Rezidor

The Rezidor Hotel Group has appointed a new Area Vice President and a new Regional Director: Effective March 16, Michel Stalport is Area Vice President Southern Europe & Africa, and Tom Flanagan is Regional Director for Russia, CIS, Baltics, Turkey, Azerbaijan & China.

With these appointments Rezidor further strengthens the ambitious business development in two of its most important emerging markets: In Russia & CIS, the group is the leading international hotel operator and has 40 hotels with 10,000 rooms in operation and under development. The African continent is Rezidor’s upcoming market – the company opened the first hotel in the region in 1999 and has today 25 hotels with 6,500 rooms in operation and under development.

The Belgian Michel Stalport (54), currently Area Vice President Russia, CIS, Baltics, Turkey, Azerbaijan & China, moves from Moscow to Nice – as Rezidor’s new Area Vice President Southern Europe & Africa. Stalport, a student of the prestigious hotel schools of Namur/Belgium and Lausanne/Switzerland, joined Rezidor in 1993. He was General Manager at the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, Brussels, at the Radisson SAS Hotel, Nice and at the Radisson SAS Montfleury Hotel, Cannes before also taking over the position as District Manager Southern France in 2000 and as Regional Director France in 2002. Two years later, Tunisia was added to his responsibilities, and in July 2006, Stalport was promoted to his most recent position as Area Vice President Russia, CIS, Baltics, Turkey & Azerbaijan.

“The position Area Vice President Southern Europe & Africa is a new created position within our group and in line with our strategic business development in both regions”, comments Stalport. “Rezidor sees a considerable potential for internationally branded hotels around the Mediterranean Sea and especially in Africa – I’m looking forward to heading our operations and to driving our growth in these areas.”

Stalport’s successor in Moscow is the Irish-born Tom Flanagan (36) – he has been promoted to Regional Director Russia, CIS, Baltics, Turkey, Azerbaijan & China. Flanagan holds a Diploma and B.A. Degree in Hotel Management from Galway Regional Technical College, Ireland and Demontfort University Birmingham, England. He joined Rezidor in 1999 as Service Manager at the Radisson SAS Hotel, Scandinavia in Copenhagen and Front Office Manager at the Radisson SAS Hotel Beijing. In 2002, he became Hotel Operations Manager at The Diplomat Radisson SAS Hotel Manama – followed by positions as Hotel Manager of the Radisson SAS Hotel Hamburg and as General Manager of the Radisson SAS Hotel Galway. Since March 2008, Flanagan has been working as District Director Turkey, Azerbaijan & China, based in Istanbul.

“Russia and the further CIS countries are dynamic markets where Rezidor has a pole position and will further extend his presence. We still see a huge growth potential in cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants and a lack of international hotels”, comments Flanagan.

Both Michel Stalport and Tom Flanagan will report to Thorsten Kirschke, Executive Vice President & COO of Rezidor.

Christiane Reiter
+49 172 454 9970
Radisson Hotel Group