Gerrit Schmitt has been confirmed as general manager of the Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah as it gears up for a summer opening this year.

A long-time Marriott director of operations, he is preparing to accept his first general manager role.

His time at Marriott dates back to 2004, starting out as food and beverage management trainee for Ritz-Carlton in Wolfsburg.

Staying at the hotel for half a decade, Schmitt would hold positions such as assistant banquets and stewarding manager and director of banquets before moving on to Ritz-Carltons in other destinations.

He later worked with Ritz-Carlton in Vienna, Abu Dhabi, Bangalore and Almaty, all within food and beverage operations.

In 2011 he was made assistant and acting director of food and beverage for the Ritz-Carlton in DIFC.

This was followed by a string of senior operational roles, starting with senior manager operations development and meeting and events discipline leader MEA from 2014 to 2016.

Next, he was made area director of operations and meetings and events discipline leader MEA, heading up operations of rooms, spa and retail across six countries.

In 2018, he was made senior director of operations luxury - UAE, meaning he oversaw rooms, spa, retail, restaurants and bars for 30 UAE properties.

This was followed by senior director of operations in the UAE, bolstered to 65 properties under his remit.