Project: Loyk Hotels2012-2018, KenyaRole: Project ManagerI have built from scratch 2 luxury safari camps in Masai Mara National Reserve (Loyk Mara Camp) and Tsavo East National Park (Loyk Tsavo Camp) in Kenya in 2012 and 2014 accordingly, both ecological friendly.
Core Responsibilities:- to conduct a market research and analysis to define the needs of the target audience and the competitors’ offer
- to develop a concept of the luxury safari camp and its completive selling points
- to develop common interior and exterior design of the property
- to hire qualified specialists to design architectural and engineering plans
- to develop a comprehensive business plan and a roadmap of the project
- to establish a special purpose vehicle for the project
- to open corporate bank accounts for the company
- to obtain all relevant licenses and permits to comply with all legal requirement
- to organize and supervise the construction process on the site
- to organize logistics and uninterrupted procurement and supply process
- to create the organizational structure of the company
- to develop standards of operations for all departments of the company
- to assemble and train the team and to develop an effective motivation system for personnel
- to develop brand booking and websites for the properties
- to develop and implement b2c online marketing strategy
- to develop scripts and to conduct trainings for Sales Department
- to attend various exhibitions and workshops to promote the properties on local and international markets
- to create a reliable network of both local and international b2b clients
- to supervise the operations and to conduct quality control of standards of service
- to control all financial and legal affairs related to operations and business development
Key Achievements:- both camps were built and put into operation in the shortest possible time in compliance with all relevant standards
- all required licenses were obtained in a timely manner
- all necessary SOPs have been developed and implemented for the efficient operation of all departments
- all logistics, supply system, procurement and accounting for the smooth operation of the camp were set up
- a cohesive team has been assembled, able to work autonomously with a minimum level of supervision
- a full-fledged go-to-market strategy was developed, a USP and a marketing campaign were created to attract customers from both local and international markets
- a wide partner network and a full-fledged online representation were created
- as the result, Loyk Mara Camp brand has become widely recognized and obtained numerous rewards on TripAdvisor
- in 2019 the company's profit was increased 10 times comparing to 2018
- the marketing strategy and sales system developed under my management allowed the company to successfully overcome the market crisis during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021
- Loyk Tsavo Camp was highly rated till 2017 when it was destroyed by the massive flood of Galana River
Project: Villa Malindi2018-2019, KenyaRole: Project ManagerIn 2018 I acted as a Project Manager for the property in Malindi at the coast of the Indian Ocean in Kenya.
Core Responsibilities:The property was bought from the previous owner and transformed into a luxury boutique hotel.
Besides of construction part which was not necessary in that case the scope of work was the same as for Loyk Hotels
Key Achievements:Villa Malindi started its operations in 2019, successfully operated through the time of pandemic in 2020-2021 thanks to the right marketing strategy and close-knit teamwork and became a very well known place for travelers from all around the world.
Project: Off-Road Adventures EA2019-2020, KenyaRole: Business DeveloperIn 2019 I was hired to launch Off-Road Adventures East Africa - the unique tour operator, providing exclusive motorbikes and buggies safari tours in Kenya and all across East Africa.
Core Responsibilities:- to develop a reliable business plan for the project
- to develop a online and offline marketing strategy for b2b and b2c clients acquisition
- to design USP and sales funnel for the project and to customize it for local and international markets
- to conduct all related HR activities in order to create an effective and reliable team
- to conduct coaching session with managers in order to unpack their knowledge and best practice in relation to the project development
- to develop and to conduct training programs for sales and marketing managers and agents
- to create a portfolio of video materials for promotion of company's product worldwide
Key Achievements:Started in 2019 in 2 years the company became a leading tour operator in extreme safari segment in Kenya and left all existing competitors far behind.