Acorn Winner 2006: Johan Scheepers

Johan Scheepers
Age: 29
Position: House manager, Radisson Edwardian Hotels

Career to date… Scheepers started his hospitality career as a management trainee at the Carlton hotel, Johannesburg, in 1995, before moving to London in 1997 to become assistant restaurant manager at Richoux Restaurants. He went on to become guest relations and sales manager for Radisson Edwardian hotels, London, before returning to South Africa to work for Sun International hotels.

In 2001, he became front office manager for the Ambassador Hotel Cape Town. He moved back to London in 2003 and worked for Radisson Edwardian at the Grafton and Mountbatten hotels, before being promoted to operations manager at the Radisson Edwardian hotel, Manchester.

Why is he a winner? In his role as house manager, Scheepers has been instrumental in improving customer service standards and guest relations, and is a motivational and inspirational leader, capable of coaching and empowering other employees to enable them to fulfil their potential.

After identifying areas in need of cost control and opportunities for revenue generation, he achieved the targeted profit conversion of 40% in 2005. He was able to reduce food costs of sales from 30% to 26% in 2004, and has been instrumental in securing the contract to host the Labour Party conference in 2006.