By prof. Dr. Wolfgang h. Thome
The Board of Directors of Sarova Hotels, left without a substantive Chairman since the passing of Channi Vohra in mid-October of last year, announced over the weekend the appointment of John Kariuki as the new Chairman of the company.
John, well known to this correspondent since his early days in Kenya, was on board from the early stages when Sarova Hotels was formed in the early 1970s, and for an extended period of time, in fact, served as the company’s Executive Director at the head office, back then located at the New Stanley Hotel.
Sarova Hotels has over the years built a portfolio of properties across Kenya in key locations and owns and operates the famous Sarova Stanley Hotel in the heart of Nairobi; the Panafric Hotel at the edge of the CBD; and also the 5-star Sarova Whitesands Resort & Spa in Bamburi, Mombasa; the Sarova Shaba Lodge in the Shaba Game Reserve; the Sarova Lion Hill Lodge in Nakuru National Park; the Sarova Mara Game Camp in the Masai Mara; and manages the Sarova Taita Hills and Sarova Salt Lick lodges.
Today acknowledged as a leading brand in Kenya’s hospitality industry – CEO JS Vohra is presently the Chairman of the Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers – Sarova Hotels is also part of the Kenyan post-independence era hospitality scene which from humble beginnings made it to the apex of the industry.
