ANEW Chapter for a South African hospitality stalwart
One of South Africa’s most experienced hotel operations leaders joins growing independent group
ANEW Hotels & Resorts is delighted to announce the appointment of Richard Bray as Operations Director, effective 1 August 2026. Bray joins the team from Premier Hotels & Resorts, where he served as Group Operations Manager for many years, and most recently he looked after the quality assurance and customer relations portfolio.
His career began in 1983 with Holiday Inn and Southern Sun, progressing through general management roles at Southern Sun Hotels, the Arabella Sheraton Grand Hotel, Cape Town, Lyrath Estate Hotel and Spa in Kilkenny, Ireland, and Le Franschhoek Hotel and Spa. He has held senior operational leadership roles at Premier Hotels & Resorts, over two stints, collectively spanning close to two decades.
Of the big move, Richard says: “I have a deep appreciation for what makes a hotel, and ultimately a group, truly great. It is not just the properties or the portfolios. It is the people and the culture that form the foundation and backbone of success. A culture that is dynamic, engaging and fulfilling, the lens through which a group understands and interacts, where the moral fibre is to do things consistently well, an unwavering integrity to maintaining ethical standards of the highest order, and being reliable with a core set of values. When ownership is engrained in the DNA of a company, this is when trust is earned, and where the true soul and essence of exceptional hospitality thrive, and herein ANEW is completely aligned.”
He continues, “I have observed the impressive growth of ANEW over many years, and I am very proud to be joining at a time of real momentum, and I look forward to working alongside the teams across all properties to deliver the operational excellence that our guests and our people deserve.”
Says Evan Badenhorst, Managing Director of ANEW Hotels & Resorts, “Richard Bray is exactly the calibre of leader that ANEW needs at this stage of our journey. His depth of operational knowledge, his understanding of the South African hospitality landscape, and his genuine passion for delivering exceptional guest experiences make him a natural fit for what we are continuing to build. We have watched his career with great respect, and we are proud to welcome him to our ANEW family.”
ANEW Hotels & Resorts is a homegrown South African independent hotel group, with 19 properties currently spanning the country’s most sought-after destinations. The group aims to deliver genuine South African hospitality, supported by a passionate team and a culture of care for guests, staff and their communities.
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