Donald Poniah, Vice President of Operations
donald@bernardhotels.comDonald Ponniah has been in the Hospitality industry for over 30 years in four different countries.
Donald brings an in depth knowledge of sales & marketing, revenue management, and food & beverage. He has been a General Manager for over 10 years at upscale luxury hotels and resorts holding various position within the hotels. He has helped with major resort developments of over 450 rooms and has opened many hotels with various flags. He has a very keen understanding of the future of hotel design and has led many hospitality focus groups. Donald has worked very closely with industry leaders like Dave Horton (President of Hilton Hotels) and Mike Williams (VP of Hilton hotels) and with Master Chefs like Roland Henin and Albert Roux. Donald received his Certification in Spa Management from Preston Wynne School of Spa Management, and he is also an AHLA Certified Hotel Administrator.Donald has conducted studies on hospitality & tourism; holiday health resorts & spas; and how tourism has direct impact on economically uplifting people in third world countries. He has also worked with ISO1400 on environmental issues and has earned ISO certifications for his hotels.
Donald maintains close relationships with key people in various countries in the business community and strongly believes in helping people reach their potential in the hotel industry. Donald has his Hotel Management degree from the University of New Haven and has attended Leadership Management training at Columbia Business School.