Tim Cordon
Area Senior Vp For The Middle East
And Africa, Radisson Hotel Group
Radissonhotels.com
If you were to summarize your career in one sentence, what would you say?
I developed a huge passion for the hospitality industry, and it was spotted.
What is your most eagerly anticipated project?
Hotels are like children; you cannot have a preferred one. That being said, I am really excited about the upcoming opening of Radisson RED Johannesburg Rosebank, as it is the first RED in Johannesburg and the second Radisson RED in South Africa.
How would you describe your leadership style?
I personally believe that when an organization, regardless of which industry, wants to achieve its goals, it needs a vision. But a vision does not belong only to a leader. It’s about the ability to recognize and outline those goals and inspire others to follow. The hospitality industry is a people industry, and I like to think that our team members feel like they’re part of a family when they join. By developing our team members into leaders and empowering them, we create a culture of belongingness and growth. The greatest asset of any hotel is the team, so empowering them is key to success.
Where does the company stand in terms of its growth trajectory and its strategy for the MENA region?
While many hotel groups put their development plans on hold last year, we and our investors remained committed to our ambitious five-year plan and our mission to be recognized as one of the top three hotel brands in the world and the brand of choice for owners, guests and talent. The new signings reaffirm our commitment to our owners, employees, guests, partners and our development plan. The launch of Radisson Individuals marks another milestone in our transformation plan. We created Radisson Individuals in response to the evolving demands of the modern market for both hotel owners and guests and as a complement to our other existing brands. Moving forward, the Middle East and Africa are two key development areas. Our ambitions across the region have remained the same, and we are further accelerating our presence. We recently announced the opening of Radisson Hotel Dubai DAMAC Hills as well as the Radisson Blu Hotel Riyadh Qurtuba, and we are continuing to open hotels in the coming months. Our teams are working hard to keep these hotel signings and openings on track, and I am very proud of the results.
UPCOMING PROJECTS IN THE MENA REGION
About author
Rita Ghantous
Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector. Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC). She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book. She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter. Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler. It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.
