The Founders

Håvar Bauck is a Norwegian entrepreneur and hospitality advisor based in Nairobi, with more than two decades of business and operational experience across Africa. Alongside his work with HotelOnline, which evolved from Savanna Sunrise, he advises hotel owners, developers and investors across the hotel investment, development and operations lifecycle. His areas of expertise include investment strategy, market positioning, concept development, feasibility studies, operator and brand selection, and hotel management.

Beyond his role as co-founder of Savanna Sunrise, Håvar works with companies, founders, and partners across Africa on partnerships, growth, market entry, capital raising, and strategic execution. He is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences including AfricaCom, Africa TravelTech Summit, Africa MICE Summit, and the Africa Youth In Tourism Innovation Summit.

Håvar has maintained bauck.com since 1998, making it one of the oldest continuously running blogs on the internet. His writing covers African business, tourism, technology and travel, combining industry analysis with perspectives drawn from more than two decades of work across the continent.

Endre Opdal is a Norwegian entrepreneur and co-founder of Savanna Sunrise, bringing extensive experience in hospitality, technology, and African markets. Together with Håvar Bauck, Endre identified the opportunity to transform African hospitality through digital innovation.

Starting with the Nairobi Airport Hotel—five budget apartments that became Kenya's first Airbnb-style accommodation—Endre and Håvar demonstrated the power of strategic digital marketing in the African hospitality sector. This success led them to establish Savanna Sunrise in 2014, which grew to partner with approximately 750 hotels across East Africa within just one year.

Endre's entrepreneurial vision and operational expertise were instrumental in scaling Savanna Sunrise and positioning it for the successful 2017 merger with Polish travel tech firm Hotel Online, creating the pan-African HotelOnline platform that continues to transform African hospitality today.