Experience

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  Hotelian (Pty) Ltd

  • Johannesburg Area, South Africa

  • CEO & Co-Owner

    • 2016 - Present
    • Johannesburg Area, South Africa

    Company Overview:New hotel Management Company established in 2016, to become local market leader in its field.Core Overview:Launched luxury hotel management group last year.Leases and operates a five-star hotel in Bedfordview.Manages selected Urban Hip Hotels properties.Key Roles & Accountabilities:Set up company from original registration and lease negotiation phase.Spearheads staff and management employment and training. Directs systems development, procurement and implementation. Designs Operating policies and procedures. Sets marketing systems and targets. Redesigned food & beverage department, including menu design and costing for breakfast, lunch and dinner.Tailored special conference offering.Manages daily operations and monthly reporting functionality.

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  Urban Hip Hotels

  • Director & Co-Owner

    • 2004 - 2016

    Core Overview:Initiated landmark projects in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth.Redefined SA inner city hotel accommodation with uniquely superior and modern 5-star, Condo-style hotel accommodation with world-class sophistication:Located hotels in business centres and holiday nodes convenient for local leisure, international business and vacationing visitors from abroad.Extended facilities to cater for business and leisure travellers, conference goers, health & beauty as well as the bride and groom.Marketed offerings of value-added business travel hotel accommodation and corporate family travel luxury in designer apartments serviced daily, with fully serviced kitchens and state-of-the-art plasma, satellite TV and home theatre systems.Expanded company by negotiating purchase, lease and/or management contracts on new properties in South and Southern Africa as well as Mauritius.Directors decided to close the company in 2016, after 12 years of successful operation.Launched own new hotel management firm (as above).

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  Cresta Hotels, Cresta Hospitality Holdings

  • CEO / MD

    • 2003 - 2004

    Core Overview:Headhunted to join Cresta towards the end of 2002, agreed to head up firm in 2003 in exchange for shares and respectable performance bonuses. Led Cresta Hotels in an operational capacity, while growing the holding company via detailed strategy to improve investment returns to shareholders and secure future growth opportunities. Following contractual breach and after a year in service, resigned along with directors recruited by him. Joined colleagues in establishing new hotel group (as above).

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  Legacy Hotels and Resorts

  • Johannesburg Area, South Africa

  • Group Operations Director | Operations Director | Operations Manager

    • 1997 - 2003
    • Johannesburg Area, South Africa

    Core Overview;Founder-Director of new company formed from successful management buy-out of listed firm, Stocks Hotels & Resorts Ltd. (put up for sale during collapse of Stocks & Stocks Group). Made investment decision on basis of already major improvements by management team in correcting historic underperformance of the hotel company before takeover. Continued operations to rapidly expand new Group from nine hotels to 17 properties under management.Successfully established Group as leader in the 4-star and 5-star hotel market – not only in South Africa, but also in Namibia, Tanzania and Malawi.Key Achievements:Achieved 5-star grading for superior service with profit turnaround of R24 million in three years at Commodore Hotel, Cape Town (although lease allowed for 3-star hotel). Higher rates increased occupancies and all Group Hotels since regularly achieved in excess of 90% guest satisfaction.Created integrated Marketing / Operations structure unique to SA at the time, largely driving the Group’s exceptional business growth. This novel model was soon copied by local industry groups.Participated in successful negotiations to obtain Management Contracts at Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton, Sunnyside Park Hotel in Parktown, Airport Grand Hotel (formally Cullinan) at Oliver Thambo International and Royal Palm Hotel in Tanzania (formally Sheraton), as well as Hotel Contract negotiations in Luanda and Lobito (Angola), seven Hotels and Resorts (Malawi), Zanzibar, Mozambique, Mauritius, DRC and Ghana.Drove profitability and market stature exponentially through strategic implementation:Michelangelo profit up +R25 million in four years.Portswood / Commodore profit up +R24 million in three years.Swakopmund profit up +R16 million in four years.Achieved takeover of venerable Hotel Sheraton in Dar es Salaam.Doubled profits of Pilanesberg Resorts.Please note, further details available upon request (Comprehensive CV)

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  The Assignment Group

  • Johannesburg Area, South Africa

  • Owner & Managing Director

    • 1993 - 1997
    • Johannesburg Area, South Africa

    Launched business support service for medium and large corporations, offering: Financial assignments | Projects management | Financial management contracts | Financial information systems design and implementation | Financial staff placements.Key Achievements: Cultivated company to three Partners and six Support Staff. Sold own share to Partners upon invitation to join Stocks as turnaround strategist.

