The Radisson Hotel Group has promoted Sandra Kneubuhler to Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa. She will now lead the Group’s operations in English-speaking African countries, leveraging her extensive operational experience to drive continued growth and progress across the continent. Rochell Schonken will step into the role of Country Director of Sales for South Africa, one of the positions previously held by Kneubuhler.
2024 saw the Group broadening its African footprint with the addition of seven properties in key markets, bringing its portfolio to almost 100 hotels on the continent and putting it on track to reach its goal of 150 hotels within the next five years. The Group also surpassed market and industry benchmarks across critical performance indicators, including market share, guest satisfaction, and profitability.
Optimistic about the future, Kneubuhler points out that the Group’s extensive presence in the region means that it is well-positioned to capitalise on growth opportunities, particularly in Nigeria, Tanzania, and South Africa.
She emphasises that Schonken will play a vital role in driving the Group’s regional expansion, unlocking South Africa’s growth potential by leading the sales team to not only meet but exceed targets, especially in the B2B arena. “Since joining Radisson in 2015, Rochell has consistently delivered impactful results that have directly contributed to the Group’s continued success.”
Kneubuhler is excited about the potential of the Sub-Saharan African region, its people, and the transformative role hospitality can play in enhancing the lives of communities and individuals alike. Her immediate priorities include connecting with regional teams, fostering career development, and building a skilled workforce to support the Group’s expansion plans. “This is a personal passion of mine and while the Group has always done this well, it is an area where I want us to raise the benchmark and become recognised as industry leaders.”
By the end of 2025, she aims to boost the region’s profitability through strong top-line growth while also nurturing more female leaders. One of her initial steps will be to host the inaugural Radisson Academy Live in Nigeria, providing vital training and development for teams in the country.
“I look forward to leading our talented teams across Africa as we work together to meet our expansion goals and continue to raise the standard of excellence across the hospitality industry,” Kneubuhler concludes.
