Alan O’Dea, Mövenpick Hotels

Mövenpick Hotels & Resort has announced the internal promotion of Alan O’Dea to the role of Senior Vice President for Africa. O’Dea replaces Roger Kacou who has been appointed Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.

Irish-born O’Dea, who also becomes a member of the company’s Executive Committee, will initially focus on consolidating the business of the upscale hospitality company in North Africa as well as exploring new hotel development opportunities across the continent.

“There is great potential for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts in West and East Africa, particularly in countries such as Kenya, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Senegal,” he said. “Our first hotel in Accra, Ghana, opened in 2011 and has proved to be hugely successful. I aim to build on this success in other African countries.”

Alan O’Dea certainly brings plenty of African experience to his role. From 2010 to 2012 he was Vice President Revenue Strategy and Development for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, playing a key role in the signing and opening of ten hotels and Nile cruisers across the continent.

During this time O’Dea travelled Africa extensively, forging strong relationships with investors and hotel owners. His fluent French proved particularly popular in Africa’s Francophile countries.

“One of the great benefits of working in diverse African countries has been the opportunity to expand my culinary repertoire,” he said.

Prior to joining Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts in 2005 as the company’s Vice President Revenue Management, O’Dea was Regional Director of Revenue Management for InterContinental Hotels Group in France and Director of Revenue Management in Paris.

O’Dea began working in the hotel industry in 1996 as a front office manager after graduating from Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology in Ireland with a BA Degree in Hotel and Catering Management.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, www.moevenpick-hotels.com