Radisson properties in Riga to be overseen by the hotel chain’s new General Manager Gerard Kelly

This summer, experienced hotelier Gerard Kelly (Gerard Kelly) became the new General Manager of the international hotel chain Radisson and will henceforth also be responsible for several Radisson Hotel Group properties in Riga. After spending more than 10 years in hotel management in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany and Russia, he will now also oversee the management and business development of the Radisson Blu Daugava Hotel, Radisson Hotel Old Town Riga, Park Inn by Radisson Riga Valdemara and Park Inn by Radisson Residence Riga Barona hotels in Latvia, which Kelly will oversee on a daily basis from the company’s central office in Riga.

Gerard Kelly has more than 13 years of experience in the hospitality industry and, during his professional career, has witnessed the opening and renovation of countless European hotels. In 2006, he joined the Radisson team as a bar manager at the Park Inn Dundalk hotel in Ireland. Three months later, he was promoted to Operations Manager, and just six months after that he was appointed General Manager. Since then, Kelly has opened the Park Inn by Radisson Belfast hotel in Ireland and transformed the Park Inn by Radisson hotel at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow, where he worked for six years from 2010, while also opening a new Radisson Blu Sheremetyevo hotel, which continues to operate successfully.

Gerard Kelly’s previous position was General Manager at Radisson Blu Berlin – a four-star upper-upscale hotel in Germany – where he worked for the last two and a half years, building the international hotel chain’s brand, ensuring profitability and significantly increasing the company’s growth figures. In addition to his native English, he also speaks German and Russian. Over the years, the new General Manager has completed several training courses, ranging from a leadership excellence programme to Kenyon crisis management training and a General Manager certification programme. He is also a Radisson Hotel Group mentor and, since 2008, has trained five new General Managers. This is a strategic approach that ensures quality and satisfaction for guests, employees, senior management and owners. Kelly believes that the company’s success depends on its ability to inspire colleagues.

“Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to be a mentor and train at least one new General Manager every year. In my view, this is the highest possible reward, reflecting the opportunity I have been given and bringing immense satisfaction – seeing how people can grow and develop in this industry, provided they have enough passion and the desire to succeed. I base my management philosophy on building teams that understand the hotel’s purpose: it must be balanced with the focus on daily operations and commercial objectives, while also being courageous enough to provide guests with an outstanding experience and ensure loyalty at every level,” comments Gerard Kelly.