EXCLUSIVE BY JAMES WILKINSON IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Carlson’s incoming Chairman, Diana Nelson, said she is excited to be taking over from her mother, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, at a time when performance is strong for the family business.

“I feel it’s an incredibly exciting time for me to be taking over this role because we are in a great financial position,” she told SPICENEWS and sister publication HM on camera at Carlson’s recent Full Service Brands Business Conference in Chicago, Illinois.

“After the downturn of 2008, we had some work to do to stabilize our businesses and brands… it was a tough time for us, but now we are in a very strong financial position.”

In the exclusive interview, Nelson, who takes the Chair in May 2013, also spoke about the family-owned company’s passion for the MICE market, its Ambition 2015 Strategy, the growth of Radisson Blu and expectations for the American market.

To view the interview, click on the image below.