Africa’s very first Radisson RED – a fresh and unique hotel culture inspired by all things art, music and fashion – has appointed Dale Simpson as Curator and leader of Cape Town’s newest hotel concept, set to shake up the local hospitality scene in the third quarter of 2017. In the hotel industry, a General Manager is traditionally the individual tasked with the overall responsibility of an establishment’s operations. Radisson RED is however anything but traditional and requires a leader who – over and above an undying passion for hospitality – creates a bold guest experience driven by dynamic lifestyle traits, and weaves it seamlessly into everything they do.
After a global search, Radisson RED Hotel V&A Waterfront, Cape Town has successfully pinned down the perfect candidate for this principal role, and welcomes Simpson to the crew. With over 15 years’ hospitality experience, he is no stranger to the industry, and with an ageless millennial mind set, is the ideal candidate to launch this revolutionary brand in South Africa’s trendiest city.
Born and raised in Bushmills, Northern Ireland, Simpson attended Napier University, where he completed his Honours in Tourism Management, followed by a master’s degree in Human Resource Management. He began his career with the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group in 2009, and during his time within the prestigious group, Simpson has taken on a variety of roles, ranging from General Manager to Food and Drink Director for the group’s corporate support office in Brussels.
This vast managerial experience and impressive global know-how has resulted in the opportunity for Simpson to live and breathe RED. In his role as Curator at Radisson RED Hotel V&A Waterfront, Cape Town he will be running the show and driving the REDvolution through passion and innovation. He’ll also be responsible for building a winning team of hospitality creatives, which the hotel is currently recruiting for. “Our flexible service concept relies on our creatives. They are creators, and like RED, are inspired by music, art and fashion. By sharing these inspirations in combination with an attitude for genuine hospitality, they create and deliver the RED guest experience.”
Simpson looks forward to introducing the new hotel philosophy to South Africa, and is confident that the property’s bold, alive and inspirational design will be brought to life through a vibrant guest experience. “We’re ready to push the boundaries and question the traditional, boring rules in order to create a lifestyle inspired hotel that is rooted in the here and now. We don’t do limits or put people in boxes – at Radisson RED, the guest experience is everything and we can’t wait to blow your mind.”
