Daniel Silke

Keynote Speaker

Daniel Silke is a highly regarded South African political economy analyst and keynote speaker. As Director of Political Futures Consultancy in Cape Town, he provides expert insights on global, African, and South African political and economic trends, catering to blue-chip companies worldwide. With over 20 years of experience, he’s recognized for his engaging, strategic foresight presentations in both physical and virtual formats.

Silke’s background includes a Master’s in South African and International Politics from the University of Cape Town, where he also taught. He served in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament and held leadership roles in economic development. As a speaker, Silke’s client roster includes Bank of America, Marriott, PwC, and Deloitte, among many others, and he has delivered insights at global forums like the World Travel Forum and the African & Arabian Hotel & Investment Forum.

He has lectured at U.S. universities, contributed to GLG in New York, and served on Duke Corporate Education panels. His commentary features in international media outlets, including the BBC, Sky Australia, and Bloomberg, and he regularly contributes to Fin24/News24 and The Sunday Times. His published book, Tracking the Future, explores trends shaping South Africa and the world.

Neil Hughes

Managing Director - Providence Hotels

Neil Hughes is a distinguished leader with over 25 years of experience in the hotel and hospitality sector across Southern Africa, Africa, and the Indian Ocean Islands.

His extensive expertise spans hotel operations, business development, commercial revenue optimisation, and strategic advisory services. Neil's deep understanding of the industry, coupled with his ability to drive business growth, has made him a sought-after expert in both the operational and commercial facets of the hospitality business.

In addition to his hands-on experience, Neil is known for his leadership in managing teams and executive office structures, where he consistently fosters environments that prioritise efficiency, innovation, and high performance. His strategic vision and operational acumen have been instrumental in the successful turnaround and growth of numerous hospitality establishments.

Neil is also actively involved in shaping the future of hospitality in South Africa through his role on the FEDHASA Cape board of directors, as well as other influential hospitality-related advisory boards who frequently require his advice. His contributions to these boards reflect his commitment to advancing the industry and ensuring that it remains competitive and resilient in a rapidly changing global market.

Widely recognised as a leading figure in the South African hospitality sector, Neil continues to influence and inspire, leveraging his vast experience to mentor the next generation of industry professionals and to contribute to the sustainable growth of the hospitality landscape both globally and within the region in which he operates.

Michael Puffett

Senior Partnerships Manager, Africa - Profitroom

For over 20 years, Michael has been developing and training leaders and entrepreneurs around the world. Having resided in the UK for 16 years and presented leadership training in over 25 countries, he has a wealth of international experience and practical know how. Working with government departments, businesses, corporates, NPO's as well as sports teams to build leaders, strengthen companies, envision and inspire.

Michael is an adventurer at heart, together with a small overland team he has driven in a 4x4 from London, UK to Cape Town in South Africa, climbed Kilimanjaro and visited 66 countries.

Cheri Hughes

Head of Revenue Optimisation - Providence Hotels

Cheri holds an LLB from the University of Stellenbosch and an MBA from the Graduate School of Business in Cape Town and has experience working with well known hospitality brands such as Protea Hotels by Marriot, Tsogo Sun, The Cape Grace Hotel, The Saxon Hotel and Singita to name a few.

Heading up Revenue Optimisation for Providence Hotels in South Africa, Cheri brings experience from working within a variety of disciplines in the hospitality industry to her role. These commercial roles range from marketing and revenue management experience to the brokerage of hotel asset acquisitions and strategic consulting.

Cheri believes in continually empowering those around her to become the best versions of themselves and she firmly believes that through this extraordinary companies can be created.

Stephen Rushmore Jr.

MAI, FRICS

President and CEO at HVS

Stephen, President and CEO of HVS, leads the company’s long-term strategy, overseeing the operations of over 50 offices worldwide. Since its founding in 1980, HVS has provided consulting services and solutions to thousands of clients across more than 140 countries, specializing in hotels, restaurants, mixed-use developments, shared ownership, and leisure assets.
Stephen holds several designations, including Member of the Appraisal Institute (MAI), state-certified appraiser and licensed real estate broker in New York, and Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS). 

He has personally valued and consulted on hundreds of hotels globally and is a frequent lecturer at major hotel schools and professional associations. A proud alumnus of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, Stephen brings deep industry expertise to his work.
Beyond his professional life at HVS, Stephen is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO). He enjoys golf, hiking, cycling, and, as an instrument-rated pilot, flying small airplanes with his family.

Glyn Taylor

Chief Executive Officer - Oasis Life

Originally qualifying as a chef in 1993, thereafter transitioning into management, Glyn’s hospitality career includes various GM positions at several revered establishments throughout Southern Africa.

After a few years of successfully operating in the GM space, Glyn was then promoted to a Regional Management post, overseeing 5 hotels in the Western Cape, he completed his tenure with the Three cities group as Group Operations Director, overseeing 45 hotels, lodges across Southern Africa. After acquiring several years of executive level management experience, Glyn qualified as a Certified Hotel Administrator through the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute.

Glyn was then approached by the Rabie Property Group, one of Southern Africa’s leading development companies, to assist with the predesign and technical services of the Century City Conference Centre and Hotel, once designed, Glyn was offered
the role of joint CEO which he fulfilled for the following 8 years.

As a parallel exercise, the Rabie Property Group made a strategic decision to enter the Retirement space by developing Estates based on the Life Right Model. Given the similarities of this model with that of the hospitality sector, Glyn was approached
to head up Oasis Life as group CEO, the company has already grown its asset base more than R 1.25 billion marker with 365 front doors, the aim is to double this over the next 3 years.

Leigh Myles

Regional Director, Africa - Profitroom

Meet Leigh Myles, a visionary leader with over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, specializing in sustainable technology solutions. Leigh is passionate about helping hoteliers thrive in the digital age by leveraging cutting-edge tools to increase direct bookings, boost revenue, and streamline operations.

Her expertise spans strategic marketing, business development, and team leadership, consistently delivering award-winning campaigns and forging valuable partnerships. With a goal-oriented approach and strong communication skills, Leigh is the ideal partner for hoteliers looking to optimise their operations and embrace modern hospitality innovations.

Established in 1995, Erinvale is a low-density Estate with 419 properties built on 284 hectares of land; offering breath-taking views of the Hottentots Holland Mountains, the Helderberg Mountain and False Bay.

Erinvale is situated in the heart of the Helderberg; surrounded by natural beauty, close to excellent local schools and amenities and enabled with high-speed fibre optic internet. It is located just 30 minutes away from Cape Town International Airport and the city of Cape Town itself.