Ilker Atilgan, General Manager of Millennium Place Doha, opens up on his leadership style, pride in his property’s ongoing development and an exclusive ‘bucket list’ secret.

What first drew you to the hospitality industry and has it lived up to your expectations?
My journey in hospitality began with a fascination for creating memorable experiences for people. I was drawn to the dynamic nature of the industry – every day brings new faces, challenges and opportunities to exceed expectations. What particularly attracted me was the perfect blend of operational excellence, people management and the art of service. After more than 25 years in the industry, I can say it has exceeded my expectations. The satisfaction of seeing guests leave with smiles, watching team members grow professionally and continuously evolving with changing market demands has been incredibly rewarding. The hospitality industry has also given me a global perspective and allowed me to work with diverse teams across multiple countries, enriching both my professional and personal life.

Aside from your native Türkiye, you’ve spent much of your working life in Doha. What attracted you to the Middle East and Qatar in particular?
Qatar represents an exciting intersection of tradition and innovation that I find fascinating. I was initially attracted by the country’s ambitious vision for growth in the hospitality sector and its emergence as a global destination. What kept me here was the unique opportunity to be part of this remarkable development journey. Qatar’s commitment to excellence in hospitality, coupled with its strategic focus on tourism through major events like the FIFA World Cup, created an environment where hospitality professionals could truly make an impact. The multicultural aspect of Doha, where you work alongside people from all corners of the world, provides a rich professional experience that’s hard to find elsewhere. Additionally, I appreciate the balance between modern luxury and cultural authenticity that defines hospitality in Qatar.

You’ve been with Millennium Place almost a year, what have been the greatest challenges and what would you say have been your major achievements in that time?
Joining Millennium Place Doha midway through 2024 during the pre-opening phase presented unique challenges. The greatest challenge was establishing operational excellence and building a strong team culture from the ground up, while ensuring we met our launch standards. Another significant challenge was positioning the property effectively in a competitive market while we were still establishing our brand presence.
In terms of achievements, I’m particularly proud of our rapid progress in guest satisfaction, achieving strong scores in our first few months of operation through the implementation of a comprehensive service excellence programme. We’ve exceeded our financial targets, delivering better profitability than projected for a pre-opening year, which demonstrates our team’s ability to deliver on all fronts. Additionally, we’ve successfully positioned our food and beverage (F&B) outlets as destinations not just for hotel guests but for Doha residents as well. The fact that we received nine nominations across our four outlets at the Fact Dining Awards in our very first year of operation is remarkable proof that our restaurants are delivering exceptional service and culinary experiences. We’ve also built a cohesive team culture that embraces our vision of creating memorable experiences for every guest, which is crucial for a new property.

Are there any upcoming offers or new initiatives at the hotel that you can share with our readers?
We’re excited to announce that our My Millennium loyalty programme has been renewed and become much more appealing and generous. We’ve enhanced the rewards structure to provide even greater value to our loyal guests, so I encourage everyone to enrol and start earning rewards immediately. The programme now offers more personalised experiences and faster reward accumulation.
We’re also expanding our sustainability efforts with a comprehensive programme that will significantly reduce our environmental footprint while enhancing the guest experience. On the culinary front, we’ll be unveiling a new concept at one of our restaurants that showcases local ingredients with international techniques.
We’re planning a series of cultural events that will give our guests authentic experiences that connect them with Qatari heritage and the contemporary arts scene. I’d encourage everyone to follow our social media pages to stay updated on all our latest offerings, special promotions and exclusive deals. Our social media channels are where we share real-time updates about events, dining specials and limited-time offers. These initiatives reflect our commitment to providing unique, memorable experiences that go beyond traditional hotel stays.

If you could swap jobs with someone in the hotel for a day, who would it be and why?
I would definitely choose to swap with our Executive Chef. I’ve had a personal interest in the culinary arts since my teenage years, and cooking has always been a passion of mine. For me, cooking is like rehabilitation – it’s therapeutic and calming. There’s something special about cooking with nice music playing in the background, especially when preparing meals for family or friendly gatherings.
I love watching the expressions on people’s faces when they taste food that I’ve cooked with love – that moment when their eyes light up with the first bite is priceless. While I lead the hotel from a management perspective, I’d love to experience the creative process in our kitchen firsthand, understanding the challenges our culinary team faces daily, and perhaps even contributing some of my own recipes. The kitchen is truly where art meets hospitality, and I’d be fascinated to see our operation from that perspective for a day.

What is your favourite part of your job and how would you describe your leadership style?
My favourite part of the job is witnessing the growth and development of my team members. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing someone progress from potential to excellence, knowing you played a role in their journey. I also love the moments when we exceed a guest’s expectations so dramatically that you can literally see their perception transform.
My leadership style is best described as hands-on and empowering. I believe in setting clear expectations and a compelling vision, then giving my team the tools, training and autonomy to achieve those goals. I lead by example, never asking my team to do something I wouldn’t do myself. I prioritise open communication and creating an environment where honesty and innovation are encouraged. I believe in recognising excellence publicly while coaching privately, and I make decisions based on a balance of data and intuition. Ultimately, my leadership philosophy centres on the belief that if we take exceptional care of our team, they will take exceptional care of our guests.

Lastly, on a more personal note, is there a secret bucket list item or talent that our readers would be surprised to know about you?
Many might be surprised to know that I’m an avid motorcycle enthusiast who has been exploring cities and countries on two wheels for over 20 years. There’s something incredibly freeing about discovering new landscapes, cultures and people through motorcycle journeys, which I share through my social media under #IamJustRiding.
I’m also a certified PADI scuba diver, though this is actually a relatively new hobby for me. It’s something I had been postponing for years. When I used to live and work in Marmaris, Türkiye, every summer I wanted to try scuba diving but there was always an excuse to skip or postpone this adventure. Finally, I made up my mind to just do it, and I’m so glad I did. I’m still new to it but I’m a quick learner, and I’ve been documenting these underwater adventures with #IamJustDiving.
These passions have taught me valuable life lessons that translate to my professional approach – the importance of careful planning combined with adaptability when things change, maintaining calm under pressure and appreciating the beauty in different perspectives.
Here’s something I haven’t told anyone yet – my ultimate bucket list item and secret dream is to complete a round-the-world motorcycle journey between the ages of 50 and 55. I want to explore the world on two wheels, connecting multiple countries and cultures and documenting the diverse hospitality traditions I encounter along the way. This interview is actually the first time I’m sharing this goal publicly. ✤