EP Perspective March 2017

EP | PERSPECTIVE March 2017 • Issue 03
HUMAN TRAFFICKING ARE WE
LARGELY DEFENCELESS?
March 2017 • Issue 03 • £5.00 • epmagazine.co.uk
Defining Bleisure
A concept core to expansion, culture and customer service
JONATHAN STAPLETON A VISION INTO
THE FUTURE FOR LUXURY HOSPITALITY
THE LEELA PALACES THE STORY
OF THE FOUNDING OF JAMAVAR

How can cities make
themselves more hospitable?
7th April 2017
EP and eHotelier are bringing together an international audience
to explore what we all need to do for the future – and we want you
involved. Terrorism brings with it fear which impacts the entire
industry, so what role should hospitality play?
Leaders of the sector must now come together to discuss and
debate the future. Don’t miss this unique and first of its kind event.
Tickets £250 plus vat. For more
information and to book, please visit
www.ehotelier.com/event/hospitable-cities
or contact Lauran.Bush@epmagazine.co.uk

Welcome
Editor: Ben Butler
ben.butler@epmagazine.co.uk
EP: 4 Lombard Street, London EC3V 9HD
020 7933 8760
www.epmagazine.co.uk
© 2016 EP magazine is owned by Chess Executive Ltd.
Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of
the information contained in the publication.
Reproduction or use of this material without
permission of Chess Executive Ltd is prohibited.
The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily
those of the editor/publisher.
Design
Domino 4 Limited
www.domino4.co.uk
Advertising
Ben Butler 020 7933 8763
ben.butler@epmagazine.co.uk
Print
Pensord 01495 223721
www.pensord.co.uk
Photography
Nick Dawe
nick@nickdawe.co.uk
online
Why not get involved online?
Check out a wealth of articles from
EP magazine on our website:
www.epmagazine.co.uk/archive/magazine
Find out more about EP’s Entrepreneurs Club
www.epmagazine.co.uk/networks/
the-entrepreneurs-club
View other EP magazines www.epmagazine.co.uk
Follow us... @EPmagazineuk
There is no doubting that 2016 was a year of shocks
and few experts were accurate in their forecasting.
It was fascinating and at times worrying to observe
results which went against the so-called solid
predictions. In this issue of Perspective we look
at why this has happened and what challenges lie
ahead in 2017. Has the hospitality industry simply
forgotten the basics and have many principles been
lost to a sluggish attitude?
The argument is that the hotel industry has become
so confident in itself that the market has been caught off guard twice in the last decade – the
Airbnb model has posed a serious challenge and online innovators have grabbed a massive slice
of the market. It is predicted that this will grow to nearly half the market in the next 5 to 7 years
– few forecasted this growth.
Therefore new ideas are needed to ensure no one is left behind as change takes place at
quickening speeds. Is there now a need for a marriage between the experienced businesses
and the young entrepreneurial talent coming into the sector? Do we need to free up potential
leaders in hospitality and can this be achieved through internal think tanks and exploring
innovative thinking?
Our front cover features Gioele Camarlinghi surrounded by the wonderful sculptures his
Melia Hotel displays during an ‘ArtRooms’ showcase. For visibility to customers and the
surrounding community, adding an inspirational value through art and culture can bring
numerous opportunities. Whilst trying something different can support a hotel to really stand
out in the market, other demanding topics are around the corner. A complex and difficult issue
is the vulnerability of trafficking of human beings. Is the hospitality sector perceived to be
largely defenceless and sometimes even complicit to the activities of human tracking?
Strong cultures and good leaders, aligned to objectives, are now needed. Some have forgotten
this and that real strength lies with depth and numerous leaders across a hotel. There are
looming challenges ahead, it is time to prepare.
MEET THE TEAM
Chris Sheppardson Sara Stewart Nick Sheppardson Lauran Bush Natalia Latorre Sarah Freeman
epmagazine.co.uk | 3

Contents
March 2017 • Issue 03 • epmagazine.co.uk
08
24
34
46
COMMENT
11 Leasehold commercial property: The Pitfalls
Niall McCann, Partner at Joelson examines how businesses
can avoid common mistakes.
17 Finders Keepers?
Peter Davies, WMT Chartered Accountants, considers how
the hospitality industry is dealing with the staffing crisis.
20 Marriage of leadership teams and
young innovators
EP asks are we brave enough to think differently?
22 When the levy comes into play
Bob Cotton and Miles Quest argue that the levy will not
achieve its purpose.
24 Who plays the lead role in social change?
Both entrepreneurs and hotel general managers will
play a role.
27 “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”
The company name and brand can no longer do the legwork.
31 Looming challenges
IndiCater looks at the immediate challenges facing the sector.
38 The problem is: you don’t know what
the problem is
Heather Gibson asks how do you successfully create
a new business model in a sea of disruption?
INNOVATION
26 Technology can replace hospitality
When and how will technology impact the industry?
32 Upside down, inside out
EP looks at how we may need to re-engineer hospitality.
40 Connecting the kitchen
Winnow explain how the Pullman Dubai Creek City
Centre & Residence is getting smarter on food waste.
50 The era of social innovation
Who will lead the change agenda following a turbulent year?
FOOD & DRINK
44 The missing mindset
The Shangri-La Hotel looks at the lack of chefs with the
right approach for the job.
4 | Perspective | March 2017

