Red Sea Global hires luxury hotelier to lead operations

SAUDI ARABIA – Red Sea Global (RSG) has named Sébastien Carre as group head of Hospitality as the developer behind The Red Sea and Amaala tourism destinations in Saudi Arabia moves to self-operate its hospitality assets and reportedly expand operations globally. The company already has two assets open on the Red Sea with plans to add many more across multiple asset classes by 2030.

In a LinkedIn post, Carre said he is thrilled to spearhead a new model of development that puts people and planet first. “I’m very grateful for John Pagano, our group CEO and Eng. Ahmad Darwish, group CAO, for their trust as we launch a hospitality function supporting RSG’s self-managed assets,” he wrote. “I’m very impressed by the collective talent soon bringing to life in 2024 an exclusive collection of iconic luxury resorts and integrated leisure experiences, with a level of ambition and care simply unseen before.”

Carre brings more than 30 years of experience in luxury hospitality to RSG. He most recently served as regional vice president at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, overseeing properties in the Seychelles, Abu Dhabi, Tanzania, Azerbaijan, and South Africa. In addition, he led a comprehensive reinvention of the brand’s presence in Mauritius and held leadership roles at Four Seasons in Johannesburg, Sharm El Sheikh, Bora Bora, Provence, and Washington DC, among others.

“This year Thuwal Private Retreat and Sheybarah will both open to guests. More RSG-operated properties will follow soon after,” Pagano said. “As this collection of self-operated, luxury hospitality properties move from development into operations, the deep experience Sébastien brings with him, coupled with the innate hospitality that Saudi has long been famous for, ensures we are ready to delight our visitors.”

With two of its hotels now open, RSG, a wholly owned by Saudi sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund, said it welcomed it first guests last year. The Red Sea International Airport has been receiving a regular schedule of flights since September 2023. Desert Rock, Thuwal Private Retreat and Sheybara will all welcome first guests this year. Amaala remains on track to welcome first guests in 2025, when the first resorts complete as part of Triple Bay phase one, along with Corallium and the Yacht Club.