Sibaya Casino’s Virath Gobrie crowned Sun International’s Top GM
From a weary casino to a world-class destination, Gobrie’s visionary leadership earns him top honours.
South Africa.- Sibaya Casino’s General Manager, Virath Gobrie, has been named Sun International’s General Manager for the Year 2024, a prestigious accolade that recognises not just a leader, but a game-changer. The announcement was made this week.
In just two years, Gobrie has taken the reins of a 20-year-old South African casino and steered it through a bold transformation. What was once a tired entertainment venue has been rejuvenated into a vibrant, contemporary space that now boasts new landscaping, a solar power project and revamped conferencing facilities.
“He has won back customers by enforcing a philosophy of service excellence, has significantly increased casino market share and repositioned Sibaya in the conferencing market by completely renovating the property’s facilities. Gobrie also introduced new food and beverage concepts and stepped up the rollout of meaningful community projects,” Sun International said in a statement.
Gobrie’s win was announced at Time Square, and it left him stunned.
“Before my name was called out, I had no expectation of being the top GM because my colleagues at other properties all work equally as hard. It didn’t sink in immediately, and I had to pinch myself,” he said, according to a report by MSN.
A trip to Las Vegas
With the title comes an educational trip to Las Vegas, where Gobrie will study how international casinos operate. But for the KZN Midlands-born leader, the real reward was the reaction from his team.
“When I got to King Shaka airport in Durban, I was surprised to see the management team were there to greet me… staff lined up along the boulevard to the casino, singing and dancing for me… even customers were singing,” he shared.
“This award is not for me – it’s for us, because you all stepped up to make me look good. In this industry, it’s our people that make this business.”
Having started as an accountant at Sibaya when it was just two months old, Gobrie’s journey has come full circle. Yet, his passion is far from spent.
“This place is special. This industry is special and Sun International is special… and I still have so much more to give and to achieve.”
Under his leadership, Sibaya didn’t just win top GM, it also scooped the group’s Sustainability Award, solidifying its comeback as one of Sun International’s star performers.