28
EDUCATION
12 Do we do enough to develop leaders?
The education system may not teach the life skills
fundamental to leadership – so businesses need to be
prepared to step in.
43 The entrepreneur has changed
The education system is changing business, but maybe
not for the right reasons.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
08 From Mumbai to London
The story of the founding of Jamavar.
14 The 250th anniversary
The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa celebrates the
250th anniversary of Bath’s historic Royal Crescent this year.
18 Defining Bleisure
Melia Hotels International has honed the concept of
Bleisure and use it at the core of their offering.
48 Anticipating the next trend
Producing new experience within a hotel’s walls at W London.
INTERNATIONAL
28 Telling the sustainable story
Jumeriah Port Soller Hotel & Spa re strong advocates
of ‘eco-luxury’.
36 New to the game
The founders of Drake Bay Getaway Resort on leaving
high tech jobs and entering hospitality.
46 Preserving the past
The Vivaana Culture Hotel in India has been
meticulously restored.
SPECIAL FEATURE
06 Trafficking in the hotel industry
Is the hospitality industry largely defenceless?
34 Mind the skills and inequality gap
Atul Pant explains how his charitable organisation
provides life skills to underprivileged students.
42 Introducing the NED panel
A marriage of skills between the baby boomers and
emerging businesses.
epmagazine.co.uk | 5

SPECIAL FEATURE: HUMAN TRAFFICKING
TRAFFICKING
IN THE HOTEL
INDUSTRY
Is the hospitality sector perceived to be largely
defenceless and sometimes even complicit to
the activities of human trafficking?
REFAT MAMUTOV | 123RF.COM
Human trafficking may not be at the
forefront of worries for many hospitality
companies but it is, according to a new
guide, vulnerable to Tracking in Human
Beings (THB). All hotels, regardless of their
size, brand or location are susceptible.
Trafficking in human beings is a serious
risk for society as a whole and with hotels
often at the centre of communities, they
too are at danger. THB is growing and
although efforts are being made throughout
Europe to combat this criminal activity,
hotels must act now to ensure they are
reducing the risk of modern slavery taking
place on their properties.
A new guide named COMBAT addresses
the need for hotels to have practical steps
which they can take to reduce the risk of
human trafficking taking place on their
premises. The guide is the result of two
years of research by the University of
West London and three partners; Oxford
Brookes University, Lapland University of
Applied Science and the Ratiu Foundation
for Democracy and been funded with
support from the European Commission.
The European Union defines the
trafficking of human beings (THB) as
the recruitment, transportation, transfer
or harbouring of persons who are in a
position of vulnerability, using threat,
force or other forms of coercion for the
purpose of exploitation.
Although often associated with poor or
developed countries, the global criminal
activity actually happens everywhere and
6 | Perspective | March 2017

