April 1, 2019 — Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa is excited to announce the appointment of Anton Gillis as an Executive Director, effective April 1, 2019. Anton will work hand in hand with Managing Director, George Cohen on the hotel’s business strategy and to further develop business from new and existing markets. The Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa is a leading luxury hotel in South Africa and Johannesburg.
Cape Town-born Anton brings with him a wealth of experience in both the hospitality and the private healthcare sector. His passion for hospitality started at a very young age; being born into a family of hoteliers, his passion was ignited through having the luxury of being able to visit some of the world’s finest hotels. From a young age his father, well known international hotelier Arthur Gillis, encouraged him to spend time during his school holidays working in a variety of hotels. Prior to attending and graduating from hotel school, Anton spent many wonderful years working his way through various hotel departments. He attributes some of his greatest learnings from this experience.
Anton has since been acknowledged as a Platinum Lifetime Achiever within the South African Hotel Industry by the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. He has also had the fortune of furthering his studies at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
One of the biggest lessons that he lives, eats and breathes is the need to always anticipate, meet and exceed the expectations of guests. After completing his hotel school internship at the Cape Grace Hotel where he took employment as a Guest Relations Manager, Anton sought new frontiers and joined the team at the Grove Hotel, London, often referred to as London’s Finest Country Estate.
In 2006, he returned home to Cape Town and took up the position as Deputy General Manager of The Protea Hotel Fire & Ice!, from conceptualization to opening to operating. In 2010, Anton moved up to Johannesburg to be the General Manager of the Protea Hotel Fire&Ice! Melrose Arch. In 2011, Anton was awarded the prestigious title of General Manager of the year by Protea Hotels.
With a view of wanting to understand and further explore the correlation between hospitality and private healthcare, Anton joined the Netcare Hospital Group in 2012 as a Hospital General Manager. Within two years he was promoted to lead the team at their flagship hospital, the Netcare Milpark Hospital.
Anton’s diverse management experience and proven track record of managing complex business models has allowed him to gain key insight into both hospitality and the private healthcare sector. He also prides himself on his relentless pursuit for service excellence whilst executing a profitable standards strategy.
"I am delighted to have Anton join my team at the Saxon in the innovative new role of Executive Director," says George Cohen, Managing Director of the Saxon. "His depth of knowledge as well as his pursuit of Service Excellence will enrich and uplift the existing team at the hotel."
Anton's non-negotiable stance towards Respect for Human Dignity has allowed him to build a unique team of resources and international network to call upon. He looks forward to bringing his extensive experience to bear at the Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa.
