Since you took over as president of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc. what are your most proud moments with the company?
My first job as being the CEO to this organisation is to make everyone feel proud, because we are coming together to create a team. After six months after my appointment, I wanted to discover new things and make the company more popular. I decided to take a huge risk and organise a spectacular event inside the Imperial Palace within the Forbidden Palace of Beijing, I remember the moment of being with my team, in front of 2,000 guests — including 1,000 general managers and owners and also 30 celebrities, trying to showcase to the market how big we are — and how big we should be in the future.
I’m also quite proud that we have quite literally expanded from 700 hotels to 1,500 hotels since the time I have joined over five years ago. It makes not only myself, but my entire China team feel extremely proud.
Under your leadership Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc. has become the first international hotel group to operate over a thousand hotels in China, what are the key factors that drove this expansion?
We became the largest hotel operator in China with 1,500 hotels but we haven’t stopped yet, it is our goal and our ambition to reach 2,000 hotels within three years. We are always facing a multiple choice, first we must make the right decision, second keep a clear focus and finally, make it happen.
I think that having such a great team and a high-potential market is a privilege to us. Once we set our direction and focus with a strong team we can make things happen successfully. We really listen to what’s happening in the market – particularly with the younger generation. We want to position ourselves as a game changer, to be different than our competitive friends.
Why do you think makes your business models with Wyndham has been so successful with Chinese guests?
The first mission we offer to the market is to listen to what the younger generation wants from us, so amongst our brands that are already on offer we want to provide newer ones as well. We want to be a social hub for younger people to meet each other, making the change from spending time in coffee shops and bars to being entertained in the hotel lobby. With these innovative changes and offers we have become more popular to younger people.
Can you tell us a bit about your management philosophy?
Being a boss is just a title, the most important thing is to share your passion with your team to make them motivated, follow your focus and you as a leader, then you can make things happen.
Thank you.
Text: Bailey Atkinson