REFAT MAMUTOV | 123RF.COM
every country is a source, transit point or
destination for trafficking. Many countries
use different systems to collect data and so
the number of victims officially reported
through the organisations are just the ‘tip
of the iceberg’.
THB is considered to be the ‘slavery of
our times’ and it is estimated there are more
than 115,000 trafficked victims annually in
the European hospitality industry, however
the hidden nature of this crime means
actual numbers are likely to be much higher.
Recent research identifies that hotels,
restaurants and other F&B establishments
are increasingly used for both sexual and
labour exploitation. Hotels are the second
most popular venue for sex trafficking and
restaurants and bars are two of the most
popular venues for labour exploitation.
According to data collected by Eurostat
from EU member states, the majority
of THB victims are trafficked for sexual
exploitation (66%), followed by forced
labour (20%) and other forms of trafficking
(13%). The majority of victims are women
who are exploited for sexual purposes and
there has been an increase in the number of
male victims exploited for labour purposes.
Hotels are vulnerable because of many
of their characteristics and operational
practices:
n Strategically there may be a belief that
by admitting there may be a problem, the
business or brand reputation may be damaged.
n Hotels sometimes offer external ‘services’
to guests, this may be commissionable and
staff share in the proceeds.
n Employees may have a customer
orientation and willingly respond to customer
requests or demands without necessarily
considering the moral dimensions.
n Mobile and automated check-in systems
mean that the check-in process and room
access is not monitored.
n The privacy and anonymity normally
offered to guests provides a level of protection
for traffickers.
n Many employment practices: lack of
training on spotting signs of trafficking, use
of low or unskilled labour where legislation
and labour or human rights are unknown
to employees and the lack of protection
for potential ‘whistle blowers’ who report
suspected incidents.
The COMBAT guide includes thoughtprovoking
case studies of THB including the
following of a woman exploited for labour
purposes and forced to commit a criminal act.
The woman was given some basic training
and provided with a CV to use to apply for a
job at a city hotel’s reservations department.
They made sure she was presentable and with
the CV they gave her, she got the job. The
hotel took the address from the CV, which
wasn’t her real address – no one checked. She
THERE ARE POTENTIALLY:
n 93,480 victims of sex trafficking
in hotels
n 14,820 victims of forced or bonded
labour in restaurants and bars
n 6,840 victims of forced or bonded
labour in hotels
n In total, that means there are
potentially 115,140 annual victims of
human trafficking in the European
hospitality industry.
provided the hotel with a bank account which
she wasn’t able to access – no one checked,
because who would provide an account
they cannot access. At work, the traffickers
ordered her to change non-commissionable
room reservations into ones booked by
the traffickers ‘fake’ travel agency so that
commission could be paid directly into their
bank account. The women felt trapped and
had nowhere else to go. It was a relief for her
that the hotel found out what she had been
doing. Her story eventually came out in court
and shows the shocking exploits suffered.
Some UK hotels may feel they are not
impacted by trafficking but it is estimated
there are 32,000 trafficking victims in the
UK, but the true figure could be far higher.
The industry is vulnerable to falling victim
to incidences of human trafficking involving
guests and staff, what happens in plain
sight but is invisible if the warning signs are
not spotted.
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires
companies with global turnover of more than
£36m operating in the UK to take action to
ensure their operations and supply chain are
slavery-free. Governments are now applying
pressures on hotels and their staff in the
fight against human trafficking regardless of
whether hotels are unknowing or unwitting
participants or adopt a ‘head in the sand’
approach. Some bookers are demanding to
see positive anti-THB actions by hotel firms
prior to booking meetings or events.
Along with the legal obligations, hotel
companies have ethical and moral obligation
to combat THB. There are arguably few
resources to educate staff and put in place
measures which reduce risk but by being
associated with trafficking it can cause
significant damage and therefore a proactive
approach may be best.
Human trafficking is a significant and
ongoing issue and the COMBAT toolkit has
been mindfully put together as a reference
and training guide. More research is needed
for this significant and ongoing issue and to
eradicate modern slavery, hotels must now
start to reduce the risk of it taking place on
their properties.
With such a complex and difficult topic, it is important that a hotel has
a plan and a set of practical steps they can take. The COMBAT guide
includes a toolkit for training corporate and managerial hotels. The Polaris
Project 2015 study of ‘Human Trafficking and the Hotel Industry’ showed
how the issue manifested itself in the United States. Polaris, whilst founded
in the US and Japan, is one of the largest anti-trafficking organisations and
has a helpline for international support: +001 202 745 0190.
epmagazine.co.uk | 7

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: JAMAVAR
From Mumbai to London
– the story of the founding of Jamavar
In December last year, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts opened their first restaurant
on Mount Street in London, named Jamavar. EP met with Samyukta Nair, granddaughter
of the group’s founder, to learn more about their ambitions for the Group.
The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts are today recognised
around the world for their excellence and luxury operations.
Their story has always been individual and unique. The Leela
Hotels were founded in 1983 by Captain C. P. Krishnan Nair, who
named the group after his wife.
Captain Nair, as he was often referred to, was not a traditional
hospitality professional. He originally joined the Indian independence
movement at the age of 13. He traveled to Bangalore in 1942 to join
the Indian Army. His confidence impressed the recruiting officer
and he was recruited as wireless officer, and posted in Abbottabad
(in present-day Pakistan). He would later rise to rank of Captain in
the Maratha Light Infantry. In 1950, he married Leela, the daughter
of industrialist A.K Nair, after whom he would name his future hotel
chain. Nair resigned from the Indian Army in 1951 and helped to set
up the All India Handloom Board. He was instrumental in developing
and exporting the “Bleeding Madras” fabric, a subtly fragrant, handwoven
cotton printed with vegetable dyes, which became a fashion
rage in the United States.
In 1957, Nair was part of a delegation of the All India Handloom
Board to West Germany, which involved visits to Frankfurt, Cologne,
Munich and Hamburg. Following his stay at the Kempinski Hotel in
Budapest, he realised the need for a luxury hotel chain in India that
could measure up to international standards.
Nair established Hotel Leelaventure Ltd. in 1983, and began
construction of a hotel in Sahar on 4 acre plot of land that he owned,
and an additional 6.5 acres that he leased. The Leela Mumbai, was
launched in 1986.
In 1991 a second hotel was opened in Goa. The Leela Goa was
designed to keep the overall architecture in mind and has taken its
inspiration from Portuguese heritage. The luxury seaside resort is
spread over 75 acres of land in South Goa near Cavelossim Beach.
In 2001 the group’s first modern Palace hotel was built with 357
rooms, inspired by the Mysore Palace and the architecture of the
13th century Vijayanagara empire, and is surrounded by seven acres of
gardens. The Leela Group opened its second resort in 2005 – The Leela
Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram. By 2009, two more properties
were added to this portfolio: in Udaipur (Rajasthan) and Gurgaon.
The Leela Ambience Gurgaon is the group’s first non-owned,
managed property. The Leela Palace New Delhi opened in April 2011;
the palace is inspired by the work of Sir Edwin Lutyens. The Leela
Palace Chennai opened in August 2012, the city’s first sea-facing
Palace hotel, that reflects the opulence of Chettinad dynasty.
8 | Perspective | March 2017

OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM LEFT: LATE CAPTAIN
C. P. KRISHNAN NAIR, FOUNDER, THE LEELA PALACES,
HOTELS AND RESORTS; THE LEELA PALACE UDAIPUR
THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: JAYASRI BURMAN
ART IN THE MAIN DINING ROOM AND THE LOWER
GROUND FLOOR AT JAMAVAR; SAMYUKTA AND DINESH;
LOBSTER NEERULI; THE BAR AT JAMAVAR
“Our journey as a hospitality brand began with my grandfather
Late Captain CP Krishnan Nair.” Explains Samyukta, “He was
a former Captain in the army, known for transforming his own
circumstances, and those of the people who worked with him. His
long and diverse career saw him move from humble beginnings to a
respected army officer, and then from a successful textile exporter
to one of the leading hoteliers of the world. His journey began with
one hotel on the outskirts of Mumbai which he named after his
wife, my grandmother – Leela. In a short span of three decades,
his vision transformed The Leela into a network of nine awardwinning
properties that celebrate India’s diverse geography and rich
architectural history. My grandfather will always be my inspiration!“
In 2016, the group took a new turn with the opening of their
signature Indian restaurant Jamavar in London. The design and
ambience represent a fusion of India and London with its own
style. So, what has prompted the opening of Jamavar in London?
“My father, Dinesh Nair, is passionate about cuisines and he is the
driving force behind the entire F&B portfolio of The Leela Palaces,
which is much appreciated by our guests across India and around the
world. Over the last few years, we started seeing a growing demand
for sophisticated Indian gastronomy beyond our borders, which
prompted us to bring our signature Indian offerings to the forefront.
London being the world’s melting pot, it was our first choice. “
Samyukta is very open in her answers and in her approach. There
are no hidden sides but a genuine belief in what the group are striving
to achieve.
“Jamavar London takes an authentic approach to Indian cuisine.
On the menu are dishes that showcase the varied flavours of the Royal
Kitchens of North India along with succulent options from the shores
of the South. Behind every dish is a team of highly experienced chefs,
each a culinary master of a distinct regional cuisine. Our Executive Chef
Rohit Ghai, who has led several Indian Michelin starred kitchens in the
past, travelled through India for several months. Inspired by the street
food from the North and South, he has created innovative small plates,
keeping the sophisticated palate of London diners in mind. Also, while in
India his deep dive into the culinary wealth of The Leela has led to some
of the most popular dishes of Jamavar’s siblings in India like Lobster
Neeruli, Sidhi Ghost and Butter Chicken to be featured on the menu.
What are the hopes and aspirations for the restaurant and in London?
Celebration of cuisine is fundamental to The Leela Palaces, and
epmagazine.co.uk | 9

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: JAMAVAR
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: THE LEELA PALACE
CHENNAI TERRACE SWIMMING POOL; ALEBI CAVIAR;
SHAMI KEBAB WITH CHURCHUR PARATHA
Jamavar, our signature Indian restaurant, is the jewel in the crown.
Jamavar London being our first foray internationally, we have worked
hard to recreate the same standards of luxury and high quality that
Jamavar is trusted for and loved across India, and hope that our
efforts will resonate with London diners.
Opening in London is renowned to be difficult and especially for
those that have not operated in London. How was the process
and journey?
We opened under a tight deadline of five months and the journey had
had both great moments and great challenges. We were first slated to
open at the end of October but there were unforeseen delays. We had
not planned for an opening during holiday season, which is usually
not advisable given it is such a busy time of the year. But we opened on
December 1, and honestly, we are both surprised and thankful for the
positive response Jamavar London is receiving. “
Was the London opening a lead into opening a hotel at a later date?
The Leela has been voted the fifth best brand in a worldwide
2016 survey by the renowned Travel & Leisure USA, and we are
deeply thankful to our guests for recognising us. Our immediate
plans are to expand brand Leela into the Indian Ocean and the
Middle East.
Hotels and Resorts are renowned for their design and they bring
together heritage and legacy with the modern world. Their ethos and
hotels do mark them out as being different to other. What lies behind
their thinking towards the design of the hotels and the restaurant?
The Leela properties are India’s modern palaces, inspired by the rich
heritage and architectural history of each destination, and equipped
with world-class amenities and services. Each property is designed
to give our guests a deep sense of place. Once inside, museum-quality
art and artisanal craft is showcased in public spaces, which we view as
an ultimate gift of luxury to our guests. Every restaurant has a unique
identity and is designed to encapsulate a complete dining experience
that feeds all five senses. This same aesthetic and ethos extends to
Jamavar London which is designed by Fabled Studio, London, and
takes inspiration from the majestic Viceroy’s house in New Delhi. With
accents that draw on the ancient games of India combined with the
vibrant colours of Jamavar shawls, rainforest emperador marbles, dark
timber panelling, as well as a mirror embellished bar in celebration of
the Indian textile techniques, Jamavar London is a jewel that is befitting
of its surroundings in Mayfair.
The Hotels are also famed for the service levels – and the service
in London was exceptional – can you again tell me more about the
overall approach to people and development?
Our art of hosting guests reflects the centuries-old traditions of Indian
hospitality which believes in Atithi Devo Bhava that literally means
Guest is God. We take pride in creating truly personal and authentic
experiences for our guests, and showing a special regard for every
guest who crosses our threshold. And, I must add, we look for every
opportunity to convey the essence of India.
There is little doubt that the restaurant will be a success in London
and set a new benchmark for others to meet. However, it also builds
a greater awareness within London of the group. What strikes the
listener from both the interview and their overall approach is that
they understand that a guest’s stay is all about the experience and that
an exceptional experience creates something special which in turns
builds success and legacy.
10 | Perspective | March 2017

