About

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Sandals Resorts International

Adam Stewart is Executive Chairman of Sandals and Beaches Resorts, the company founded by his late father, the Hon. Gordon “Butch” Stewart, only the second Chairman in the company’s 40-year history. He assumed the role after working alongside his father for more than two decades, serving as Chief Executive Officer of Sandals Resorts International and, most recently, Deputy Chairman, leading the brand’s transition to its now Luxury Included® signature and overseeing a period of great expansion that also introduced the region’s first over-the-water accommodations and adding resorts in the new destinations of Curaçao and Saint Vincent. His efforts have been recognised by numerous hospitality industry awards including being named the 2015 Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Hotelier of the Year.

Born in 1981, the same year his father Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart purchased his first hotel and launched the Sandals Resorts chain, Stewart was raised in Jamaica and later graduated from the acclaimed Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University in Miami. After graduation, Stewart underwent a fast-track immersion course through the company’s Caribbean-wide resort operations, which today comprises 24 resorts across three brands and ten islands, with plans to expand to more islands in the near future.

Along with his father, Stewart’s leadership has earned the company international acclaim including being named The World Travel Awards’ Leading Luxury All-Inclusive Company for 25 consecutive years, and has resulted in Stewart being personally recognised as the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association’s Hotelier of the Year 2015, World Travel Awards’ Rising Star, Caribbean World’s Travel and Tourism Personality of the Year and receiving the Distinguished Alumni Torch Award from FIU and The Gleaner Company’s Jamaica 50 under 50 Award. In October 2015, Stewart was also named the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s Hotelier of the Year.

An avid adventurer and lover of the sea, Stewart was inspired to share his passion for the Caribbean and launched the region’s premier tour company, Island Routes Caribbean Adventures, offering countless unique and exciting tour and adventure experiences throughout the region. Island Routes has since transformed from a small island outpost to a multiple World Travel-Award-winning company employing 200 people and offering hundreds of adventures in 12 countries.

In addition to his hospitality interests, Stewart is Executive Chairman of the family owned ATL Group comprising the Jamaica Observer, the country’s leading daily newspaper and Appliance Traders Limited a chain of domestic and commercial appliance outlets founded in 1968 and known for its exclusive distributorship of the world’s top electronic brands and ‘unbeatable’ customer service throughout Jamaica. Modernized under the younger Stewart’s leadership, the reenergized company now encompasses a broad spectrum of new sectors with international aspirations while still remaining faithful to the philosophy of service that the senior Stewart created many years ago. In 2018 the company celebrated its 50th anniversary as one of the largest private sector organisations in Jamaica, boasting over 750 employees nationwide.

In 2010, driven by his love for cars, Stewart changed the face of the automotive industry in Jamaica with the rapid expansion of ATL Automotive. With multi-million dollar distributorships and state-of-the-art service centers located in Kingston and Montego Bay, ATL Automotive boasted unrivaled sales and service of the Audi, Volkswagen and Honda brands. ATL Autobahn was formed in 2016 under the ATL Automotive umbrella as the local dealer and regional master dealer for BMW and MINI for the Caribbean region. In 2017, the iconic brand Porsche was launched under ATL Motorsports and the South Korean global superbrand Kia began operations under ATL Tiger Automotive brand in March 2018.

In August 2016, ATL Automotive announced a game changing tri-brand franchise partnership with the world’s largest car rental company, Enterprise Holdings Inc. – the first ever of its kind – that saw the Alamo, National and Enterprise brands represented at four locations throughout Jamaica including prime spots at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay and Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston and in each city centre.

Expanding his holdings, in May 2017, Stewart oversaw the introduction of the Starbucks® brand to Jamaica when he partnered with Margaritaville Caribbean Group to form Caribbean Coffee Traders Limited and entered into a licensing agreement with the Starbucks Coffee Company. The agreement granted Stewart’s group the exclusive rights to own and operate Starbucks® stores throughout Jamaica. There are now three Starbucks outlets in Jamaica in Montego Bay, Falmouth and Kingston.

Despite being one of the most prominent young businessmen in the region, Adam Stewart remains a proud Jamaican and citizen of the Caribbean, dedicating much of his time to elevating the islands he calls home. In 2009, he founded the Sandals Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the aim of uniting the region under one common goal: to uplift its people through education and protect its delicate ecosystems. The Sandals Foundation, where he serves as President, harnesses the resources, talents, partnerships and awareness behind the Sandal brand to tackle a myriad of issues affecting the Caribbean. One hundred percent of the monies contributed by the general public to the Sandals Foundation go directly to programmes benefiting the region.

In 2013, Stewart was named Ambassador of the Caribbean SickKids Paediatric Cancer and Blood Disorder Project. The not-for-profit collaboration between Canada’s renowned Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and various institutions across six Caribbean islands, works to provide the best possible management for pediatric cancer and to improve outcomes for children affected by cancers and serious blood disorders in the region. Stewart also founded and sits as Chairman of We Care for Cornwall Regional Hospital, a local non-profit organization that brings together Montego Bay-based individuals to raise funds and improve the facilities of the city’s Cornwall Regional Hospital. In 2018, Stewart was honoured with the Ambassador for the Poor Award by the Food for the Poor at its 23rd Annual Building Hope Gala for his efforts to help impoverished communities in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.

Underlining his reputation as a staunch advocate of education, Stewart established the internationally accredited private sector educational institute, the Sandals Corporate University/ATL Academy of Excellence. Launched in early 2012, the Sandals Corporate University (SCU) pushes the boundaries of distance learning in the Caribbean with over 5,000 team members enrolling in the University to date, and the resorts and companies themselves reaching new levels of excellence. The SCU is the hospitality sector’s first adult education programme for Caribbean nationals employed by the Sandals/ATL Group and is underscored by the company’s well-documented training and development of a world-class team; and Stewart’s ambitious leadership in offering guests and clients unprecedented experiences.

In 2016, Stewart received the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) for outstanding contribution to tourism and the hotel industry. The Order of Distinction is a national honour conferred by the Government of Jamaica upon citizens who render outstanding and important services to the country. He was also named the 2016 Caribbean American Mover & Shaker – Humanitarian of the Year from the Caribbean Media Network. In June 2017, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) honoured Stewart with the Jerry Award for his demonstrated passion in the development of the Caribbean region through time, energy, financial and other personal and professional resources.

Stewart recently concluded a three-year stint as 1st Vice President of the Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association and currently chairs the country's Tourism Linkages Council, which seeks to enhance the capacity and competitiveness of local suppliers, making the strength of tourism work for all.

Adam and his wife Jill are proud parents to son Aston and daughters Sloane and Camden.