Born in Lebanon to a family of professionals, Safi was encouraged by his parents to pursue a career in medicine, but he instead contemplated dentistry until a school job fair opened his eyes to the hotel industry. “There was a woman at the fair who worked for a big hotel group,” reminisces Safi, “She had a sparkle in her eyes and a real passion for what she did. She invited me to train for a month, and I enjoyed the hotel vibe so much that I chose to pursue hospitality instead.”