Staff Members who have Worked for &Beyond for 20 Years

Each day 2 800 &Beyond ers delight guests at more than 35 safari lodges in order to make a difference. Staff come from many tribes in Africa and India and speak many different tongues but, when it comes to guests, everyone shares the same heartbeat.

&Beyond ’s most valuable asset is its staff and the company is extremely proud that many of those who helped open our very first lodge and welcome our first guests are still with us.

Here a few of the fabulous &Beyond ers who have been with the company for the last 20 years.

1.    Sam Nguni, Head Chef, &Beyond Phinda Forest Lodge - Self-taught chef Sam, who was part of the kitchen team when &Beyond Phinda Mountain Lodge welcomed its first guests, learned to cook in between herding cattle and helping with other chores. Now Head Chef at Forest Lodge in the same reserve, he is known for his big personality and talent in the kitchen, as well as being an endless source of advice for his colleagues.

2.    Graham Vercueil, &Beyond Group Ranger Training - Part of the very first group of rangers trained at &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, Graham is still dispensing his hard-earned wisdom, having been responsible for taking &Beyond ’s training programme across the seas to our jungle lodges in India.

3.    Eric Buthelezi, General Manager, &Beyond Phinda Forest Lodge, Vlei Lodge & The Homestead - Starting out as a porter carrying the first guests’ baggage to their rooms, Eric has steadily made his way up the ranks, earning respect through his ethos of hard work and guest delight, and now plays the role of mentor to his senior staff.

4.    Stanley Mpakany, Assistant Manager, &Beyond Kichwa Tembo - Fresh out of school and knowing nothings about the travel industry, Stanley began his journey at &Beyond with a simple training course and quickly found not only a mentor but also a lifelong career. His odyssey with the company has spanned many lodges throughout East Africa and earned him a firm place in the hearts of both colleagues and guests.   

5.    Dumi Ndlovu, &Beyond Group Training Chef - Beginning his career as a humble waiter, has not only discovered his passion for food but has spread it throughout the company and beyond. Representing &Beyond ’s unique style of Pan African cuisine to a number of international destinations and inspiring chefs throughout the group, Dumi’s humble nature and love for sharing his knowledge endear him to all he meets.

6.    Dennis Shabangu, Lodge Manager, &Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge - Dennis’ ethic of shouldering responsibility for all he does has brought him from humble beginnings as a waiter to managing one of &Beyond ’s largest lodges, with 102 staff members.

7.    Connie Nyundu, Assistant Lodge Manager, &Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge - With her big personality and welcoming style, Mama Connie elevates guest delight to an art. Not one to do anything by half measures, Connie has enjoyed a meteoric rise from housekeeper to the shining smile that instantly makes each guest at Ngala feel completely at home.

8.    Les Carlisle, &Beyond Group Conservation Manager - A conservation expert with an impressive list of firsts to his name, during the development of &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve Les was responsible for everything from project managing the construction of the lodges to reintroducing more than a thousand animals to the land. His career with &Beyond has taken him through dozens of conservation projects ever since, including a key consultation role in animal translocations in India.    

9.    Hugh Marshall and Julie Holl, Group Field Operations - With more than 20 years of service each, Hugh and Julie have, at one time or another, played a role in the development and management of most of &Beyond ’s lodges. Since 1996, they have been responsible for turning out the highly trained, expert rangers that &Beyond is so well known for.

10.    Tony Adams, HR Director - From ranger to lodge manager, Tony was part of the team responsible for instituting &Beyond ’s famous standards of guest delight at the newly opened &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve. His career has since brought him the position of HR Director, where he continues to look after the wellbeing of &Beyond ’s staff.    

Ends

Issued by: media@andBeyond.com

&Beyond    
T: +27 11 809 4300; F: +27 11 809 4511

www.andBeyond.com

About &Beyond

&Beyond owns and operates more than 35 extraordinary lodges and camps in Africa and India’s wilderness highspots. The company is also one of Africa’s leading inbound tour operators, designing luxury safaris and personalised travel itineraries in 16 African countries, and India. Established in 1991, &Beyond delights guests in order to make a difference; its commitment to sustainable responsible travel and community empowerment is world renowned.

Download the PDF Document
Download the MS Word Document