Gihan De Zoysa

Gihan De Zoysa

Pre-Opening General Manager at Hospitality-Xperts
Lives in Arusha, Tanzania

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About me

I am enthusiastic and dedicated individual with charming personality. I am able to work well on my own initiative and am accustomed to meet tight deadlines.
I am well organized and a fast learner. Even under significant pressure, I possess a strong ability to perform effectively. Dynamic and hands-on General management specialist with extensive Food and Beverage operations. Proven skills in employee relations’ management, that produced effective schedule matrices. Versed in the creation of formalized processes and ongoing training programs to optimize efficiency and reduce waste. Focused and in tune with the changes of customer preferences and market trends.

Experience

24 years and 6 months

  • Cluster General Manager

    Kilimanjaro Wonders Hotel - Moshi, Tanzania

    Administration
    July 2022 - Now · 1 year and 9 months

    •Lead the all hotels opening tasks to meet Brand standards •Dealing with site construction engineering team provide necessary assistance/ guidance and act as owners representative •Ensure strong and successful relationship with all stakeholders, including owning company, local Authorities and surrounding Community •Ensure full compliance to Hotel operating controls, SOP’s, policies, procedures and service standards. •Lead all key property issues including capital projects, customer service and refurbishment. •Handling complaints, and oversee the service recovery procedures. •Responsible for the preparation, presentation and subsequent achievement of the hotel's annual Operating Budget, Marketing & Sales Plan and Capital Budget. •Manage on-going profitability of the hotel, ensuring revenue and guest satisfaction targets are met and exceeded. •Ensure all decisions are made in the best interest of the hotels and management. •Deliver hotel budget goals and set other short and long term strategic goals for the property. •Developing improvement actions, carry out costs savings. •A strong understanding of P&L statements and the ability to react with impactful strategies •Closely monitor the hotels business reports on a daily basis and take decisions accordingly. •Ensure that monthly financial outlooks for Rooms, Food & Beverage, Admin & General, on target and accurate. •Maximizing room yield and hotels / resort revenue through innovative sales practices and yield management programs.

  • Pre-Opening General Manager

    Hospitality-Xperts - Zanzibar Town, Tanzania

    Management
    June 2016 - Now · 7 years and 10 months

    • Establish pre-opening plan and budgets to manage overheads and costs • Create and establish the property on defined target markets, business management and develop and fulfill the defined business plan at a hotel & company level • Leading the resort as its “brand standard bearer”, epitomizing the brand personality and working consistently to ensure the hotel is run impeccably • Overseeing and managing all departments, working closely with department heads on a daily basis • Monitoring customer satisfaction, through review of standardized feedback forms, and just as importantly • by spending time directly with the guests and ensuring their needs are being met and expectations exceeded Assisting in residential sales as required to discuss the resort and development with strong sales prospects • Maximizing room yield and resort revenue through innovative sales practices and yield management programs • Establishing annual and quarterly budgets and revenue projections, with regular updating

  • Cluster General Manager

    TOA Hotel & Spa(Paradise Group Zanzibar) - Zanzibar Town, Tanzania

    Administration
    December 2020 - July 2022 · 1 year and 8 months

    •Lead the all hotels opening tasks to meet Brand standards •Dealing with site construction engineering team provide necessary assistance/ guidance and act as owners representative •Ensure strong and successful relationship with all stakeholders, including owning company, local Authorities and surrounding Community •Ensure full compliance to Hotel operating controls, SOP’s, policies, procedures and service standards. •Lead all key property issues including capital projects, customer service and refurbishment. •Handling complaints, and oversee the service recovery procedures. •Responsible for the preparation, presentation and subsequent achievement of the hotel's annual Operating Budget, Marketing & Sales Plan and Capital Budget. •Manage on-going profitability of the hotel, ensuring revenue and guest satisfaction targets are met and exceeded. •Ensure all decisions are made in the best interest of the hotels and management. •Deliver hotel budget goals and set other short and long term strategic goals for the property. •Developing improvement actions, carry out costs savings. •A strong understanding of P&L statements and the ability to react with impactful strategies •Closely monitor the hotels business reports on a daily basis and take decisions accordingly. •Ensure that monthly financial outlooks for Rooms, Food & Beverage, Admin & General, on target and accurate. •Maximizing room yield and hotels / resort revenue through innovative sales practices and yield management programs.

