Belmond has appointed Steve Mitchell as managing director, global lodges. The appointment reflects the brand’s ambition to expand its global lodge portfolio and advance its next phase of growth. Mitchell will report to Iain Langridge, vice president of operations & divisional leader of Northern Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific.
“Mitch’s long-standing commitment and passion for purpose-led hospitality, coupled with his strong track record in developing lodging business makes him the ideal leader as we embark on a strategic expansion of our global lodge portfolio and elevation of our safari experiences. His proven ability to cultivate highly personalised guest journeys, alongside his dedication to creating meaningful, positive impact for local communications and conservation, will be instrumental in driving our next phase of growth and solidifying Belmond’s leadership in Slow Luxury travel,” said Langridge.
Mitchell will play a key role in developing Belmond’s future lodges worldwide and will also be responsible for leading Belmond’s existing safari lodges in Botswana, Eagle Island Lodge and Savute Elephant Lodge, with the focus on enhancing both guest and employee experiences, while fostering meaningful relationships with trade partners, local communities and non-profit organizations.
Most notably, Mitchell co-founded Angama and served as its CEO, leading the business from an entrepreneurial start-up into a renowned African safari brand. Over his twelve-year tenure, he guided Angama’s development in several locations across East Africa, such as the Maasai Mara and Amboseli in Kenya. He also founded and led the Angama Foundation, an affiliated non-profit organization which supports education, healthcare and conservation initiatives to contribute positively to the communities and environments in which it operates.
“I’m excited to join the exceptional team of genuine characters and storied properties at Belmond, a brand that I have long-admired for its property-first approach and pioneering spirit. With a reverence for the wonders of nature, the people who call these places home, and a long-term time horizon, I look forward to working together with the Belmond team to invigorate the properties in Botswana and deepen Belmond’s Slow Luxury position elsewhere across the world,” said Mitchell.