THE ALMOND RESORTS INC. board of directors has appointed William Monty Cumberbatch to the position of acting chief executive effective May 1.
The appointment comes as long-standing CEO Ralph Taylor prepares to leave the company on Monday.
During the transition phase, Cumberbatch will oversee the imminent closure of Almond Beach Village as well as assume the leadershipof the Almond Beach Club and Almond Casuarina, a release noted.
Cumberbatch is a career hospitality manager with 31 years’ experience in the hotel and tourism sector. He joined Almond Resorts Inc. (ARI) at the start-up of Barbados’ first all-inclusive hotel, Almond Beach Club, where he was responsible for the daily running of the161-room hotel with direct responsibility for the food and beverage operations.
Later, when ARI expanded with the acquisition of the 346-room Almond Beach Village, Cumberbatch was promoted to executive assistant manager and then director of hotel operations, a position he held for six years until his promotion to the position of regional director of hotel operations.
Cumberbatch holds an MBA from the University of Bradford in Britain and professional certification in several hospitality and managementprogrammes. He has interests in sports, serving as manager of the National Squash teams. He is also a member of the Barbados Golf Association and the Barbados Cricket Association.
The board expressed confidence in Cumberbatch’s ability to manage Almond Resorts’ properties during this transition and thanked himfor taking up the challenge. (PR)
