In 1984, at a time when South Africa was beginning to feel the consequences of international isolation and sanctions, and when the tourism and hospitality industries faced bankruptcy and failure, Protea Hotels was launched – without a cent of capital and with just four hotels. Under the leadership of Arthur Gillis, the Protea Hotels Group grew from the initial four hotels to over 130 hotels operating in seven African countries, and is today the largest and leading hotel operating company in Africa.
Arthur is currently the CEO of Platinum Hospitality Holdings, a leading hotel asset management company with approximately 15 hotels in South Africa.
He has been extremely active in all facets of the hospitality industry and has received many industry awards. He was recognised by a highly esteemed business community, having received the ABSA Jewish Achiever of the Year Award for non-list companies in 2008.
Where do you think your ‘MAGIC’ comes from? | Insatiable curiosity.
What do you think is often the difference between people who are good at what they do and people who are great at what they do? | Persistence and getting up again when knocked down.
What are the principles and values that you believe are important to live by? | Respect for human dignity.
What is your biggest weakness? | A belief that everyone around me is honest.
What are the most important lessons you have learnt so far, in your career or life journey? This could be anything from very simple small lessons to much larger bigger lessons. | To remove myself from toxic relationships as soon as possible.
What is the best advice you have ever received? | Narrow your business focus and pursue it relentlessly.
Who inspires you and who are your role-models? | My wife Lauren who sees only good in people and works tirelessly for those who don’t have opportunities.
Jamie Anderson is an American professional snowboarder. She won the gold medal in the inaugural Women’s Slopestyle Event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. She has won gold medals in slopestyle at the Winter X Games in consecutive years in 2007/8 and 2012/3. My Definition Of Success | It has changed over the years […]
Michael Jordaan, Venture Capitalist and wine enthusiast stepped down as CEO of First National Bank, one of SA’s largest banks with a customer base of nearly nine million, in August 2013 to pursue his passion for entrepreneurship. With more than 20 years’ experience in the financial services sector and nearly a decade at the helm […]
Dr Sherylle Calder is a visual skills coach and guru. She is a sport scientist and performance coach, who is also known as “The Eye Lady”. Dr Calder has helped teams win 2 back-to-back Rugby World Cups amongst many other sporting trophies and her expertise in this field has long been recognised by the top […]
Daniel Humm is a Swiss chef and restaurant owner. He is chef/co-owner of Eleven Madison Park in New York City and a recipient of three Michelin stars. My Definition Of Success | Success is waking up every day and getting to do what I love most. Cooking is both my passion and my profession and, to […]
Beth founded her first company at age 22 and launched exclusive European fashion brands across the United States. It seemed like a dream job at first but Beth soon saw the human rights violations, environmental pollution and child labor prevalent in the industry. Determined to show that fashion could make a difference, Beth created her […]
Rich Franklin is a host, actor, UFC Hall of Famer, and current Vice President of ONE Championship, Asia’s largest martial arts promotion. With the launch of his new podcast Quite Franklin, Franklin discusses a variety of topics related to his experiences and current events. Through deep discussions on stories, ideas and expertise of its guests, […]
Eunice was honored by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader in 2012 for her professional accomplishments and commitment to society, as well as her potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world by providing inspiring leadership. Forbes named Eunice as one of the 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa. She […]
Platinum-selling South African singer/model/actress Lira (which translates to “love” in Sesotho) has already conquered South Africa and much of Europe with her irresistible blend of R&B, Jazz and African styles. She is a multi-platinum selling and an 8x South African Music Award-winning Afro-Soul vocalist and with her debut U.S. release and a US tour in […]
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