Minor Hotels has appointed Mark Havercroft as Regional Director, Africa. He will be based in the Johannesburg regional office.
Havercroft is responsible for driving the group’s performance and expansion in Africa, through acquisitions and partnerships, as well as refurbishing and developing existing properties and management contracts. He is also responsible for the continued growth of its existing properties and the teams that manage them.
Havercroft joins Minor Hotels from the Legacy Group, where he held the role of Business Development and Hotel Operations in Africa.
He has three decades’ experience, which includes business development, operations and leadership roles at Lonrho Hotels, Wilderness Safaris and the Zimbabwe Sun group of hotels.
Havercroft comments: “It’s a very exciting time to join Minor Hotels, and I’m looking forward to being a part of the group’s plans to grow its footprint across Africa. This includes growing the presence of the AVANI and Anantara brands, as well as looking for opportunities to introduce other Minor Hotels brands to the continent, such as Oaks.”
Minor Hotels has various projects lined up, including completing the refurbishment of AVANI Windhoek Hotel & Casino, AVANI Maseru Hotel, the beach bungalows and kitchen at Anantara Bazaruto (formerly Indigo Bay) and the public areas and kitchens at AVANI Gaborone.
The group will also launch its first resort in Mauritius, AVANI Bel Ombre Mauritius Resort & Spa, celebrating its expansion on to the popular Indian Ocean Island.
“Mark joins Minor Hotels with extensive business development experience, positioning him well to deliver on our goal to grow, whether it’s through acquiring existing properties, building new exciting destinations, or bringing new life to the resorts and hotels that are already owned by the group,” says Robert Kunkler, Chief Operating Officer, Minor Hotels: “We welcome him to his new role and wish him every success.”
Havercroft holds an MBA from the American Hotel and Motel Association and is a Certified Hotel Administrator. He also holds a BSc Honours in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, and speaks both English and French.
