Andrew McLachlan named the Most Influential Hospitality Investment Individual in Africa

The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the world’s fastest growing hotel groups, today announced that Mr Andrew McLachlan, the group’s Vice President Business Development for Africa & the Indian Ocean Islands, won an individual award for his outstanding leadership role and contribution to hospitality investment on the African continent.

McLachlan received the “Mover & Shaker” award this afternoon (06 November 2009) at the 2009 Hospitality Investment Conference Africa, which took place in Johannesburg.  He was  acknowledged and honored as “a driving force behind Rezidor Hotel Group’s remarkable growth in Africa.”

Between January 2007 and March 2009 McLachlan tripled the Rezidor Hotel Group’s portfolio from 8 hotels (open or under development) in five African countries to 21 hotels (open or under development) in 13 sub-Saharan African countries.  During this period, McLachlan ensured investment into African hotels valued at approximately US$ 900 million.

The Rezidor Hotel Group expanded with hotels in African countries such as Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Mozambique, Zambia and South Africa under McLachlan’s headship, and impact studies estimate that the new African hotel signings will create jobs for around 3,600 individuals on the continent.

The Hospitality Investment Conference Africa, an annual event on the local and international hospitality and investment calendar, is hosted by the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA), in association with the conference’s founding partners and the Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism of South Africa.

The conference also presented opportunities for delegates, speakers and sponsors to learn from others experiences and to align themselves to international best practice.