Bermudian Returns Home to Lead BTA in 2017
Hamilton, Bermuda– David Dodwell, Chairman of the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA), today confirmed the appointment of Bermudian, Kevin Dallas to the post of Chief Executive Officer for the Bermuda Tourism Authority. Mr. Dallas is set to officially occupy the post in January 2017 once current CEO, Bill Hanbury completes his contract on December 31st, 2016.
Dodwell shared, “The Board of the BTA is pleased to welcome back home, our next Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Dallas. 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.”
In making this selection, the Board was keen to ensure that given the evolving global tourism marketplace, for Bermuda to stay ahead of the curve it had to move beyond traditional marketing. “In the new digital tourism game, the BTA needs to know how digital platforms like AirBnB, Expedia and Google really work, so we can play to win,” said Dodwell. “Kevin Dallas is a proven leader in cutting edge digital marketing and strategy at an innovative global technology company where he learned the inner workings of the online travel industry. We are thrilled that he is bringing this expertise to the BTA.” Kevin, 38, currently manages a multimillion dollar annual budget and leads a global team of approximately 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. “We were elated with the shortlisted candidates, all of whom were Bermudian and all of whom were exceptionally talented,” said BTA Selection Committee Chair, Philip Barnett. “We are confident that with our new appointment, the BTA will continue to grow and move forward.”
While the incoming Chief Executive will be introduced at the upcoming Tourism Summit on November 16th, outgoing CEO Bill 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 predecessor 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.
Of his appointment, Kevin Dallas said, “I'm thrilled to return home to Bermuda for this opportunity. 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.”
The committee engaged Bermudian human resource consulting firm Performance Solutions Limited to structure a fair, rigorous recruitment process to attract and vet a wide slate of candidates. The firm, which has extensive experience delivering high-level human resource services for local and international organisations, employed recruitment best practices and undertook significant outreach locally and abroad in their search for the right candidate.
The new CEO will receive a similar compensation package to his predecessor, which is already a matter of public record.
For further information regarding Kevin Dallas, feel free to visit his linkedIn page at https://uk.linkedin.com/in/kevindallas
