Kindling Passions

Khalid Al-Rumaihi is the Executive Chairman of Amriya Group, prior to which he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (Mumtalakat) from September 2019 to April 2023. During his tenure, he oversaw Mumtalakat’s transformation and the implementation of its new strategy.

Al-Rumaihi previously served five years as the Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) where he was responsible for channeling inward investments into the country. He spent over 10 years at Investcorp as a Managing Director where he was also a member of the Management Committee and Head of the Institutional Placement Team covering Investcorp’s clients in the Arabian Gulf. This was preceded by a 9 year term in J.P. Morgan as head of its private client group in the Gulf region.

He chairs the Board of Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) and serves on the Boards of other companies such as Mumtalakat, McLaren Group, Bahrain Economic Development Board, Bapco Energies and is a member of the Advisory Board of Harvard Business School Middle East and North Africa.

With a Masters degree in Public Policy specialising in Economic Development from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, Al-Rumaihi has chaired the Board of Bahrain Real Estate Investment Company (Edamah), the Board of Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) and the Board of Bahrain Development Bank and has held Board positions at Gulf Air and Securities Investment Company.

Anoop is a seasoned executive in the hospitality industry, bringing with him over 18 years of experience. His deep understanding of the sector has been honed through a multitude of roles that he has held, specifically in the realm of finance.

His professional journey is marked by impressive tenures at renowned brands such as InterContinental Hotels Groups (IHG), ALiLa Hotels & Resorts, Berggruen hotels, and Taj Hotels. Anoop’s extensive career has seen him transition across a variety of markets, acquiring knowledge and sharpening his vision. His last role as the Corporate Director of Finance at Essentia Hotels and Resorts paved the way for his current position as an Executive member and Director of Finance at Amriya Group.

As an integral part of Amriya, Anoop’s management style is both meticulous and forward-thinking. He oversees the complex facets of corporate finance, from treasury management and strategic planning to hotel financial reporting. His innovative approach focuses on enhancing profitability, ensuring a steady cash flow, and effectively mitigating the owner’s risk.

Through his years of dedication and strategic leadership, Anoop has made significant contributions to the industry, solidifying his position as a leader in the field. His ability to leverage his expertise in hotel accounting and operations management, development accounting, and risk management, is invaluable to the Amriya Group.

Anoop is driven by his personal passion for continuous learning and development. His commitment to thinking in innovative and non-traditional ways is not only instrumental in his professional journey but also is a testament to his intrinsic motivation for excellence.

A master of his craft, Chef Steeven Gilles is revered for his artistry in the kitchen and his passion for creating delectable dishes. With a career spanning over 20 years, he has honed his skills and developed a unique culinary style that sets him apart from the rest.

As a child, Steeven was always drawn to the kitchen, watching his mother prepare meals with great care and attention to detail. This early exposure to the culinary world instilled in him a deep love for cooking, and he quickly developed a keen interest in experimenting with different flavors and ingredients.

After completing his studies at culinary school, Steeven began his journey as a chef, working in some of the world’s most renowned kitchens. It was during this time that he was able to perfect his craft and gain invaluable experience, working alongside some of the industry’s leading names. Throughout the years, he has fine-tuned his craft to new heights, working with Michelin restaurants including 2-star Relais de la Poste, 2-star L’Oasis, 3-star Epicure, 2-star Ledbury, among others. During his tenure at the Lanesborough Hotel, London as Head Chef, Steeven supported the opening of Celeste restaurant, which obtained 1 Michelin star within its first year. This was maintained for another two years under his guidance.

Steeven’s culinary philosophy is centered around using only the finest and freshest ingredients to create dishes that are both flavorful and visually stunning. He draws inspiration from a range of sources, from the flavors of his childhood to the latest food trends, and is always looking for new ways to push the boundaries of traditional cuisine.

Today, Steeven continues to inspire and delight diners with his culinary creations, sharing his love for food and unique culinary style with the world. His journey is a testament to the power of passion and dedication.

Outside of the kitchen, Chef Steeven cares about his community and supports various causes that are close to his heart. He volunteers for animal charities when he can, and stays active and healthy by playing sports such as tennis, squash, and basketball.

Chef Paul Gardin grew up in Normandy, an area of France renowned for gastronomy. Starting his career at the tender age of thirteen, the talented French pâtissier’s interests in food began when he visited pastry shops with his father every weekend and cooked for family and friends at home.

At age fourteen, Chef Paul had his first apprenticeship at Restaurant La Braisière à Paris followed by Hotel Les Hetres, both Michelin Star establishments. Later, he joined Restaurant Le Meurice Palace, which was rated the Best French Restaurant in 2007 run by Michelin 3-star chef Yannick Alléno. The following year, Chef Paul moved on to become Chef de Partie in Hotel Les Hetres.

Chef Paul’s passion and expertise spans from pastry to baking  to ice cream and chocolate. His illustrious background was brought on with training on haute pâtisserie under French pastry chef Pierre Hermé. Chef Pierre is often dubbed the Picasso of Pastry, a master of modern day confectionery arts and bestowed the title “One of the Finest Confectionery Chefs of the World”. Chef Ewald Notter adds on to the list of world renown mentors that Chef Paul has had the privilege to be trained under. He was also under the tutelage of accomplished pastry chef, Eric Perez. Greatly inspired by Eric, Chef Paul expanded and honed his skills as a chocolatier.

Opportunities took him all over the world, working with more Michelin Star restaurants and rising in the ranks in the world of pâtisserie. He was made the Executive Pastry Chef of Maison Lenôtre and managed Plaza Food, a gourmet retail shop in Bahrain, where he supervised the culinary activities of 120 people. Subsequently, he joined Diamond Hotel Philippines, a five star luxury hotel in Manila, as Executive Pastry Chef, overseeing all its 3 pastry shops, all F&B and banquet pastry needs. Next, he joined the pastry team at the award-winning flagship hotel, Hilton Kuala Lumpur, overseeing 10 outlets and supervising a team of 30 chefs in 2014.

Paul eventually returned to Bahrain, one of his favorite countries to work in, and joined Amriya Group. He describes Bahrain as a country packed with kind people and great opportunities. His learning of culinary arts is continuous, even as an Executive Pastry chef here in Bahrain. He describes it as a beautiful melting pot of many different cultures, and every culture has its own sweets and flavors. Living in Bahrain expanded his perspective and allowed him to tap into a new well of creativity.