  • Resort General Manager

    Landmark Beach Resort - Tanzania

    Administration
    May 2019 - July 2020 · 1 year and 3 months

    •Lead all key property issues including capital projects, customer service and re-posting activities and development plans. •Hold regular briefings and meetings with all head of departments. •Ensure full compliance to Hotel operating controls, SOP’s, policies, procedures and service standards. . •Responsible for the preparation, presentation and subsequent achievement of the hotel's annual Operating Budget, Marketing & Sales Plan and Capital Budget. •Manage on-going profitability of the hotel, ensuring revenue and guest satisfaction KPIs are met and exceeded. •Ensure all decisions are made in the best interest of the hotels and management. •Deliver hotel budget goals and set other short and long term strategic goals for the property. •Developing improvement actions, carry out costs savings. •Closely monitor the hotels business reports on a daily basis and take decisions accordingly. •Ensure that monthly financial outlooks for Room, Facilities, Food & Beverage, Admin & General, on target and accurate. •Maximizing room yield and hotels / resort revenue through innovative sales practices and yield management programs. •Draw up plans and budget (revenues, costs, etc.) for the owners. . •Act as a final decision maker in hiring a key staffs. . •Be accountable for responsibilities of department heads and take ownership of all guest complaints. •Provide effective leadership to hotel senior executive and team members. •Corporate client handling and take part in new client acquisition along with the sales team

  • General Manager

    The Seyyida Hotel & Spa/ konokono beach resort (5* Boutique Villa Resort) - Zanzibar Town, Tanzania

    Management
    January 2015 - June 2016 · 1 year and 6 months

    • Responsible for entire Resort operations and Planning, organizing accommodation, catering and other Resort services, Promoting and marketing business. • Managing budgets and financial plans as well as Controlling expenditure. Analyzing sales figures and devising marketing and revenue management strategies. • Create and establish the property on defined target markets, business management and develop and fulfill the defined business plan at a hotel and company level • Design effective and successful sales, pricing, distributions and yielding strategies to achieve and enhance profitability • Be fully involved operationally with high visibility in the day to day business of the Resort Set effective systems and controls to ensure the consistent smooth running of departments • Actively participate in the development of all key managerial positions and manage effectively labor turnover, recruitment and employee development within budgeted parameters • Create, maintain and encourage excellent public and employee relations • Establish a proactive approach to the selling, marketing and merchandising of the full portfolio of activities throughout the Resort • Carrying out inspections of property and services. Ensuring compliance with licensing laws, health and Safety and other statutory regulations • Implementation of new menus / Related control system Revenue and Sales Management Kitchen Budgeting & Cost Optimization Recipe Standardization Food Cost Maintenance Menu Engineering

  • General Manager Consultant

    Luxury Hotelier International - Arusha, Tanzania

    Consulting
    January 2015 - December 2015 · 1 year

    • Specializing in new hotel openings, hotel refurbishments, hotel re-branding, product re-positioning and relief management • Project Management, Strategic Brand Development, Hotel Relief Management, HR & team building, Sales & Marketing, Rooms & Revenue Management, Procurement, Facilities Management. • Consulting, advising, and designing programs to fill the gaps between the actual situation and the desired one • Coaching, guiding, training (different levels) • Developing management and supervisory skills and know-how • Defining the company's mission, goals, and objectives • Assessing the actual situation • Identifying training and operational needs • Improving organizational communications • Improving work performance • Increasing employee motivation • Raising the levels of organizational performance and achievements • Achieving Customer satisfaction and customer loyalty • Enlarging the company's customer base and market segment

  • General Manager

    Hotels and lodges (T) Ltd Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge (Luxury Lodge) - Arusha, Tanzania