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  Holiday Inn Hotel Corporation SA

  • Johannesburg Area, South Africa

  • Financial Director

    • 1988 - 1993
    • Johannesburg Area, South Africa

    Transferred back to Holiday Inn to take over operational and financial management of Group’s former “inland region” (Ops Director appointed one year later only to lighten work load). Took over Hotels previously falling within Group “coastal region” when regional offices were closed. Key Achievements: Maximised profitability of 23 Group hotels | Actively co-managed all hotels with monthly site visits, operational and financial Management Reviews | Co-designed strategic plans for implementation into appropriate Hotels | Presented Subsidiary and Group Operating Results to relevant Boards and Main Board | Consolidated Group accounts and taxes | Set guidelines and formats for Annual Budgets and Quarterly Forecasts | Approved Hotel Budgets prior to Board submission | Spearheaded Financial Staff Training and Succession Planning | Approved appointment of all Financial Managers | Set up all Management Information Systems | Planned Internal and External Audits | Set up Financial Policies and Procedures | Performed Budgetary Control & Variance Analysis | Negotiated and settle all Major Insurance Claims | Attended monthly Board Meetings.

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  Holiday Inn Hotel Corporation

  • Group Financial Manager – TFC Group Holdings

    • 1987 - 1988

    Transferred to newly acquired TFC Tours by Board of SA Breweries (Southern Sun Hotels holding company) to spearhead financial conversion from family-owned and -managed business to corporate subsidiary. Key Achievements: Developed appropriate Financial Policies and Controls and supporting Information Systems | Prepared Board and Holding Company (Southern Sun) Reports | Trained and supervised three Divisional Accountants and 17 Accounts Staff (all but three new to the Industry) | Consolidated Accounts of 19 Operating Companies of hitherto family business (first historic full consolidation) | Ordered Budgets, Forecasts, Budgetary Control, Variance Analysis and Cash Flow Management systems and implementation | Assisted MD in Foreign Tour Costing | Develop various programmes to control Tours and Forex profits | Arranged Forward Cover Contracts | Carried out internal audits, e.g. on cruise ship, MS Achille Lauro | Chaired Management Committee.

  • Regional Accountant – Holiday Inn Coastal Region

    • 1985 - 1987

    Originally transferred to Cape Town from Head Office to reform Transkei tax matters, but asked to stay on to ramp up financial management of entire region. Key Achievements: Performed Management Reporting | Developed, installed and maintained Management Information Systems | Reviewed Operating Results of 11 Hotels in the region and reported thereon.

  • Administration Manager / Management Accountant – Holiday Inn (Rennies Group)

    • Jan 1985 - Aug 1985

    Transferred to Rennies subsidiary from Head Office on request of Holiday Inn Financial Director.Key Achievements: Converted Mainframe Accounting Platform to PC-based system, selecting most suitable Software and appropriate setup for Fixed Assets | Analysed and reported on Group Operating Performance | Completely re-structured Chart of Accounts | Drafted new job descriptors for Accounts and Administrative hires | Prepared all Holiday Inn Group’s new Systems and Procedures for due diligence in imminent sale (Rennies system unavailable post-sale) | Provided advisory on substantial motor vehicle fleet.

  • Group Financial Accountant – Rennies Head Office

    • Aug 1983 - Dec 1984

    Transferred to Head Office at bequest of Rennies Financial Director – a substantial promotion. Key Achievements: Consolidated Group Monthly Accounts | Administered Group’s large motor vehicle fleet (at the time 2nd largest VW fleet in SA after Avis) | Analysed / reported on Group Monthly Financial Results | Assisted Directors with formation of new company, XPS Couriers, including asset purchases, accounting and reporting systems setup | Acted as Financial Manager for 1st three months after formation of new company, Rennies Electronic Security | Converted Financial Reporting Systems of newly acquired Freight Services to align with Rennies Shipping Holdings and submitted 12-month Cash Flow Forecast to Board on request.

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  Holiday Inn Hotel Corporation

  • Assistant Accountant – Rennies Express Delivery

    • Jun 1981 - Jun 1982

    Internal transfer on sale of previous Group company: Prepared monthly Financial Pack with Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement to Head Office | Deputised for Financial Director | Set Debtor Collection targets and collected outstanding funds | Reconciled and paid creditors | Prepared and submitted weekly wages to Computer Department | Co-balanced General Ledger | Cleared validation errors on Head Office Mainframe Computer.Key Achievements: System designed to convert from manual to computerised creditors subsequently adopted by several Group companies.

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  Holiday Inn Hotel Corporation

  • Assistant Accountant – Rennie Murray & Associates

    • May 1980 - May 1981

    Entry-level employment into Accounting profession: Prepared monthly accounts and Head Office reports, Cash Book reconciliation, General Ledger, Trial Balance and Letters of Credit.