KERZNER INTERNATIONAL
Willem Both , EVP , Information Technology , describes how digital transformation is supporting the luxury hospitality Company
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F or as long as he can remember , Holland native Willem Both has been fascinated by the hospitality industry . “ When I was a teenager , I think my mum tried to dissuade me from the industry by finding me a job washing dishes at a Dutch pancake house ,” he jokes . “ If anything , it had the exact opposite effect – I loved it . I love the energy and the comradery and I ’ ve been in the hospitality industry ever since .”
A few years later , Both earned a Hotel Management degree from an esteemed hotel management school and began working across the globe for some of the industry ’ s most prestigious hotel brands like Marriott , Sheraton and Starwood . He worked his way from hotel operations towards hotel IT and corporate IT project management , and in doing so has carved a unique career path as a life-long hospitality professional .
Then , Both was ready for a new challenge and , when an opportunity came knocking , Kerzner International seemed to be a perfect fit . Kerzner sought a way to digitally transform its operations and , with an impressive 26 years of hospitality experience , Both had the necessary know-how to take on the challenge as Executive Vice President of Information Technology , leading IT for Kerzner globally .
JULY 2019