Mr. Ayub Kato
Managing Partner, Smiling Faces International · Hospitality · Service Excellence · Technology · Leadership
A career built across service, operations and technology.
Ayub Kato is a hospitality, service excellence and technology executive with more than 20 years of leadership experience across Africa and the United States.
His professional journey began as a Security Guard at Sheraton Kampala Hotel in Uganda and progressed through hotel operations to General Manager-level leadership, including management experience with Marriott, Hilton and InterContinental hotels in the United States.
Today, as Managing Partner of SFI, he works at the intersection of hospitality, customer experience, operational standards, technology and capacity building.
From frontline service to multi-country leadership.
Early Hospitality Career
Started in hospitality at Sheraton Kampala Hotel, building a first-hand understanding of frontline service and hotel operations.
International Hospitality Leadership
Progressed into hotel management in the United States, including management experience associated with Marriott, Hilton and InterContinental hotels.
Technology & Operations
Expanded into managed network services, technology operations and multi-country programme leadership through Computer Frontiers and related assignments.
Continental Consulting
Today leads SFI engagements across service excellence, operational consulting, quality assurance, training and executive development.
Cross-functional experience
Hospitality Standards
Service excellence, SOPs, quality assurance and guest experience.
Training & Capacity Building
Facilitation, executive coaching and practical skills transfer.
Operational Consulting
Yield management, recipe economics, food-waste reduction and service redesign.
Technology & IT Services
Managed network services, HMS deployment and technology-enabled operations.
Methods designed for practical implementation.
S.T.A.R.S Leadership Framework
A leadership framework built around Strength, Talent, Attitude, Resolution and Success.
Zero-Defect Room Inspection
A five-zone housekeeping methodology designed to strengthen consistency and room-inspection discipline.
- Entrance & Closet
- Bathroom
- Bedroom
- Windows & Balcony
- Safety
Experience across hospitality and technology-enabled services.
ARSO / Afreximbank
2026 Service Excellence Standard Training programme across Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Ghana.
Enabel — Lira
Hospitality capacity building and practical service-delivery training.
Google Fiber
Project management in Uganda and Ghana spanning HR, administration, budgeting, training and market expansion.
Kingdom of Lesotho
Leadership of the team that developed and deployed the national e-Visa service and contact-centre operations.
Connected across business, technology and professional communities.
