Samantha van Exter joins with more than 30 years of luxury hospitality experience across Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East
The Red Sea : Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea is pleased to announce the appointment of Samantha van Exter as its new General Manager.
Bringing more than 25 years of luxury hospitality experience across Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East, spanning resort operations, revenue management, hotel openings, wellness-led hotels and multi-property leadership.
In her new role, Samantha van Exter will oversee all aspects of the resort’s operations, commercial performance and guest experience. Set in the desert of The Red Sea destination, the resort’s 40 pool villas and 36 rooms are powered entirely by solar energy. Samantha will lead the team in bringing Six Senses’ signature approach to wellness, sustainability and meaningful connection to guests from around the world.
Samantha van Exter’s latest experience in the region was in 2023 as Area Director – Middle East for ME by Meliá, where she led ME Dubai in the Zaha Hadid-designed Opus building.
She joins Six Senses after 11 years in London. Most recently, as Head of Hotels at Montcalm Collection, she led a portfolio of independent luxury hotels, including the B Corp-certified Inhabit wellness hotels. Her contribution to the industry has been widely recognised. She was named Hotelier of the Year 2025 at Hotel Designs’ Brit List Awards and was a finalist for Hotelier of the Year 2026 at The Hotel Magazine Awards.
Her career also includes senior roles at Shangri-La The Shard, London, and ME London, as well as general manager positions with Steigenberger and Accor in the Netherlands. She began her career at The Palace of the Lost City at South Africa’s Sun City Resort, under Sol Kerzner and Jerry Inzerillo.
Known for a leadership style she describes as “connecting with place and people first, inclusive, strategic and focused on continuous improvement,” Samantha van Exter places people at the heart of the guest experience. She believes that “making work fun enables us to carry that positivity over to our guests’ experience.”
Commenting on her appointment, Samantha van Exter said: “Saudi Arabia is writing one of the most exciting chapters in global tourism, and The Red Sea is at the heart of that story. Vision 2030 has set a bold ambition to welcome the world through tourism that is regenerative, sustainable and rooted in place. Six Senses Southern Dunes embodies that ambition, from its solar-powered operations to its deep respect for the desert landscape. I am honoured to join the team and to contribute to a vision that is shaping the future of luxury travel in the region.”
She added: “Hospitality is woven into Saudi culture, from the first cup of Saudi coffee offered to a guesto the generosity of a shared table. At Six Senses Southern Dunes, we want every guest to feel that warmth, expressed through our people, our cuisine and the stories of this land. I look forward to working alongside our team and to nurturing and developing the Saudi talent who are the truest ambassadors of that spirit.”