COMMENT: JOELSON
LEASEHOLD COMMERCIAL
PROPERTY: THE PITFALLS
Niall McCann, Partner at Joelson, examines
how businesses can avoid common mistakes when
it comes to acquiring the right premises.
I have seen it happen so many times.
An entrepreneur in the hospitality space
has an idea for a new concept. People
like it. A business plan is produced. The
numbers look good and funding is achieved.
It is champagne all round – job done. But
it is not…
Often the biggest hurdle is not these initial
stages but successfully acquiring suitable
premises. In a rush to open the new business,
here are some common mistakes and what
can be done to avoid them.
When is a low rent not a low rent?
Sometimes what is a low rent can change
significantly if the lease contains a rent
review clause where the rent is shortly due,
or even overdue, for assessment. Such clauses
tend to specify that the rent will only be
reviewed upwards and, whilst the new level
can be negotiated between the landlord’s
and tenant’s respective surveyors, the hike
in rent can be considerable. Any increase
is likely to be exacerbated if the area has
become gentrified in recent years with
rents of comparable properties increasing.
Ironically, whilst it is businesses which can
improve an area through investment and
hard work, they can end up paying for the
privilege via increased rents!
If a rent review is looming, the rent
review provisions in the lease should
be checked and advice sought from a
surveyor on comparable rents in the area
and the prospect of a significant increase
in the rent.
Surely the length of the lease does not
matter on a commercial unit?
A common misconception is that all
commercial leases are automatically
renewed at the end of the term by virtue of
the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. However,
a lease can opt out of this Act. When this
is the case, the sale particulars should say
words such as, ‘outside of the Act’. Any
properties with leases outside of the Act
should be treated with caution. It might
be that you are happy for your new vegan,
raw Korean BBQ restaurant to risk being a
pop-up. However, do not fall into the trap of
thinking that, just because you spend time
and money creating a beautiful restaurant,
that the landlord must grant a new lease on
expiry of the old. They might be very grateful
for you for equipping a unit with a brand-new
kitchen that a new tenant would be happy to
pay a premium for!
Why don’t I just rent an A1 unit? They are
more readily available and cheaper!
A1 units are cheaper and more available for
a reason! An A1 use class is for shops and
retail outlets – not a full-blown restaurant
and bar. Whilst operators are ‘pushing the
boundaries’ with their offers from A1 units
by having central off-site kitchens, limited
seating and a significant percentage of offsales
many start-ups, in my opinion, sail too
close to the wind and have operations which
really should be from A3 or A4 units (food/
drink and drink establishments respectively).
These businesses are at constant risk of
complaints, investigations and ultimately
enforcement action which can easily destroy
a business before it has become established.
This does not mean that A1 units should be
dismissed out of hand. It might be possible
to either vary the planning use (whether
permanently or for two years) or, if the
premises has operated as a restaurant or bar
continuously for at least 10 years it might be
possible to obtain a Certificate of Lawful Use
provided that the necessary evidence can
be gathered.
What the street needs is a late-night
bar! Why are the only units selling alcohol
restaurants?
There could be a very good reason for this.
If the premises is an area heavily saturated
with licensed premises it could have been
designated as a special policy area. Whilst the
ramifications of a premises being located in
such an area differs from council to council
the upshot could be that a premises licence
for the sale of alcohol will only be permitted if
the sale of alcohol is ancillary to the provision
of food and with a relatively sensible closing
hour, that would prevent the opening of a
late-night bar! Alternatively, it could be very
vocal local residents which are preventing
certain types of premises opening even if, on
the face of it, there is demand.
If you have any doubts about a potential
premises it is always best to ‘bottom out’
issues such as the above at an earlier stage
to avoid wasting the funds raised and
disappointed investors!
epmagazine.co.uk | 11

