Tributes Pour In As Veteran Dubai Hotelier Lynne Bellinger Passes Away

2026-02-22 02:17:54

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Dubai's hospitality industry is mourning the loss of Lynne Bellinger, who spent more than 30 years working in the emirate's hotel sector. She passed away on Tuesday (February 17) after a battle with cancer.

At the time of her death, she was director of Food & Beverage Business Development for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Marriott International.

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In a message posted on her LinkedIn page, her family wrote:“It is with deep regret & great sadness to let those of you who don't already know that Lynne passed away on 17th February after her courageous battle with cancer.”

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The message was signed by her mother, Sue, along with David and Liz.

A celebration of her life will be held on Thursday (February 26) at the Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah at 4pm. The family has requested“Colours of Joy” as the dress code, inviting friends and colleagues to share their stories and memories.

Who was Lynne Bellinger?

She began her journey in Dubai in 1994 as director of Personnel & Training at Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers, at a time when the city's hospitality sector was still evolving. Over the years, she went on to shape food and beverage strategy, talent development, and third-party restaurant partnerships across the region.

At a time when few women held senior operational roles in Gulf hospitality, Bellinger rose through the ranks and built a regional career that placed her at the centre of the industry's transformation. Colleagues say she combined commercial sharpness with warmth and never allowed herself to be boxed in.

She joined Marriott International in 2017 as director of Dining Experiences for the Middle East and Africa, later becoming director of Food & Beverage Business Development for EAME. In that role, she oversaw sourcing and managing third-party restaurant brands and operators, supporting Marriott's broader F&B strategy across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

'She will be missed'

Shujaat Yar, general manager of Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre, told Khaleej Times:“Lynne had a special way of combining professionalism with warmth, and her calm, steady presence always made a difference. She genuinely cared about people, and you could feel that in every interaction. She will be truly missed by all of us who had the privilege of knowing and working with her.”

Tributes flowed on LinkedIn following the family's announcement.

Andrea Sacchi, COO of Skelmore Hospitality, wrote:“We have lost an incredible human being and an unstoppable, kind force. All of us who had the privilege to know and work alongside her will miss her wit, her smile, and those pink locks that would appear from time to time to remind us not to take ourselves too seriously - even when discussing serious issues.”

Many remembered her as a mentor.

Jerry Rawlings Mbabali recalled reaching out to her when he first arrived in Dubai to understand how food and beverage could connect with sustainable practices.“She generously took time to help me understand the industry and where real impact can be made,” he wrote.“Her openness, expertise, and genuine desire to create positive change will stay with me.”

Lynne Bellinger's legacy

For others, her influence stretched back to the early days of their careers in the UAE.

Arshad Hussain Gazi, now banquet and catering manager at Sheraton Dubai Creek Harbour Hotels & Towers, wrote that Bellinger hired him in 1994. Philip Koshy described her as his first HR manager in Dubai at the same property, calling her passing“extremely shocking.”

Beyond her corporate roles, Bellinger was also an entrepreneur. She founded The Hospitality Company, a recruitment specialist firm, and launched Purple Cubed UAE before establishing Purple Hospitality.

Jane Sunley, co-founder of Hendrick & Hyde, remembered her as“a complete force of nature – bright, beautiful, funny and unfailingly kind,” recalling how she would“whizz us around in her bright orange Mini” in Dubai and London.“She was the finest salsa dancer I've ever seen,” Sunley added.

Others shared small, personal gestures that reflected her character. Caroline Stevens remembered how, when her family first moved to Dubai in 2003, Bellinger went out of her way to secure them a table for Christmas lunch at One&Only.“It was such a kind gesture for someone she had only recently met,” she wrote.

In a 2017 interview, Bellinger reflected on her journey from a small town in the north of England to spending more than half her life in the Gulf.

“I wanted a job that would allow me to travel,” she said.“Little did I know that I would spend more than half my lifetime in the Gulf countries.”

She also spoke candidly about gender bias early in her career, recalling a boss who once suggested her looks might hold her back because people may not take her seriously. She later described it as motivation to prove otherwise.