Leon Baum

General Manager

“The overarching scale of success in hospitality is how we make people feel.”

Four Seasons Tenure

Since 2022
First Four Seasons Assignment: General Manager, Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh

Employment History

Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh; Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga, Latvia; Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, UAE; Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul; The Stafford, London; Dukes Hotel, London; The Sloane Club, London

Education

Business Studies, Oaklands College, Saint Albans, England

Birthplace

Watford, Hertfordshire, England

Languages Spoken

English

Whether welcoming international arrivals on business or pleasure, or receiving locals for staycations, spa time, and dining by the sea, Leon Baum knows the way to the heart of the guest experience at Four Seasons Hotel Doha. “People across the GCC associate Four Seasons with service excellence, so that’s the start of everything we offer,” he says, assuredly, as General Manager of the urban resort-style address overlooking the Arabian Gulf. “Our mix of wellness, culinary, and a sandy beach is like Doha itself: We have something to reward everyone and tempt them to return.”

Leon is well-attuned to the significance of Four Seasons as the progenitor of luxury hospitality in the capital of Qatar, whose emergence as an international travel destination began with the hotel’s opening in 2005. As the market drew more brands, Four Seasons stayed on top by giving guests what they sought, including a vibrant menu of dining experiences led by one of the world’s largest Nobu restaurants, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2025.

So, what is the Hotel’s mission today? “To never sit still,” says Leon. “We continuously shape our experience to meet every ripple in the market and keep our eyes on whatever the next stages of luxury hospitality will look like in the region.”

The team Leon leads is key to that undertaking. Hailing from humble beginnings – “I started as a luggage porter” – he knows the importance of connection and consistent messaging to give everyone the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive on the job. He takes management cues from Four Seasons culture: “It’s the responsibility of my senior managers and me to support our staff. People often think being a leader means being in charge, but it’s really taking care of those in your charge.”

It's also about ensuring care for guests. Leon enjoys nothing more than walking the property to meet and connect with people, the better to understand who they are and how the hotel can fulfil their needs. Seasonal afternoon tea at Seasons Tea Lounge is a hotspot for guest interaction, with movers and shakers from Doha and beyond relaxing in the Parisian-chic, greenery-bedecked dining room and are happy to converse. So, too, is the Sunday knockabout for staff and guests on a neighbouring football pitch. “I love kicking the ball around. It’s a great opportunity to connect.”

Baum learned to click with clientele while still in primary school, when he’d spend weekends sweeping clippings, making tea, and chatting with ladies in the chairs of his parents’ hair salon. “Young as I was, I always enjoyed the conversations, and that evolved into my love of hospitality.”

He carried that love forward, following in the footsteps of an uncle who managed properties for a major international hotel group. Visits to see his uncle in action at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London left Baum in awe of the glitz and glamour of the scene as well as the diverse cultures in the city, making him long for an international career.

After college, he started in management at luxury properties in London, rising quickly to general manager before moving on to Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, and the first luxury address in Riga, Latvia. He joined Four Seasons in 2022, satisfying a long-held aspiration with a posting as General Manager of one of the brand’s largest resort properties along the Red Sea in Sharm El Sheikh.

Now delighted to be in Doha, especially since accompanying Zorro, his faithful Hungarian Vizsla, from Egypt to join him, Leon looks forward to each day as a new opportunity to be hospitable. “The overarching scale of success in hospitality is how we make people feel, to add a moment of surprise and positive emotion into every guest interaction is at the centre of every decision we take and I am delighted to play my part.”