Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
I've spent 15+ years building business across Africa's hospitality sector, from running hotel operations on the Kenyan coast to deploying technology solutions in over 300 hotels across 32 countries. Africa is not one market. It's 54 countries with different regulations, infrastructure realities, cultures, and buying cycles. Navigating that complexity, and still closing deals, building partnerships, and delivering results, is what I do. My career has moved across the full hospitality stack: operations, technology distribution (VingCard / Assa Abloy), system integration (IT Hospitality Group / HumeLab Hospitality / 21st Century Evolution System), consulting (VL Consulting Oy), and business development (Hotel Partners Africa). That breadth gives me something most Africa specialists don't have: I understand what hoteliers actually need, and I know how to sell it to them. Key highlights: → 300+ hotel technology deployments across 32 African countries → Business Development Director MEA → Hotel operations experience → Regular speaker and delegate at AHIF (Africa Hospitality Investment Forum) → Founder, Van Lennep Consulting Oy — hospitality consulting, mystery guest, and market entry advisory I'm based in Finland and currently exploring new opportunities with hotel technology companies looking to grow their footprint in Africa or with International companies that need someone who knows the continent from the inside. If that sounds like a fit, let's connect.
Senior commercial executive responsible for defining and executing regional business development and growth strategy across the Middle East & Africa for ELV, ICT integration, and hospitality technology solutions. Leveraging AI-assisted analytics and market intelligence tools to support commercial decision-making and pipeline prioritization. * Lead MEA-wide go-to-market strategy, managing an annual commercial pipeline of approximately USD 6M across hospitality, banking, and mixed-use developments. * Build and lead cross-border commercial teams (up to 10 professionals) covering sales, partnerships, and key accounts. * Own strategic partnerships with 30+ global OEM and technology vendors, aligning regional delivery capability with commercial growth objectives. * Drive executive-level client engagement with hotel groups, developers, and operators, translating complex technology solutions into clear business outcomes. * Lead commercial negotiations and contract structuring for multi-site projects, including individual deal values up to USD 2M. * Collaborate closely with operations, engineering, and finance to ensure delivery alignment, margin control, and long-term client retention.
Advisory leadership role supporting hotel owners, operators, and investment groups on hospitality technology strategy and operational transformation across Africa. * Advise senior hotel leadership teams on technology roadmaps aligned with operational efficiency, guest experience, and brand standards. * Support deployment of integrated hospitality technology ecosystems including ELV, ICT infrastructure, and digital guest platforms. * Act as strategic interface between hotel operations, technology vendors, and system integrators to ensure practical, scalable implementation. * Contribute to feasibility studies, refurbishment strategies, and pre-opening technology planning for new hotel developments.
Founder-led advisory role providing strategic consulting to hospitality investors and operators focused on technology integration, operational performance, and growth strategy in African markets. * Deliver advisory engagements on hospitality technology integration, revenue optimization, and operational efficiency. * Support investors and developers with feasibility assessments, operational frameworks, and technology decision-making. * Provide senior-level advisory input to hotel ownership groups during development, turnaround, and expansion phases.
Regional business development leader for IT Hospitality Group (now HumeLab Hospitality) responsible for expanding hospitality technology and ICT integration services across MEA markets for international hotel brands. * Drove regional expansion across 18+ African markets, building strategic relationships with global hospitality brands including Accor, Marriott, Hilton, Radisson, Hyatt, and IHG. * Led commercial strategy for large-scale ICT integration projects including networks, HSIA, IPTV, AV, and guest technology platforms. * Partnered with internal delivery teams and external vendors to structure competitive bids and ensure successful project execution. * Strengthened regional partner ecosystem and improved bid conversion through structured pre-sales and stakeholder engagement.
Regional sales and business development leader responsible for Sub-Saharan Africa hospitality access-control solutions across 34 markets. * Led regional sales strategy and distributor management across East, West, and Central Africa. * Oversaw regional offices and partner network, strengthening market coverage and commercial performance. * Implemented CRM discipline to improve forecasting, key account management, and pipeline visibility. * Worked closely with hotel groups and developers to deploy enterprise access-control and in-room security solutions.
• Managed commercial development in 22 countries across West and Central Africa. • Expanded market reach via 8 new distributor partnerships and OEM alliances. • Led company representation at major international trade shows and industry events across EMEA, supporting brand positioning, partner engagement, and pipeline generation.