A R21bn fintech empire hides inside Pepkor. Plus: The last old-school hotelier passes the keys artwork
Bruce Whitfield’s Business Week

A R21bn fintech empire hides inside Pepkor. Plus: The last old-school hotelier passes the keys

Jul 23, 2026 · 00:34:14

In this episode, Arthur Gillis, the last of the old-school hoteliers, reflects on 50 years in the industry, growing Protea Hotels from four properties to 116 across seven countries, negotiating its R2 billion sale to Marriott in 2014, and now handing the keys of Platinum Hospitality Holdings to his son Anton after deliberately leaving the room during the board process that appointed him. Patrick S…