Radisson Hotel Group has appointed Sandra Kneubuhler as Country Director of Sales, South Africa.

Kneubuhler, a South African national, started her hospitality career in 2001, holding various positions in Zambia, Switzerland, Thailand, and Doha before South Africa. In 2005, she assumed the role of Corporate Trainee at the Hyatt Regency Johannesburg, progressing within the group in roles such as Sales Manager, Revenue Manager and acting GM before launching the group’s Global Sales Office as the Global Sales Director: Africa, a position she held since January 2015.

Drawing on her extensive sales experience and local market insight, Kneubuhler will lead Radisson Hotel Group’s dynamic new sales structure for South Africa and continue to be based in Johannesburg.

“I am thrilled to welcome Kneubuhler to our team. She offers invaluable insight and experience which is going to be instrumental in the execution of our new commercial strategy, conceptualised to drive market share and maximise revenues through the implementation of dynamic commercial strategies across our hotel portfolio in the key cities of Cape Town and Johannesburg,” said Caroline Thissen, Senior Area Director of Sales & Revenue Optimization, Middle East and Africa, Radisson Hotel Group.

Nadia Samuels joined Taj Cape Town as Marketing Manager in January from Grande Roche Hotel, where she performed the dual roles of Sales and Marketing Manager, representing the property at international trade shows such as ITB Berlin, WTM Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba.

Previously, her path included stints at the Pepper Club Hotel & Spa, Kingfisher Resort Management, Southern Cross Conferences and Protea Hotels. She also successfully operated her own professional conferencing company, Genesys Conferences and Events, for nearly a decade.

Having previously worked with Taj Cape Town GM, Mark Wernich, at Protea Hotel Saldanha Bay in the early 2000s, she was keen for the opportunity to be a part of his team again. “My biggest challenge is understanding all the facets of the Taj Cape Town property first,” says Samuels. “I’m fascinated by social media as well and I’m looking forward to tapping into the expertise of the global group HQ in India to help us grow our profile. We want to be known not just as a premier property in Cape Town or South Africa, but around the world, as well.”