GERALD “ JERRY ”
INZERILLO
CEO , DIRIYAH GATE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY , RIYADH , VICE CHAIRMAN , FORBES TRAVEL GUIDE
Over the course of his five-decade career in the industry , Inzerillo has shown deep aptitude for positioning strategies and iconic developments , been a champion of its people , and the creative and logistical mind behind some of the world ’ s most innovative luxury brands .
In June 2018 , Inzerillo was appointed by HRH The Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to be the founding CEO of the newly created Diriyah Gate Development Authority , ( DGDA ), a US $ 20 billion-plus giga-project aimed at restoring and reimagining the ancestral home of the original Saudi state . He is charged with developing and implementing a master plan to turn 67 square kilometers into a gathering place encompassing cultural , entertainment , retail , hospitality , educational , religious , office and residential assets , with the UNESCO World Heritage site of At-Turaif as its center point .
Inzerillo also serves as vice chairman of the Forbes Travel Guide , which presents
The Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Awards . As CEO of Forbes Travel Guide from 2014 to 2018 , Inzerillo expanded the North American company ’ s international footprint to more than 100 countries .
Inzerillo was president and CEO of IMG Artists , the global artist management , performing arts and lifestyle events planning company , from 2012 to 2014 . At IMG Artists , he directed global strategies for music , events , festivals , government consulting , and artist and facility management businesses .
From 1991 to 2011 , Inzerillo was president of Kerzner Entertainment Group , where he raised the profile and positioning of its properties in South Africa , the Bahamas , Dubai , Morocco , Mauritius , Mexico and the Maldives , as well as conceptualized and positioned the start-up of its One & Only and Atlantis brands . He oversaw the now legendary launches of The Lost City at Sun City in South Africa , Atlantis in the Bahamas and Atlantis , Dubai .
From 1991 to 1996 , Inzerillo served as COO of Sun City , the South African resort complex built by Sol Kerzner . While in South Africa , he enjoyed a close personal friendship with President Nelson Mandela . In 1994 , Inzerillo coordinated major portions of Mandela ’ s Presidential Inauguration in South Africa .
In 1987 , he was the founding president and CEO of Morgans Hotel Group , later rebranded as Ian Schrager Hotels . While there , he conceptualized and opened Morgans , Royalton and Paramount in New York City , New York ; the Delano in Miami Beach , Florida ; and Mondrian in Los Angeles , California .
In his personal life , Inzerillo has long been involved with philanthropy , especially with causes pertaining to children , education and HIV / AIDS . In 1996 , the Knights of Malta honored him with knighthood . Inzerillo is also a founding advisory board member of the Clinton AIDS initiative .
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