HAMILTON, Bermuda
David Dodwell, chairman of the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA), confirmed the appointment of Bermudian Kevin Dallas to the post of BTA chief executive officer. Dallas is set to officially occupy the post in January 2017 once current CEO, Bill Hanbury completes his contract on December 31st, 2016.
“The Board of the BTA is pleased to welcome back home our next Chief Executive Officer Kevin Dallas,” Dodwell said. “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 will gain even further ground in digital platforms like AirBnB, Expedia and Google with Kevin's expertise, 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.”
Dallas 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 16, 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 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.”