EDUCATION: LEADERS
Do we do enough
to develop leaders?
The argument is that the education system is not teaching the life skills
fundamental to leadership – so businesses need to be prepared to step in.
RAWPIXEL | WWW.123RF.COM
12 | Perspective | March 2017

RAWPIXEL | WWW.123RF.COM
One of the on-going debates of the last
decade has been that few have emerged
as genuine new leaders. Still the Industry is
dominated by names that have led since the
90s. It is high time that new leaders broke
through and took on the mantle.
There is no doubt that the industry boasts
a generation that has remained in key
board roles for the longest period in history.
However it is not their responsibility to leave
the stage but it should be a natural evolution
that pushes at those at the top and, when the
opportunity, arises replaces them – but there
does not appear to be the depth of talent
pushing to take on the key lead roles.
Maybe there is a need to take a step back
and think differently about the problem
– to find new solutions and ideas? Talent
is talent and there is some exceptional
talent in the market but it is clear that more
needs to be done
in order to support
the development of
new leaders. Could
it be that the base
foundations for
leaders is not the
same as it used to be
and so the system is
the problem?
In September (2016) a new research report
by the National Citizen Service noted that:
n 70% of senior business leaders think many
of the skills needed to do well at work are not,
and cannot, be taught in the classroom
n The UK’s 15–17 year olds feel under
significant pressure to excel in exams at
the expense of other life skills, experiences,
healthy relationships and even their own
happiness, suggesting that they are struggling
to juggle the demands of young adulthood
n The research also shows that half of British
parents believe their child should put school
or college work before everything else if
they want to do well in the future. Only 13%
of parents think their child spending time
on hobbies and non-school interests is of
importance at this stage, and just one in five
see gaining more work experience as
a priority
n In contrast, 63% of business leaders say
the best young employees are those who
have developed skills and interests outside
the classroom and over half (55%) would
like to see more young people take part in
structured youth programmers to help
them better prepare for the workplace
n The study, which polled 1,000 15–17 year
olds and 1,000 parents with children of the
same age, as well as 100 senior business
leaders, shows that the pursuit of good grades
is affecting the ability of teens to spend time
developing important skills which could be
of benefit in later life. This is backed up by
the views of British business leaders, 67%
of whom said they believe that younger
employees come into the workplace lacking
some of the necessary skills, such as time
management and team working abilities
n In fact, 70% of business leaders agreed
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT HALF OF BRITISH PARENTS
BELIEVE THEIR CHILD SHOULD PUT SCHOOL OR
COLLEGE WORK BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE IF THEY
WANT TO DO WELL IN THE FUTURE.
that many of the skills needed to do well at
work are not taught in the classroom and
their top advice to teens was to develop
broader life/work skills before leaving
education (51%) and to try to achieve a
healthy balance between studying and
socialising (42%.)
All the above suggests that the education
system teaches intelligence, but maybe not
life skills nor leadership. Leadership is not
just about insight but emotional intelligence,
values, principles, vision – things that
require life skills. Long term success is about
character as much as skill. So if the system
will not teach these, can business step in?
Can business create new coaching schemes
to nurture potential leaders?
Leaders have always held a unique
position within British history and folklore.
The British have always warmed to visible,
clear leaders and they carry a unique
responsibility in not just business but within
communities and with families.
Success over a long period of time requires
depth and respect from others. Respect
comes from many sources but one can gain
instant respect through being a step above
others in how one behaves. This often comes
from failure and life lessons.
This is where modern life does make it
more difficult than in past times for there are
no simple rules anymore.
Too much is about grades, schools, skills
and not about the ability to inspire others
and to show vision or a belief in something
greater than themselves – and yet the person
that most will recall from their careers will
possess these traits. Hospitality has more
than most. We are fortunate. It is how we lay
the ground for those that follow.
The challenge –
and the reason why
people do require
coaching – is that
the art is to combine
character with the
ability to let skills
and talent feel free
and be productive in
a socially competent
fashion. In today’s
world, so many people do not let themselves
be free enough to let their talents be
productivity. There are so many obstacles
to overcome – shyness, fear, and even just a
need to try and do what is right and stand
out. The British love the eccentric character
and yet the educational system rarely
encourages talent to be brave and different.
The system asks for people to conform and
yet at the same time we ask for the same
people to be brave and not conform when
it matters.
To be successful, it is no longer about
grades but teams. Bringing together multitalented
teams to perform as one. This
requires a different set of knowledge. To be
successful, it does require bravery as it is not
an easy journey and it is easier to opt out.
It lies with business to help nurture
the future.
epmagazine.co.uk | 13

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: THE ROYAL CRESCENT
The 250th Anniversary
The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa celebrates the
250th anniversary of Bath’s historic Royal Crescent this
year. EP speaks to General Manager Jonathan Stapleton
about this landmark and his vision for luxury hospitality.
14 | Perspective | March 2017

