Name: Javier Rosenberg
Title: Chief operating officer, Americas, and executive vice president, managed hotels
Company, city: Carlson Rezidor; Minnetonka, Minn.
Number of employees: 80,000 globally
Recent project: Opening the Radisson Blu in downtown Minneapolis
First job: I was a butler at Claridge Hotel Buenos Aires.
Little-known fact about you: I’ve lived in 11 cities in eight countries, and all three of my kids were born in different locations.
Your Business
Essential business philosophy: Do your job with passion, and work hard. Attention to detail is essential.
Best way to keep a competitive edge: You must be four things: customer-focused, humble, nimble and accessible.
Yardstick of success: In my industry, it’s customer satisfaction and business growth.
Javier Rosenberg as a Traveler
What is the most important item you take when traveling?
All of those items to keep me connected, such as my phone, and noise-canceling headphones
How do you spend your time on board?
Working
What is your favorite restaurant in the world?
Ard Bia at Nimmos in Galway, Ireland; it’s a small, typical Irish house serving great food.
What is your favorite destination in the world?
The south of Argentina in the summertime
About Carlson Rezidor
Carlson Rezidor recently introduced the Radisson Red brand in the Americas. Tell our readers about the new brand.
Radisson Red is adapted to the millennial customer — a connected hotel guest who appreciates design, social spaces and art. The brand focuses on food and beverage, offering great bars and dining outlets for the guests, while also being tech- and customer-centric. Everything is available at the guests’ fingertips. We find these customers enjoy time spent mingling with other guests in the social spaces, chatting and getting to know fellow travelers; there’s an emphasis on designing these areas to be welcoming and open. It’s an upscale select brand, defined as an upscale product designed to adapt to select services. Our goal is to operate 60 by 2020, and there are more coming to Europe and the Americas in the next year.
The Radisson Blu brand is rapidly expanding. Where can our readers expect to see new properties?
Currently, there are 285 Radisson Blu hotels, with a concentration in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Expansion is focused in the Americas; in Latin America, we recently opened a new hotel and announced another. Radisson Blu is also an upscale brand, and we are looking to open another 25 or 50 hotels in the near future.
How has the Radisson brand been reimagined in North America? Tell us about the improvements across the U.S. portfolio.
For the past five years, we’ve focused on cleaning up the brand, eliminating some properties and renovating others, with about 79 percent complete. Radisson reimagined includes more tech elements, improved products and softer components. We describe them as traditional hotels with contemporary flair, and there’s been record growth. There are more than 150 properties across North and South America, with properties in Rio de Janeiro; Cartagena; New York at JFK International; Hartford, Conn.; Toledo, Ohio; Fresno, Calif.; and Calgary being reimagined.
Read This Next
Lotte Hotel Seoul
2014 / February 2014
Jun 1, 2016All Reads on This Topic
Read Them All
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Mar 28, 2024New Adriatic Yacht Cruise and Tour Itineraries Unveiled for 2025
Set sail through crystal-clear waters and explore ports, islands and more on three new yacht cruise and tour itineraries in the Adriatic Sea from Riviera River Cruises. New 2025 itineraries combine yacht cruises with onboard accommodations and land extensions with hotel stays in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Itineraries also include tours of charming coastal towns and stops in national parks and swimming hole locations.
Sponsored Content
Revel in a European Summer with AmaWaterways
Pedal through sun-drenched vineyards, hike amidst blooming wildflowers and take a refreshing dip in your ship's sun-deck whirlpool. Indulge in the flavors of the region with delectable dishes featuring luscious Wachau Valley apricots and succulent Serbian plums. As night falls, watch as the cities along the rivers come alive, pulsating with an irresistible electric energy. The sun-soaked days and vibrant nights offer a compelling reason to embark on an AmaWaterways river cruise during the upcoming summer months.
March 2024
Mar 28, 2024Cruise Lines Elevate the Onboard Fine-Dining Experience
It’s been a long time since the food on cruise ships resembled the bland, uninspired fare that gave onboard dining a bad name. These days, cruise passengers can look forward to menus created by Michelin-starred chefs made with top-quality ingredients served in stunning spaces. Choices abound as well. In addition to elegant main dining rooms, cruise ships have created a huge array of specialty restaurants that focus not only on perfectly executed traditional European and North American dishes but flavors and experiences from around the globe as well. In fact, meals served aboard cruise vessels have gotten so good, they’re drawing passengers onto ships: According to a recent report by luxury travel planning network Virtuoso, advisors report after Europe (specifically Italy and France), the No. 2 dining destination for travelers is aboard an ocean or river cruise. “This shows how cruise lines have really stepped up their culinary game, with consulting chefs and new restaurants and making that a focal point,” said Misty Belles, vice president, Global Public Relations, Virtuoso.
Daily
Mar 28, 2024Athens’ National Museum of Contemporary Art Opens What if Women Ruled the World? Exhibition
National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens was founded in 1997 and is supervised and subsidized by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports. The museum began its operation in 2000, when it acquired the first artwork of its collection and the first temporary exhibition took place.
Sponsored Content
Tips to Plan a Destination Event Worth the Trip
Corporate events can often feel … too corporate. Where to go to get the team out of the office environment to bond and think outside the box? Starting with an unconventional, unique space to make them feel like the all-stars they are will get the juices flowing and make your LinkedIn profile glow.
Daily
Mar 28, 2024AmaWaterways Debuts Specialty Summer Cruises in Europe
AmaWaterways recently unveiled its lineup of experiences and exclusive offers for its 2024 Summer European river cruise season, and the list includes 20 Celebration of Wine Cruises, with two hosted by Samantha Brown and Chef Joanne Weir; and three Loyalty Appreciation Cruises.
Hotel Indigo La Paz Puerta Cortés Review
eFlyer Reviews
Mar 27, 2024Japan Airlines Purchases 32 Airbus, 10 Boeing
eFlyer News
Mar 27, 2024eFlyer News
Mar 27, 2024China Airlines Expands North American Network with Non-Stop Flights to Seattle
China Airlines will begin offering non-stop flights to Seattle (SEA) from Taipei (TPE) starting July 14. The new route expands the carrier’s passenger services to the northwestern United States by offering five weekly flights via the Airbus A350-900.
Sponsored Content
Unearth Seoul’s Hidden Gems
Filled with hidden treasures waiting to be discovered, Seoul invites travelers to unearth its many gems, and Seoul Tourism Organization is here to help travelers do just that. Through thoughtfully created initiatives like the Theme Tourism County Competition, Seoul Tourism Organization works closely with local districts to identify and showcase what makes each district unique and charming in all seasons.
eFlyer Deals
Mar 27, 2024Sleep Sanctuary at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort
In West Florida, indulge in a stay at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. This season, the hotel’s Sleep Sanctuary offer promises premium, beachfront accommodations; and sleep-enhancing amenities. Amenities include two aroma bracelets, a handmade soap, a bath bomb and foaming sugar scrub from Artful Soap Co.
ShareThis