SADC leadership appointments for Minor

Minor Hotels, an international hotel owner, operator and investor with over 540 hotels in 56 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe and the Americas, has appointed new hotel managers and a chef at its luxury hotels in Zambia and Mozambique.

Zambia

Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel By Anantara welcomed its guests Long Mulikekel as the new hotel manager.

With almost 20 years of experience in hospitality management, Mulikelela is qualified from Cornell University, the Association of Chartered Accountants, UNICAF University in Zambia and the Hospitality and Tourism Training Institute.

Mulikelela’s career includes management positions in top hotels across Africa and his expertise includes hotel pre-opening, operations, revenue management and corporate social responsibility projects.

Born in South Africa, Beatrice Ellis has taken on a new role as Hotel Manager of the Avani Victoria Falls Resort.

Her career includes roles at Mount Grace in South Africa, Anantara Dhigu in the Maldives and the Prince of Wales Hotel in the UK. He also holds credentials from Cornell University in business strategy and executive leadership.

Laurie Burr will continue to oversee both the Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel By Anantara and the Avani Victoria Falls Resort as the complex’s General Manager and Executive Chef Tuwan Halikeen Mohamed takes up the position of executive chef at Avani Victoria Falls Resort.

With over 23 years of culinary experience, Chef Mohamed has worked in some of the most prestigious five- and seven-star hotels in the world. It will highlight the use of local ingredients and contemporary culinary techniques to create an extraordinary dining experience at Avani Victoria Falls Resort.

Chef Mohamed has honed his skills in high-energy environments, from Raffles and Fairmont in Doha to the iconic Burj Al Arab in Dubai. His journey includes starring roles at the luxurious One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives and Uga Ulagalla in Sri Lanka, where he served as executive chef.

Mozambique

In Mozambique, Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort has been designated Christian Sanchez as the new CEO.

Educated at the renowned hotel management school Les Roches in Switzerland, Sanchez began his career with management training at Topnotch Resort & Spa in the USA. His career highlights include key roles at the Montauk Yacht Club in the Hamptons and with brands such as Accor, Melia and Hilton.

He has a diverse background spanning Senegal, Portugal and Spain, and his African ventures include managing the Zuri Zanzibar resort.

Before taking on his new role at Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort, Sanchez was the resort manager at Anantara Maia Seychelles.

“We are pleased to welcome such talented leaders to our team,” he said Lindi Mthethwa, regional sales and marketing director for Africa in smaller hotels. “Their exceptional skills and passion for hospitality will undoubtedly enhance our guests’ experiences and set new standards of service and culinary excellence at our properties in Zambia and Mozambique. We are confident they will make a significant impact.