The Radisson Blu Hotel in Upper Hill, Nairobi. PHOTO | FILE
Carlson Rezidor has appointed a Swedish manager to head the five-star Radisson Blu Hotel located in Nairobi’s Upper Hill district.
The Brussels-based international hotels group has also made Kenya its regional hub.
Ian Rydin will serve as general manager of the luxury Nairobi hotel, which opened in November 2015. Mr Rydin will also be Carlson Rezidor’s district director in charge of East Africa region, the Stockholm Stock Exchange-listed hotel chain said.
He replaces the hotel’s founding manager Jens Brandin who left in December to take a similar job at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel in Stavanger, Norway.
Mr Rydin, a career hotelier, will be tasked with growing Radisson Blu’s market share in Nairobi’s increasingly competitive hospitality market where new global hotel chains are setting up.
Invaluable knowledge
“His invaluable knowledge and expertise will prove to be a great asset in achieving Radisson Blu Hotel Nairobi’s next growth phase,” said Marc Descrozaille, Carlson Rezidor vice president for Africa & Indian Ocean.
The global hotel chain is banking on Mr Rydin’s 16-year experience in the hospitality industry to manage the 271-key Nairobi facility and spearhead growth in the region.
Radisson Blu Nairobi is owned by businessman Michael Kairu backed by four Nordic private equity funds namely Swedfund, Finnfund, Danish investment fund IFU and Norfund. Carlson Rezidor manages the hotel at a fee.
Mr Kairu holds a 58.7 per cent stake in Elgon Road Developments Ltd – the special purpose vehicle behind the luxury hotel – followed by Swedfund (21.3 per cent) while Finnfund and IFU each have a 10 per cent stake.
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