User:Gerard J. Inzerillo (Jerry)

Gerard J. Inzerillo

Gerard J Inzerillo is chief Executive Officer of The Forbes Travel Guide (FTG). Formally Mobil Travel Guide, the originator of the prestigious Five Star rating system and the Travel Industry’s most comprehensive ratings and reviews of Hotels, Restaurants and Spas since 1958. Forbes Travel Guide is the gold standard for Luxury Hospitality worldwide offering curated experiences from Forbes Travel Partners. ForbesTravelGuide.com is the foremost exclusive online destination for the Forbes Travel Guide list of Star Rated Hotels, Restaurants and Spas. Recruited as CEO to spearhead the global expansion and re branding of the Five Stars as well as develop the foremost online site for luxury travel as the worldwide tourism industry continues to grow.

From 2012 – 2014 Gerard Inzerillo served as the President and CEO of IMG Artists (IMGA), the global leader in artist management, performing arts and events planning. At IMGA, Inzerillo directed global strategies for the company's music, events, festivals, government consulting, and artist & facility management businesses. IMG Artists manages the careers of over 500 artists and participated as producer, agent, manager and promoter for 25,000 musical performances and  events annually.

Jerry, as he is known by most in the business, is a visionary known for his trademark innovation and his extensive network of contacts in tourism, hospitality, entertainment and business, cultivated during his four decades as a manager and executive in the hospitality and entertainment industries. During his storied career, Inzerillo has developed some of the worlds most famous and successful lifestyle brands in tourism and entertainment. His stewardship has been instrumental in the success of breakthrough hotel properties such as Atlantis and One&Only Resorts, Ian Schrager Hotels, Four Seasons, and Hilton Hotels.

Before coming to IMGA, Inzerillo was president of Kerzner Entertainment Group, where he served from 1991 to 2011. While there, Inzerillo was responsible for raising the visibility of the company and the profile of its properties in The Bahamas, Dubai, the Indian Ocean, Mexico and Morocco, as well as conceptualized and positioning it’s One&Only Resorts brand. Inzerillo oversaw the production and launch of several legendary property openings, including the opening of the billion dollar Phase III of Atlantis in The Bahamas in May of 2007 and the $1.5 billion Atlantis–Dubai on Palm Island in 2008, which received worldwide media coverage and was featured on the cover of TIME Magazine.

From 1991 to 1996, Inzerillo served as Chief Operating Officer of Sun City, the unique 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 Mr. Mandela's Presidential Inauguration in South Africa.

In 1987, he joined the Morgan Hotel Group as founding President and Chief Executive Officer, later rebranded Ian Schrager Hotels under founders Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell. While there, he conceptualized, opened and positioned such avant-garde properties as Morgan’s, The Royalton, and Paramount in New York; the historic Delano hotel in Miami Beach, and the Mondrian hotel in Los Angeles.

In his personal life, Jerry has long been involved in philanthropy, especially with respect to children, education and HIV/AIDS. He was honored with a knighthood by the Knights of Malta in Rome, Italy, in 1996. Inzerillo is also a founding advisory board member of the Clinton AIDS initiative and sits on the board of the Andre Agassi Foundation and ANSA – Artists for a New South Africa. His position and many relationships in the entertainment industry, led Jerry to a cameo appearance as himself in the James Bond film, Casino Royale.

Mr. Inzerillo resides in New York City with his wife, former CNN news anchor Prudence Solomon, and their daughter, Helena Zakade, who was named by her godfather, Nelson Mandela.