Norma Kennedy
Experience Creator. People Person.
I'm an events, hospitality and operations manager with more than ten years' experience leading luxury hospitality operations, large-scale events and multidisciplinary teams.
I connect people and help create unforgettable experiences. I notice the small things that make guests feel welcome, and I love building the relationships with clients, suppliers and teams that bring every occasion together.
Where I've worked
- 2023 to presentDelken ProjectsDirector, Operations and Administration
- 2023 to presentIndependent Hospitality and Events ConsultantSpecialist event management for Boschendal, and hospitality support at Laborie
- 2014 to 2023Boschendal Wine EstateAdministrative Assistant, Wedding Administrator, Wedding Coordinator, Events Services Manager, and finally Food & Beverage and Events Manager (Retreat Division)
What I bring
Education
Tertiary studiesRhodes University, 2002 to 2006
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) studiesUniversity of South Africa, part-time, with the majority of coursework completed
Highlights
- Five promotions in nine years at Boschendal, one of South Africa's leading luxury hospitality and wine destinations.
- Peak-season delivery: I planned and ran four to six events a week, including weddings, corporate events, conferences, private functions and luxury guest experiences for up to 300 guests.
- Teams and guests: I led hospitality, food and beverage and events teams across seven venues, with guest satisfaction ratings averaging 9 out of 10.
- Suppliers and budgets: I managed relationships with more than 50 suppliers and food and beverage budgets of up to R400,000 per event, supporting divisional revenues of up to R5 million.
- High-profile events: I was senior operational lead at conferences and events of up to 150 delegates.
- Trusted to return: Boschendal re-engaged me as a specialist events consultant after my permanent role.
Hosting is my love language.
Talk to Norma
Tell me about the occasion you're planning, or the team you'd like to develop. Let's raise the bar!
OpsHQ brings together three specialists. Meet Rykie, who leads strategy and senior operations, and Liezel, who handles the operational and administrative side.