Shamwari Private Game Reserve has appointed Theo Cromhout as General Manager of Hospitality.

For the past year, Cromhout has been part of the Valor Hospitalty team, consulting on enhancing the hospitality experience at the Eastern Cape reserve as part of a US$25 million upgrade. For the past six months he served as Acting General Manager on a temporary basis.

“We interviewed widely for a permanent hospitality GM, but nobody brought as much local and international experience, knowledge and passion to the role, so we offered it to Theo on a permanent basis,” says Shamwari CEO, Joe Cloete.

After matriculating from Hilton College, Cromhout graduated from Wits Hotel School with a National Diploma in Hotel Management. He went on to attend Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration Professional Development Programme, earning certification in advanced marketing. He later obtained an Executive MBA from the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business.

He has worked for leading global hotel brands, including Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Taj Hotels, Ascott International Management and Sun International. He also has experience in the luxury safari sector.

“It has been a privilege to be associated with the brand and to consult to Joe and his team to make Shamwari one of the world’s premier wildlife experiences. The offer seemed a natural evolution. It feels like my 30-year career in hospitality has led me here,” says Cromhout.