Shafraz Nasaar is the chief technology officer at The First Group Hospitality with a background spanning hospitality, real estate and high-growth consumer businesses. Over the past decade, he has focused on building and scaling enterprise technology platforms that support complex, multi-brand operations. His experience sits at the intersection of product engineering, data, cybersecurity and commercial enablement, with a strong emphasis on translating business strategy into practical, scalable technology outcomes.

At The First Group Hospitality, Nasaar has led a broad evolution of the technology landscape to better support growth, efficiency and guest experience. This has included modernizing core hospitality systems, improving integration between platforms, and building a stronger data foundation to support pricing, forecasting and
day-to-day decision making.

One of the ongoing challenges in hospitality is introducing change in a 24/7 operating environment while also navigating brand-specific standards and technology requirements. “Each brand has its own expectations, so it's important to carefully balance the needs of owners, operational teams, guests and the brands themselves to
achieve the best overall outcome,” he said.

Some of the achievements Nasaar is most proud of are practical, guest-facing solutions. His team built a bespoke system to manage guest registrations at the company's beach club on Palm Jumeirah, fully integrated with point-of-sale and digital ordering platforms. “This not only improved the guest experience but also gave the business much clearer visibility into revenue performance across different guest segments.”

The team also developed a platform called DineAround, which allows guests on half-board and full-board plans to access dining entitlements across more than 40 restaurants across Dubai. This simplified operations for their teams, improved flexibility for guests and created a more connected dining ecosystem across the portfolio.

Nasaar focuses on several systems at once, and he has had strong success working with partners that genuinely understand hospitality and complex operating environments. “Platforms like Shiji, HotelIQ, SABA Hospitality, PassEntry, and Intello have stood out not just for their technology but for the way they have worked with us to build partnerships that go well beyond a traditional client-supplier relationship.” He values partners who demonstrate genuine collaboration and flexibility in adapting their solutions to align with business and brand requirements. That level of partnership, combined with cloud-based, API-driven platforms that integrate well, is where he has seen the strongest outcomes and long-term value.

Looking ahead, Nasaar's focus is on using data and automation more intelligently. That includes improving digital guest journeys, introducing more AI-assisted decision-making in areas like revenue and operations and continuing to strengthen security and resilience as the company's footprint grows. “The aim is to build technology that scales naturally as the business grows, without adding unnecessary cost and complexity,” he said.

Shaf's Best:

• Family: Married with a young family “who are a constant source of perspective and motivation."
• Hobbies: Travel, exploring new technology, exercising and spending time with family and friends.
• Go-To Periodical or Website: A mix of reputable business, technology and hospitality industry publications.
• Book: The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz.
• Music: A broad mix. “Depending on the mood and setting!”
• Travel Destination: Destinations that offer culture, history and great food. "Japan remains a favorite."
• Advice to Young People: "Stay curious, be adaptable, and focus on building strong fundamentals."
• Dinner With: Grandfather. “He passed away before I was born. He lived a colorful life, and I would love to hear about it from him.”