It was by chance that Richard Evans, popularly known as Dicky Evans came to Africa when his boss fell sick just before he was supposed to investigate a dam project in Uganda, sending Richard instead. FileWhat Richard Evans is well-known for, however, is the Hemmingways group of hotels, which he started after he reportedly convinced a British war veteran to sell him 22 acres where Seafarers Hotel, then famous among locals, stood. In 2018, the Watamu branch hotel reopened after undergoing an 18-month rehabilitation at a cost of Ksh1.38 billion that saw the hotel reduce the number of rooms from 74 to 39. Apart from hotel rooms, Hemingways Watamu now consists of 21 luxury apartments of one, two and four bedrooms, selling at Sh45 million to Sh140 million. In 2004 he was voted one of the top ten Most Respected CEOs in East Africa, an award by Price Water House Coopers.

Source: The Star April 11, 2020 11:26 UTC