For more than two decades, Essam Gouhar built his career in some of the world's most recognised hospitality destinations.
From opening the Four Seasons and Hyatt Regency in Sharm El Sheikh, to launching Atlantis The Palm in Dubai and leading hospitality operations across the Maldives, Morocco, Egypt and Abu Dhabi, his career has been defined by one thing: creating exceptional experiences.
He has opened 11 resorts across the world, led large-scale operations, worked with royalty and helped bring ambitious hospitality visions to life.
Yet his next chapter would take him somewhere entirely different to Caesars Palace, Caesars Resorts, and One Only.
"I love openings," Essam explains. "That's what I've always loved doing. Creating something new, building a culture, bringing a vision to life and helping teams deliver something special."
That passion is what ultimately led him to Bayards Court, Vivant Care's first home in Dartmouth.
A different kind of extraordinary
The move into care was unexpected.
After relocating to the UK and opening a Marriott hotel in Plymouth, Essam and his wife were exploring options for her father, who was looking for somewhere to retire.
During their search, they discovered Bayards Court.
"My wife found Bayards Court and told me there was a role as Guest Services Manager," he says. "When I learned more about it, I realised this was an opportunity to bring everything I'd learned in hospitality into a completely new environment."
Walking into the home for the first time felt instantly familiar.
"The home is lovely and so are the team. It feels more like a boutique hotel than a traditional care home. The setting is incredible, and Dartmouth itself is beautiful."
But what stood out most was the opportunity to shape an experience unlike any other.
Anticipating what matters most
With experience spanning five countries and fluency in five languages, Essam understands that exceptional service is rarely about grand gestures.
Instead, it comes from truly knowing people.
"To me, extraordinary means doing the very best you can for someone and making them happy," he says.
"It's about knowing what matters to them. Maybe they like to sit at the same table every morning at ten o'clock and enjoy a cappuccino. If I can have it ready before they even ask, that's extraordinary. It's being proactive. It's understanding people so well that you can anticipate what will make their day better."
That philosophy now shapes his approach to resident experience at Bayards Court.
Every interaction, every detail and every touchpoint is an opportunity to create something meaningful.
Bringing a vision to life
While Essam's hospitality background is impressive, he believes his greatest strength is helping people come together around a shared purpose.
"I'm a people person," he says. "I'm good at delivering a vision to my team and helping people understand what we're trying to achieve together."
As the Bayards Court team continues to grow, that ability to inspire, coach and support others will play a central role in shaping the experience residents receive every day.
For Essam, it's not just about bringing luxury hospitality standards into care. It's about redefining expectations.
Whether your background is in hospitality, care or something completely different, this is a place where experience is valued, ambition is encouraged and exceptional people can thrive.
If you're ready to bring your expertise somewhere it will make a real difference, explore future opportunities with Vivant Care and help create something extraordinary.
