Ali Tabarsi

About Ali Tabarsi

I am a senior engineering and facilities executive with 20+ years of global experience leading capital programs, infrastructure strategy, and operational excellence across high-revenue luxury hospitality assets.I partner closely with ownership, executive committees, and senior leadership to transform engineering and facilities organizations into strategic business enablers — aligning CapEx investment, energy strategy, and risk management with P&L performance, guest experience, and long-term asset value.My background includes directing $5M+ capital programs, leading a $3.5M multi-phase renovation, governing annual CapEx and OPEX portfolios, and delivering measurable results such as +42 ENERGY STAR improvement,+14 Forbes/LQA score gains, and sustained reductions in utility and lifecycle costs.I am known for calm, data-driven leadership in complex, mission-critical environments, with a leadership style focused on accountability, transparency, and team development. I have built and led multi-disciplinary engineering teams, negotiated enterprise-level vendor agreements, and served as the primary liaison with regulatory authorities to ensure compliance and uninterrupted operations.I am currently focused on VP-level, Area/Regional leadership, and executive committee roles, where I can drive portfolio-scale impact across engineering, facilities, capital planning, and asset management.

Experience

1. Senior Director of Engineering

   The Watergate Hotel

   Mar 2024 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   Serve as ownership advisor on engineering standards, capital planning frameworks, and infrastructure risk mitigation.• Directed a $3.5M multi-phase guestroom and infrastructure renovation, executed in an occupied luxury hotel environment while maintaining guest satisfaction and brand standards.• Lead multi-year CapEx roadmap including renovation, elevators, BAS, fire/life safety, ADA, and energy upgrades.• Full P&L accountability for $2.5M OPEX and $2.0M+ annual CapEx.• Delivered +42 ENERGY STAR improvement through retro-commissioning, BAS optimization, and targeted capital investment.• Improved Forbes/LQA score by +14 points through PM discipline, SOP standardization, and cross-functional alignment.• Negotiated enterprise vendor agreements achieving 12–18% lifecycle cost savings.• Primary liaison with DOEE, DC Fire Marshal, DC Health, and inspectors, maintaining 100% compliance and uninterrupted operations.• Lead and develop a 15+ multi-trade engineering organization, improving PM completion and reducing reactive maintenance.

Education

• Strayer University

  Master of Business Administration - MBA, Project Management

• Azad University (IAU)

  Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.), Mechanical Engineering