New Radisson Blu Dubai hotels gets familiar face

Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City’s general manager David Allan has been promoted to take charge of the group’s two new properties – the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Waterfront and Radisson Blu Dubai Canal View, both located in Business Bay.

Allan will take on the role of cluster general manager.

Meanwhile, his vacant position will be filled by Alfio Bernardini, who will take leadership of the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City.

The Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Waterfront is set to open in Q2 2017 and will comprise 432 rooms, several dining experiences and a bar with views of the Burj Khalifa.

Meanwhile, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Canal View, also located in Business Bay, will open its doors in Q1 2018 adding another 188 rooms to Dubai’s inventory.

Allan, a Scottish-national, served as the general manager of the Dubai Media City property since July 2014. He first joined the group as the food and beverage manager at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow.

His successor, Alfio Bernardini, began his Middle East stint in hospitality in 2012 when he took over the Hotel Missoni Kuwait as its general manager.

After a successful relaunch and implementing the first Missoni branded property in the GCC, he moved to the Radisson Blu Azuri Resort & Spa, Mauritius and the Radisson Blu Poste Lafayette Resort & Spa, Mauritius as cluster general manager in 2015.

The Italian born hotelier completed his hotel management studies in Switzerland before beginning his journey with the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group in 1996, when he joined the Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel Milan, eventually moving to Vienna.