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.
Nizenande Machi Legacy Project is Relationship Systems Strategist. She creates human-centered frameworks for African development, which when coupled with her knack for relating with people at various levels, has enabled her to advance her Transformative Leadership in Africa agenda. As someone who believes she has a pivotal role to play in reshaping Africa and positioning […]
Rose Caiola could have easily been defined by her success in the highly competitive world of New York City real estate, but she has ventured far beyond the boundaries of the business world. Her yearning for a better understanding of human wellness has taken her down diverse paths and led her to meet many fascinating […]
Emily Bell is the first girl to kayak the length of Britain as the crew captain on Sean Conway’s record-breaking swim. Stand-up paddle boarded 1001 miles down the Missouri River as the writer on Dave Cornthwaite’s big swim. Back in London, she is Deputy Editor of new adventure magazine, Avaunt. With many other adventures up […]
As host of National Geographic Channel’s Emmy-nominated series, Brain Games, Jason Silva Legacy Project will guide you through the twists and turns of your grey matter. Through a series of man-on-the-streets and experiments, Silva will be joined by top experts in the fields of cognitive science, neuroscience and psychology, who will give you the “why” […]
Gayathri Ramprasad is the Founder and President of ASHA International a non-profit organization promoting personal, organizational, and community wellness. And, the author of Shadows in the Sun: Healing from Depression and Finding the Light Within. Her successful battle in overcoming life-threatening mental illness and her amazing recovery taught her the power of hope and holistic […]
Kojo Baffoe is best known as at the editor of Destiny Man magazine where he has combined his interest in business, and his a passion for people with his obsession with writing. His prolific writing and creative drive has seen him spread to poetry, blogging and everything else. What I Do | I guess it […]
Born and bred in Durban, Ken is known as one of South Africa’s biggest media legends. As a lover of homemade biltong and all things spicy, Ken is first and foremost a family man. Besides his latest venture, Nfinity, which constantly keeps his eye on the bigger picture, he has been involved in the start-up […]
Dr. Adisa A. Alkebulan is an Associate Professor in Africana Studies at San Diego State University. He is also the Director of Study Abroad Programs in the Department of Africana Studies. He takes teams of students and community members to locations all over the world to learn about their histories and cultures as well as […]
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