The architectural landmark is one
which The Royal Crescent is eager
to celebrate and began planning
18 months in advance. With the aim
to have everyone involved and feel
part of the activities. The anniversary
includes a specially created logo which
will appear in printed and online hotel
material. Guests may take flight in a
Taittinger hot air balloon and soar over
the beautiful city of Bath or if staying in a Suite receive a specially
commissioned bottle of Bath Gin amongst other treats. For Jonathan
the celebration begins on the doorstep with a Afternoon Tea picnic for
local residents and the staff. A reward which illustrates the importance
placed on the team since Jonathan joined.
“When I first arrived two years ago, the mind set was to promote
Bath first and The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa second, the city was
the destination and if people visited, they would hopefully stay with
us. We swapped this mind-set to make the hotel the destination and
Bath became an experience the guest may wish to do.” Jonathan
explains how the local tourist authority has been focused on 80% day
market and 20% stayer market. Not the ideal approach for hotels and
therefore his aim was to make improvements to the product and now
they are starting to see the benefit.
The change in strategy has also been effective because this year sees
400 to 500 new rooms opening in Bath. “Luckily they are mostly in
the four star market and I don’t want to sound arrogant but I believe
our brand is now strong enough to only feel a slight impact. It could
even favour us with some guests opting to stay away from the actual
conference venues if they are in town and attending an event at these
“We swapped this mind-set to
make the hotel the destination and
Bath became an experience”
new properties. I also believe the four star market may fight between
themselves and with our location a little outside the centre, we
shouldn’t see as much effect on business as city centre hotels, which
geographically may feel something.”
Jonathan has 44 years industry experience including six years as
GM of The Old Course Hotel in Scotland. To ensure the hotel is ready
for the future of luxury hospitality, Jonathan has also implemented
a change to the hotel’s market positioning to make it competitive to
those slightly further afield – Cliveden House, Chewton Glen and Le
Manoir aux Quat’Saisons. “This allowed us to amend our room rates
so they are more comparable with this grouping. During the high
season we have brought up our rates by £100 and on the off season by
£50 to £60.”
Having a clear vision has helped Jonathan and team prepare
themselves for the future. They formed a plan for where they
wanted to be in five years and produced a mission statement for
each year. This included building a profit over time and realising
the full potential of the hotel, which is reflected in the anniversary
celebrations. Jonathan believes that behind it all is a philosophy of
what the customer journey will be and how this is delivered.
“We invest heavily in our people and support them as well as
continuously improving the product. I apply my experience and
personally run service, sales and cultural training. I want to train
epmagazine.co.uk | 15

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: THE ROYAL CRESCENT
managers to become leaders and this year we are taking head of
departments on modular training courses given by an external
company. This form of classroom training can benefit the team and
I feel now is the right time to apply this. I have taken them so far
and if we were to do this any earlier they wouldn’t have embraced or
benefitted it as much.”
Training the team personally is a feat that takes up much time but
Jonathan believes it is what’s needed to help the next generation
through. He also trusts that external training is needed for overall
development and both forms of learning allow skills and passion to
grow. Jonathan understands that some may go on to other hotels,
even after this heavy investment, but he just wants them to remain
motivated and benefit the overall industry.
This implemented educational system is connected to the vision
they have set at the hotel and the team are empowered to take risks
where the guest isn’t impacted. “The team are dynamic here and we
have found that by setting the vision they will activity stay in touch
even when they are on holiday. This isn’t because we have asked them,
they want to do this. It is not seen as an extra thing to do.”
“The younger generation, and by that I mean up to the mid-40s,
have more of a balance to their life. Their relationship with their
partners is not as traditional as my generation. We worked up to 100
hours a week and our partners accepted it. I think the next generation
don’t want to do this and I don’t expect them to. They would like
breaks, holidays and access wellbeing through different forms.”
Jonathan sets the tone for hard work at the hotel and is an example for
the next generation. The hope is that this transpires down to the younger
members of the team. He still walks the floor and keeps attention to
detail in all areas. He praises those at grass roots level and makes sure he
tells someone if they are doing a good job and thanks them.
Jonathan believes in genuine care and comfort for the guest and
makes sure his team are there to cater in a personalised way for each
person. “Encouraging engagement with the guest builds confidence
on both sides and although each guest is different, our staff are taught
how to be the best they can be”.
Setting a vision may be an easy task to tick yet implementing it
can be one of the hardest challenges to achieve. Jonathan and his
team have pictured where they want The Royal Crescent to stand
and amended their strategy to ensure they are in pole position. Their
educational programme has empowered their staff to allow a flexible
experience for their guests and is aligned to their overall objectives.
As a proven leader in the industry, Jonathan has used his experience
to ensure his passion is passed down and his team understand fully
where the hotel wants to be. As they celebrate 250th years in one of
the country’s most famous crescents, Jonathan is making sure the next
generation are prepared to take the hotel into the next chapter.
16 | Perspective | March 2017

