Uniting disruptive technology and world class service
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Where luxury hospitality and innovative entertainment meets disruptive technology w w w.c o mpa w wny w.ke we bsite. rz n er. com
K E R Z N E R I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Willem Both, EVP, Information Technology, describes how digital transformation is supporting the luxury hospitality Company
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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 04
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.
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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘ATLANTIS SANYA GRAND OPENING – #WHEREWATERMEETSWONDER’ 07 “Kerzner is a pioneering luxury
With 11 resorts under its umbrella
hospitality business and we’re con-
and more in the pipeline, Kerzner
stantly redefining what ultra-luxury and
International has a portfolio that packs
entertainment mean,” Both explains.
a punch. It’s responsible for renowned
“Our guests and colleagues are using
brands like One&Only Resorts, Atlantis
technology every day. Whether it’s
and Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort,
mobiles, laptops or smart appliances,
with properties spanning Mexico,
technology has permeated throughout
Mauritius, the Maldives, South Africa,
society. Our guest experience is at the
Rwanda, Dubai and Australia. Regard-
centre of everything we do and we want
less of the location, one thing is certain:
to support their needs into the future.
creating a world-class guest experience,
With the creation of my role over two
detail by detail, is in the company’s
and a half years ago, we realised that
DNA. Technology and data have been
we needed a global head of IT to focus
valuable tools in making this vision a
on the group’s strategy and direction.”
reality and perhaps this can be best w w w.ke rz n er. com
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seen by the company’s innovative guest
their coffee or if they would like to read
service system. Currently under develop-
a newspaper on a Sunday, for example.
ment, Both says this bespoke application
“A lot of it is based on relationships that
will use a wealth of data “to allow our
we’ve built over the years and guests
colleagues to optimally serve our guests”.
feel comfortable. We are actually in the
“Our guests consistently have an
process of building a custom application
incredible experience at our resorts
rather than using an off the shelf one,
and we want to make sure that we
because we want to make sure we
extend that experience beyond any
translate all these personal relationships
single resort , so that if a guest were to
that have been solidified and that we
visit another one of our properties,
are able to capture that information
then we would know how best to serve
properly and securely.”
them,” he explains. This data may allow the team to know how guests prefer
Yet, Both doesn’t take the task of handling data lightly. “With data comes
E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE
Willem Both, Executive Vice President, Global Information Technology Willem Both is responsible for the company’s Information Technology strategy and works with the other Excom team members and IT leaders of Kerzner on adoption and implementation of the best practice Information Technology initiatives that support the vision of the company. This key role is critical to delivering that vision – amazing experiences and everlasting memories. In his position, Both ensures the delivery of an integrated guest experience for all brands in Kerzner International and is responsible for the entire IT team at the Global Office in Dubai. He is focused on enhancing the Information Technology strategy and technology at all Kerzner properties, including Atlantis resorts, Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort as well as all One&Only resorts worldwide, and new properties as the Company continues to grow and expand into new destinations. Both’s passion is guiding open team collaboration to achieve optimal performance through improved processes and sharing best practices.
“ With data comes responsibility”
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K E R Z N E R I N T E R N AT I O N A L
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“Kerzner is a pioneering luxury hospitality business and we’re constantly redefining what ultraluxury and entertainment mean” — Willem Both, Executive Vice President, Information Technology Kerzner International
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responsibility,” he asserts. “Security is
linchpin in the company’s security
on our minds 24 hours a day.” As such,
strategy. “It’s really about creating
Kerzner International has put its weight
layers of defense to prevent and
behind security investment, whether
mitigate attacks and a lot of that comes
it’s in the areas of central infrastructure,
with education,” he adds.
communications or at the hotels.
On top of this, Kerzner International
Additionally, the company is also
has recently introduced a new intranet,
planning migrations to cloud in a bid to
is currently completely rewriting its
bolster security while creating disaster
central reservation systems, and
recovery and meet the peaks and
revamping its websites and content
troughs of demand on its website. All of
management systems. This root-and-
this has culminated in a robust security
branch transformation has not only
footprint, however Both also highlights
had an impact on the guest experience,
that education has been an important
it’s revolutionised the employee 13
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘ONE&ONLY RESORTS LE SAINT GÉRAN – SHE’S BACK!’
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experience too. For instance, Both outlines how Kerzner has reorganised its team and increasingly adopted collaboration tools which allow the business to better communicate with its global properties, shortening geographical distances and driving efficiency. “There are no more regular telephones; instead everyone uses collaboration tools,” notes Both. “Our properties are all around the globe –these tools have been invaluable.” Any technology professional will tell you that forging the right partnerships is critical to any successful business transformation. This rings true at Kerzner too; the company has worked shoulder to shoulder with several technology businesses such as Hexaware, which Both describes as a “critical partnership”. “Having trusted partners like Hexaware is very important, especially for a company like us which isn’t a cookie cutter business,” he says. “We’ve worked very closely with companies like Hexaware to develop and maintain our customer applications. It’s been an incredible journey so far and we couldn’t have done it without them.” w w w.ke rz n er. com
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K E R Z N E R I N T E R N AT I O N A L
10,000+
Approximate number of employees
1993
Year founded
HQ
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Whilst the journey may be far from over, Both says Kerzner is already beginning to reap the fruits of its labor. “We strongly feel that we’ve been providing much better service to our internal customers, our resorts, and our guests,” he says. “We’ve drawn insights from our data and empowered colleagues by giving them the information that they need to deliver an incredible experience whereby guests immediately feel like they’re coming home.” Personalisation in the hospitality industry is nothing new, but the data
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age has taken the idea to new heights.
Having just opened two more resorts
Both predicts that this trend will continue,
– One&Only Nyungwe House in Rwanda,
but while technology will become more
and Atlantis in Sanya – it seems Kerzner
pervasive in the hospitality industry it
International is set to continue on its
won’t be able to replace that human
upward trajectory, powered by both
touch. “I think guests are going to
people and technology. The business
continue to expect more and more
has been selective when choosing
personalisation and automation, but
resort locations, technologies and even
Kerzner will still focus on delivering a
partners, and it’s clear that this
personal guest service through people
thoughtful, guest-centric approach
as well as technology. I feel my role
has distinguished it from the pack.
is to enable our colleagues as much as possible to provide the most amazing customised service to our guests.” 17
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Kerzner International One Central The Offices Building 2 9th Floor World Trade Centre PO Box 9571 Dubai, United Arab Emirates www.kerzner.com