'The best job in the world': New V&A Waterfront CEO on running the precinct and development plans

The V&A Waterfront precinct embarked on a leadership transition at the start of the year, when Graham Wood took over from David Green who'd been running the iconic Cape Town destination for 17 years.

Stephen Grootes talks to the new chief about the career journey that led him to the V&A top job, which Wood says "must be the best in the world".

The new CEO has a strong background in hospitality and tourism, including senior positions with Sun International and Valor Hospitality Partners.

Wood says he joined Sun International for the first of his two stints there, at Sun City, "to play golf!".

The "Durban boy" graduated with a BCom in Accounting and Finance from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, followed by an honours degree through UNISA.

After completing his articles and a year with Deloitte as a tax consultant, Wood took a break to travel and recalls how a conversation with a friend in London led him to Sun City on his return to South Africa.

"I was an avid golfer and still am, and when my friend asked what I wanted to do when I went back home, I said I'd like to start a golf tours business, but had no money. He suggested I get a job in the tourism industry and see what it's like, saying I should get a job at Sun City."

Back in SA, Wood checked the career section of the Sunday Times, which fortuitously showed an ad for a job at the resort.

"I joined Sun City as a project accountant and that's how my career started... I didn't join with a view that I wanted to be the CEO of Sun International or the Waterfront or anything like that."

"I thought I was going to Sun City to play golf! Then I had a boss who really taught me a lot and I cut my teeth in the industry."

By this stage Wood knew that didn't really want to be an accountant and wanted to go into leadership.

When his second stint with Sun International came around, Wood says he was given the opportunity at the age of 32 to actually run Sun City.

"I had no idea what to do for the first few months, but I was lucky - it was 2003 and we got that surge of tourism and economic growth. We were lucky in the tourism space and I was lucky enough to be on that ride."

Wood likens his latest role as CEO of the V&A to that of a conductor.

"I was saying to somebody the other day that I actually think I have the best job in the world because it's a melting pot of so many different experiences... We have a great team and my role is really just to help those experts and those disciplines perform... to bring them together and help them collaborate more to create an amazing experience for our visitors."

While the precinct is certainly known by international visitors, the V&A still has a lot of work to do in creating more brand awareness, Wood says.

This is not only for the world tourist, but also for the domestic visitor, he emphasizes. Of the 25 million visits a year at the V&A, the majority are still South Africans.

"They're from upcountry, and then a very number of Capetonians actually visit the Waterfront as well. It's important to make sure that we stay inclusive for locals, but the greatest proportion of spend comes from a smaller number of international visitors."

Aside from building the brand, also taking up his attention are all the physical development projects on the go as part of the precinct's-build out plan for the next 10-20 years, which includes more land reclamation and a super yacht basin.

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Part of the rationale of creating a new bay is to bring a connection of people to the water, linking the Sea Point Promenade to the city via Granger Bay, he says.

Wood also highlights the priority of creating more employment.

"There are five or six live projects at the moment and a pipeline for the future... 30,000 people come to work every day, so the question is how we get that to 50,000 or 60,000; how we support small business as part of  the precinct and continue to innovate and create a world class experience."

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the in-depth interview with the V&A Waterfront CEO