Dear prospective student,
It is with profound gratitude and enduring pride that I reflect upon my time at The International Butler Academy, where I completed the distinguished eight-week curriculum and graduated with Distinction (976/1000) on August 1, 2008. More than seventeen years later, TIBA remains the pivotal cornerstone of my professional life and, remarkably, of my family’s multi-generational commitment to excellence in service.
The true genius of The International Butler Academy lies far beyond the impressive technical curriculum—silver service, protocol, household management, or valet skills—valuable as these are. Its deepest and most lasting gift is the mindset it instills: a rigorous intellectual and ethical framework for pursuing perfection in every detail. As Leonardo da Vinci observed, “Details make perfection, and perfection is not a detail”. TIBA does not merely teach tasks; it forges a permanent mental discipline that equips one to anticipate, adapt, and excel in any situation, no matter how complex or unforeseen. This intellectual and moral “fitness” has guided every decision I have made since leaving Huize Damiaan.
Immediately after graduation, I returned to my established career as a Household Manager (a role I had held since the late 1990s) for several ultra-high-net-worth principals, applying TIBA standards with renewed precision and confidence. A few years later, armed with the Academy’s philosophy of unobtrusive yet anticipatory service, I founded and successfully operated my own boutique hotel in Asia, where the same principles of rigor, discretion, and meticulous care produced exceptional guest experiences and lasting commercial success.
Yet the influence of TIBA extends even further. My young son, who accompanied me to the graduation ceremony in 2008, witnessed firsthand the extraordinary standards set by Mr. Wennekes and the entire faculty. That single day profoundly shaped his own path. Inspired by what he saw, he pursued elite hospitality training in France, served with distinction at the Présidence de la République Française during President Hollande’s tenure, and today holds a managerial position with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. He continues to express his firm intention to one day attend The International Butler Academy himself when his professional commitments allow.
The International Butler Academy does not simply train butlers; it transforms lives and, as my family’s story illustrates, creates legacies that span generations. If you seek more than a certificate—if you desire a permanent standard of excellence that will elevate every aspect of your professional and personal life—I can think of no finer investment than the demanding yet profoundly rewarding weeks spent at TIBA.
I remain deeply honored to be counted among its ambassadors.
Sincerely,
Gilles Collo – France
Graduate with Distinction, The International Butler Academy – August 2008