    Management
    January 2012 - December 2014 · 3 years

    • Responsible to over roll operations and Planning and organizing accommodation, catering and other hotel services, Promoting and marketing business. • Welcoming the clients during arrivals and Dealing with customers complaints and comments. • Checking the menus and the quality of the foods and Implementation of new menus Relate control system revenue and sales management Budgeting and cost optimization. • Attending daily meeting with the HOD’s and discussing about how to improve the standard of the property and customer satisfaction. • Keep good communication with sales team about how to generate the revenue • Checking the room standard and hygienic • Setting and achieving sales and profit targets and analyzing sales figures and devising marketing and revenue management strategies • Check the consumption of the beverage and make promotions to upselling the products • Daily and weekly entertainment follow up with the animation team • Follow up the departmental trainings with HOD’s and sop's development and concept Development. • Implementation of new menus related control system revenue and sales management Kitchen budgeting and Cost Optimization Recipe Standardization Food Cost Maintenance menu engineering material management kitchen operations

  • EAM I/C-Food & Beverage

    The Fortress Resort Galle, Sri Lanka (5* Boutique Resort) - Galle, Sri Lanka

    F&B service
    August 2010 - January 2012 · 1 year and 6 months

    • Define F&B standards regarding quality of product and service and identify and recommend new products, equipment and amenities to enhance the product quality • Coordinate with hotels’ Service Executives all new initiatives related to special events, corporate promotions and corporate directives in order to ensure proper follow through • Recommend changes in the F&B outlet pricing strategy, based on competition analysis and customer expectations and analyze and monitor the F&B profitability on a regular basis and recommend corrective actions • Maintain a high level of awareness on industry best practices / trends regarding food, service, technology and entertainment in F&B • Ensure that the F&B policies are adhered to and transferred to the colleagues by the F&B Leaders • Follow up and liaise with the vendors to ensure that all new equipment specifications and / or operating equipment arrive on time and are supported with the necessary procurement steps • Liaise with Marketing & Communications to surface up creative angles on how to position and launch various F&B initiatives • Play a lead role in developing the F&B training manuals

  • Food & Beverage Manager

    Pre-opening Plan Hotel Diamond Dream of Zanzibar (5* Deluxe Resort) - Zanzibar, Tanzania

    F&B Management
    July 2009 - July 2010 · 1 year and 1 month

    • Oversee entire operations of Food & Beverage department • Maintain exceptional levels of customer service • Recruit, manage, train, and develop the team • Assist with annual and mid-year appraisals with team members under my responsibility • Manage guest queries in a timely and efficient manner • Work within budgeted guidelines • Assist in setting departmental targets and objectives, work schedules, budgets, and policies and procedures • Develop menus with other members of Food & Beverage team • Accountable for monthly stock takes • Incentivize team members to maximize sales and revenue • Conduct regular training sessions with the assigned team in line with departmental SOP’s • Comply with hotel security, fire regulations and all health and safety legislation • Assist other departments wherever necessary and maintain good working relationships

  • Food & Beverage Manager

    Good Wood Plaza Hotel Sri Lanka(4* Transit Hotel) - Katunayake, Sri Lanka

    F&B Management
    May 2009 - July 2009 · 3 months

    • Oversee operations of Food & Beverage outlets • Maintain exceptional levels of customer service • Recruit, manage, train, and develop the team • Assist with annual and mid-year appraisals with team members under your responsibility • Manage guest queries in a timely and efficient manner • Work within budgeted guidelines • Assist in setting departmental targets and objectives, work schedules, budgets, and policies and procedures • Develop menus with other members of Food & Beverage team • Accountable for monthly stock takes • Incentivize team members to maximize sales and revenue • Comply with hotel security, fire regulations and all health and safety legislation • Assist other departments wherever necessary and maintain good working relationships

  • Bar Manager

    Hilton Al Hamara Fort Hotel Ras Al Khaimah.U.A.E (5* Beach Resort) - Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

    F&B Management
    July 2008 - April 2009 · 10 months

    • Recruiting, training and motivating your staff • Handelling regular stock-takes and ordering as necessary Handling deliveries including special-event setups, prices, stock and inventory control • Maintaining the condition of beer and wine, beverages Overseeing or liaising with the kitchen • Keeping up to date with licensing legislation, liaising with the authorities and taking overall legal responsibility for the premises • Enforcing health and safety rules, food hygiene and health and safety standards within the outlets • Adhering to budgets, increasing profits and managing cash flow • To establish and maintain high standards of quality service, guest relations and meet the required revenue target within the respective outlet

