David Dodwell, chairman of the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA), recently confirmed the appointment of Bermudian Kevin Dallas to the post of chief executive officer of the BTA.
Dallas is set to officially occupy the post in January 2017 once current CEO, Bill Hanbury, completes his contract on December 31.
“The Board of the BTA is pleased to welcome back home our next chief executive officer Kevin Dallas,” Dodwell said in a written release. “Kevin is a proud Bermudian who distinguished himself from a talented slate of candidates. His unique combination of global credentials and experience encompasses market development work for South African Tourism, as well as consultancy and executive roles in product and marketing within the digital domain.”
Dallas currently manages a multimillion-dollar annual budget and leads a global team of roughly 100 with 10 direct reports.
The recruitment process began in June 2016 with extensive stakeholder consultation across the spectrum of the hospitality industry helping to establish key indicators of expertise and to identify the modern skill set required for the post.
While the incoming chief executive will be introduced at the upcoming Tourism Summit on November 16, outgoing Hanbury will continue at the helm of the BTA until the end of the year.
“I’m delighted that Kevin has been selected to lead the BTA into its next period of growth,” said Hanbury. “It has always been my wish that a Bermudian would follow me as the next CEO. I look forward to working with Kevin over the next couple of months to ensure we have a smooth transition.”
Hanbury, who will be introducing his successor to key stakeholders, has worked with the Board to ensure a smooth transition both internally and externally. “In this way, the BTA won’t skip a beat as it continues to drive forward tourism’s economic recovery,” he said.
“I'm thrilled to return home to Bermuda for this opportunity,” Dallas said of his appointment. “Having lived and worked not only in Bermuda's core Boston, New York and London markets, but also across Europe, Asia and Africa, I can honestly say that Bermuda has a unique and special place in the world. I look forward to using my experience as a traveler, tourist and global executive and my passion for our island to deliver the next chapter for Bermuda’s tourism product.”