environments.
  • Commercial planning and alignmentBudgets, forecasting and CAPEX planning, and alignment between owners, operators and partners.

Case studies

The challenge, what I did and what happened

Three examples from senior roles held before founding the practice.

EXPO 2020 Dubai · Head of Hospitality

Readying a hotel and residential village for a global event

Challenge
A 331-room hotel and a 2,000-unit residential village had to be ready for a global event with a fixed opening date, several operators and high guest volumes.
What I did
Defined the hospitality strategy and service models, set SLA frameworks, pricing structures and operating standards, and led alignment between operators, partners and suppliers.
Outcome
The hotel opened on time for the event and, with the residential village, ran through its six months, October 2021 to March 2022, in line with the commercial targets and quality standards set at the outset.

NEOM, Saudi Arabia · Director, Community Operations Services

Operating models for a fast-growing new community

Challenge
Community, hospitality, retail, transport and accommodation services had to scale with a rapidly growing population across multiple sites and development phases.
What I did
Led the design and implementation of operating models aligned with the masterplan, set service standards, governance frameworks and KPIs, and held full P&L oversight.
Outcome
A consistent operating framework across a 201-bedroom hotel and four residential communities, contributing to the sustained development of a multinational community as it grew phase by phase.

Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games · Head of Village Management

Delivering an athletes' village to a fixed Games date

Challenge
An athletes' village had to be planned and ready for a fixed Games date, with overlay construction and procurement on tight timelines and a locally recruited workforce.
What I did
Led the village from strategic planning to operational delivery, defined service levels, integrated the local workforce and tracked procurement and overlay against the Venue Integration Plan.
Outcome
The village housed almost 7,000 athletes and team officials through the Games, 12 to 22 May 2017, with procurement and overlay construction delivered in line with the Venue Integration Plan.

Experience gained in senior roles before founding the practice. Client and commercial details are withheld for confidentiality.

Recommendations on LinkedIn

Where the experience was gained

Career at a glance

Employed roles held before founding Holland Management Consulting in 2026, most recent first.

  1. 2022–2026NEOMSaudi ArabiaDirector, Community Operations Services
  2. 2018–2022EXPO 2020 DubaiUnited Arab EmiratesHead of Hospitality
  3. 2017–2018Radisson Blu Hotel GlasgowUnited KingdomSenior Meetings and Events Sales Manager
  4. 2016–2017Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity GamesAzerbaijanHead of Village ManagementVillage of almost 7,000 athletes and team officials
  5. 2015–2016Radisson Blu Hotel EdinburghUnited KingdomGroups and Events Sales Manager
  6. 2014–2015Baku 2015 European GamesAzerbaijanVenue General Manager, Athletes' VillageVillage of almost 7,000 athletes and team officials
  7. 2013–2014Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth GamesUnited KingdomVenue General Manager, Satellite Villages
  8. 2000–2013Thistle, Millennium Hotels, Cameron House and The BreakersUnited Kingdom and USAHotel operations and commercial roles

About

Senior experience, engaged directly

Holland Management Consulting FZCO is my independent practice, founded in 2026, registered in the United Arab Emirates and based in Dubai.

Before founding it, I spent more than 20 years delivering hospitality, accommodation and event operations in the UK, Europe, the USA and the GCC, most recently as Head of Hospitality at EXPO 2020 Dubai and Director, Community Operations Services at NEOM.

That work sits where strategy meets live operation: turning a masterplan or event concept into service models, budgets, standards and teams that perform under pressure. I now bring that experience to developers, operators and event organisers facing the same decisions.

I keep my client list deliberately small. Every engagement is led by me from first conversation to handover, and is never passed to a junior colleague.

How engagements work

  1. Introductory call

    You describe the situation and I tell you plainly whether I can help.

  2. Scope and proposal

    A written scope, timeline and clear commercial proposal for the identified work.

  3. Delivery

    Regular check-ins and shared notes, so you always know where things stand.

  4. Handover

    Everything documented, with a follow-up conversation to review all completed deliverables.

Who I work with Developers and destination owners Hotel and hospitality operators Event organisers and host cities Government entities and programme sponsors

Contact

Tell me what you are working on

Send a few lines about your project and timing by WhatsApp, email or the form, and I will reply to arrange an introductory call.

Send an enquiry

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Last updated 3 November 2026

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