Kerzner International Holdings, the owner of the Atlantis Resort and Residences and One&Only Resorts brands worldwide, has announced the appointment of Michael Wale as its new Chief Executive Officer.
An accomplished industry leader, Mr. Michael Wale (biography) has had a noteworthy career in hospitality, having been with Starwood Hotels & Resorts for almost 40 years.
Most recently, he was President for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, directly overseeing the operations for almost 250 hotels and resorts in 60 countries.
He was appointed to this position in June 2013 and was based at the company’s EAME divisional office in Brussels, Belgium.
“I am thrilled Michael has joined us at this very important time as we continue our accelerated growth and further expansion of our existing brands, Atlantis and One&Only,” says H.E. Mohammed Al Shaibani, Executive Director and CEO of Investment Corporation of Dubai, and Chairman of Kerzner International. “Michael has been extremely successful in achieving outstanding guest satisfaction, building a world-class corporate culture and delivering strong financial results. Under his leadership, I look forward to the continued growth of Kerzner International, further prosperity and an expanded strategic global footprint.”
Mr. Wale joins Kerzner International at a transformational time, with the accelerated growth of both destination-defining brands. The $1.6 billion Atlantis, Sanya resort in China with world-class partner, Fosun, began welcoming guests in February, joining the flagship Atlantis, The Palm resort in Dubai, one of the most recognizable hotels in the world.
The One&Only portfolio is also evolving, introducing Nature Resorts, Urban Resorts and Private Homes to the One&Only Beach Resorts. The One&Only Le Saint Géran in Mauritius began welcoming back guests in December to a completely reborn resort.
Mr. Michael Wale will be responsible for building on this momentum, developing continued strategic growth, driving the successful operation of the existing collection of award-winning resorts and developing talent across the company.
Passionate about the development of leadership talent, Mr. Michael Wale also created Vita Futura at Starwood, an innovative graduate training program which shaped the careers of many future leaders. He also served as a Next Step Mentor with The Prince’s Trust, as well as mentors future leaders in hospitality.
Philanthropy has always been a focus for Michael, named a Fellow of UNICEF, in recognition of his work for Checkout for Children, which raised over $35 million over 20 years. Michael’s other passions include the environment and sustainability.
For more information, visit http://www.kerzner.com/.