  • Bar Captain

    Pre-opening Ibetotel Miamar Al Aqah Beach Resort Fujairah U.A.E(5* Beach Resort) - Fujairah, United Arab Emirates

    F&B service
    August 2007 - July 2008 · 1 year

    • Over roll look after the Bar operation • Training and motivating the staff • Follow up the Beverage menu with Bar Manager • Take the monthly consumption • Daily check the Beverage consumption

  • Senior Bartender

    Cinnamon Grand Colombo Sri Lanka(5* City Hotel) - Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Bar
    April 2004 - April 2007 · 3 years and 1 month

    •Perform all necessary tasks to service beverages according to the standard of performance manual of the hotel •Conduct weekly training sessions on beverage pouring practice, cocktail mixing, bottle flaring and up-selling •Achieve total guest satisfaction and organizational profitability through effective utilization of all resources •Work towards the timely set up of the bar areas and the completion of all mise en place works, in line with the opening hours •Delight the guest by offering trend setting and innovative products and services, contribute to sales activities and assist in maximizing revenue •Prepare Store requisitions and Bar requisitions •Handle guest complaints directly or refer them to the Bar Manager •Extend prompt services to all guests and treat guests and colleagues in a courteous manner.

  • Bartender

    Hilton Colombo, Sri Lanka(5* City Hotel) - Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Bar
    November 1999 - July 2003 · 3 years and 9 months

    Perform all necessary tasks to service beverages according to the standard of performance manual of the hotel •Conduct weekly training sessions on beverage pouring practice, cocktail mixing, bottle flaring and up-selling •Achieve total guest satisfaction and organizational profitability through effective utilization of all resources •Work towards the timely set up of the bar areas and the completion of all mise en place works, in line with the opening hours •Delight the guest by offering trend setting and innovative products and services, contribute to sales activities and assist in maximizing revenue •Prepare Store requisitions and Bar requisitions •Handle guest complaints directly or refer them to the Bar Manager •Extend prompt services to all guests and treat guests and colleagues in a courteous manner

  • Trainee Bartender

    Galadari Hotel Colombo, Sri Lanka(5* City Hotel) - Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Bar
    August 1998 - July 1999 · 1 year

    •Achieve total guest satisfaction and organizational profitability through effective utilization of all resources •Work towards the timely set up of the bar areas and the completion of all mise en place works, in line with the opening hours •Delight the guest by offering trend setting and innovative products and services, contribute to sales activities and assist in maximizing revenue •Prepare Store requisitions and Bar requisitions •Handle guest complaints directly or refer them to the Bar Manager •Extend prompt services to all guests and treat guests and colleagues in a courteous manner

Education

  • Post Graduate Degree In Hospitality Management

    Asia Lanka International Hotel School - Colombo, Sri Lanka

    January 1995 - June 1997

Languages

2 languages

  • English

    Full professional

  • Swahili

    Professional working

Personal information

Nationalities

  • Sri Lankan

Skills

22 skills

  • Branding
  • Budgeting
  • CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
  • Cost control
  • Cost optimizing
  • F&B cost contr
  • F&B micros
  • Hotel Management
  • Hotel Revenue Management
  • Inventory control
  • Inventory & Purchasing
  • Maxemiz rooms revenue
  • Menu costing
  • Menu Engenering
  • PMS
  • Revenue Analisys
  • Sales & Marketing
  • SOP Drafting
  • SOP implementation
  • Staff managment
  • Staff-training
  • Yild management
Connections
GIANCARLO PASTORE
Amministratore at CIPAS TM
Krisantus Sutrisno
People and Culture Coordinator at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Carlo arturo Carela celestino
Pastry chef at Riu hotel
View 10 connections
Following
Soho House
Soho House
London, United Kingdom
Marriott International Belmond Hotels
Belmond Hotels
London, United Kingdom
Other members
Mario Scotto
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Valeria Gallone
Andora, Italy
Stephany Venegas
Bangkok, Thailand
Andrei Cazacu
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Paula Uriarte
Florence, Italy
View more
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