Kerzner International – July 2019

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

K E R Z N E R I N T E R N AT I O N A L

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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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“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.”

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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