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The Modern Hotelier
The Modern Hotelier

#313: A Journey of Hospitality Innovation: From Cairo to Hotel Brand COO | with Karima Zaki

28 July 2026 52:22 David Millili & Steve Carran

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About this episode

What does it take to build a hospitality career that breaks barriers while staying ahead of constant industry change?

In this episode, Steve Carran and David Millili sit down with Karima Zaki, COO of Town and Desert Hospitality, to explore her remarkable journey from immigrating to the United States without speaking English to becoming one of the first female hotel executives to lead major hospitality organizations.

Karima shares the lessons she learned as the first female General Manager in Red Lion Hotels' history and later as Hilton's first female Area Vice President. She discusses why leadership is about guiding people—not managing them—how boutique hotels can embrace AI without sacrificing authentic guest experiences, and why collaboration between hotels, tourism organizations, and local communities is essential for long-term destination success.


In this episode, you'll discover:

  •  Why embracing different cultures and experiences creates stronger hospitality leaders. 
  •  The leadership mindset that separates managing processes from leading people. 
  •  How boutique hotels can use AI strategically without losing the human touch guests value most. 
  •  What independent boutique hotels can offer that large hotel brands often can't replicate. 

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uaYqYP268dc

Links:
Karima on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karimazaki/
Town & Desert Hospitality: https://townanddesert.com/
 

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/313

Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-..

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page

Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

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