COMMENT: WMT
FINDERS KEEPERS?
Peter Davies, WMT Chartered Accountants,
considers how the hospitality industry is dealing
with the staffing crisis.
Recruiting and keeping good staff has long
been a challenge for the industry. The Brexit
vote, and the corresponding drop in the
value of the pound isn’t helping. Overseas
staff feel less welcome and the money they
earn here in the UK isn’t worth as much as it
used to be back in their homeland.
Everyone is hoping that this is all part of
the adjustment process; that the economy
will settle down and business optimism will
return to pre-Brexit levels (or better!). In the
meantime, what is the hospitality industry
doing to cope with staffing issues and how
can you benefit from adopting some of your
competitors’ strategies?
Keeping staff
You don’t have to read reams of research
on leadership and teamwork to know that
open and transparent communication with
staff helps to retain and motivate them.
Operators at every level from sandwich
shops to top class hotels have found that
transparent two-way communication
improves staff retention and helps deliver
better customer service.
What you do to make sure communication
between staff and the business works doesn’t
have to be complicated or particularly
time-consuming.
I’ve seen many restaurants benefit from
simply briefing staff at the beginning of
service – how many covers are expected,
when service will be busiest, and how staff
can help the business to reach its targets.
Sounds obvious – but often this gets lost in
the day-to-day rush to be ready for service.
Others have turned to technology and set
up closed social media groups, held an ‘any
questions or ideas’ webinar for an hour now
and again or used a specialist app to keep
staff in the loop and collect their ideas.
Increasing staff commitment
Just as the trend in experiential dining is
attracting customers to venues, employees
are looking for jobs that offer a richer and
more varied work experience.
Online recruiter CV library reports that
96% of workers say they are less likely to
leave an employer if they are offered training
and development opportunities. But this can
add to your costs, so what sort of training
should you offer?
EMPLOYEES ARE LOOKING
FOR JOBS THAT OFFER A
RICHER AND MORE VARIED
WORK EXPERIENCE.
Hotels and restaurants have found that
offering cross departmental training and
shadowing opportunities are a win-win
option. Employees learn about each other’s
jobs which means they work better together,
resolve issues between themselves and
customer service improves as a result. It also
makes the workforce more flexible.
There are benefits in kind that could work
for you also. A popular option is to sign
up for a service that provides employees
with discounts and offers such as free
mobile phone insurance, money off their
supermarket shop and deals on cinema
tickets. It is a taxable benefit but the savings
they can make far outweigh the cost to them.
Other employers can always offer cash to
try and lure your staff away, but if you are
offering your team something else that they
value as a part of their reward, that can help
you fend off your competitors’ advances.
Share options are also worth considering,
particularly for key staff. Businesses
using share options to retain a top chef or
restaurant manager usually offer a share
in the profits in return for meeting income
levels over a period of time. Why not add
other metrics into the mix such as staff
retention levels and the outcomes of 360
feedback on their management skills?
Recruiting new staff
No matter how good you are at retaining
staff, you’ll always need to recruit new ones.
If you’re struggling to identify potential
new recruits, try offering a financial incentive
to employees to introduce candidates. Just
take care to strike a balance between offering
a reward that makes it worth their while
and one that encourages them to introduce
anyone and everyone.
Once you’ve got a candidate, your tronc
scheme can play a key part in making an
employment package look attractive. If you
suspect that yours isn’t work as hard as it
could, consider getting some advice on how
to make it more effective.
Strong competition for unskilled and
semi-skilled workers is coming from other
industries as well as other restaurants. The
winners in this tug of war are likely be those
who can combine opportunities for staff
development as well as reward based on
achieving goals.
epmagazine.co.uk | 17

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: MELIÁ
Defining Bleisure
Meliá Hotels International has honed the concept of Bleisure and
use it at the core of their expansion plans, culture and customer
service offering. EP meets Gioele Camarlinghi, Area Director for
Meliá Hotels International in the UK to find out more.
The Meliá Group has its roots very much in Spain with the majority
shareholding in the business still being held by the founding
Escarrer family. The brand started as a chain of resort hotels focusing
on giving the foreign traveler a true taste of Spanish hospitality, food,
culture and fun and now boasts more than 370 hotels around the
world on four continents. It is an impressive growth and over the last
few years they have developed
their strength in the UK.
The UK has always been an
important market for Meliá Hotels
International as many British
travelers, having experienced the
variety of Meliá resorts abroad,
enjoy access to the same at home. It
is for this reason that Meliá Hotels
International is planning for
substantial growth with the aim of
having all their brands represented
in the UK.
This began with the iconic
Meliá White House followed by
ME by Meliá in 2013, with the
launch of ME London, and in the
last few years the introduction of
‘INNSIDE by Meliá, an urban
lifestyle hotel that caters to
savvy business and chic leisure
travellers.
Following the successful opening
of INNSIDE Manchester, this
contemporary brand continues to
grow. Glasgow is the next scheduled
city for this part of the brand in 2017, followed by anticipated openings in
Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Cardiff will follow.
“We are very fortunate that the British have a deep love for Spanish
culture developed over many years,” notes Gioele Camarlinghi. “Each
City has its own culture and story and we will find our place within
the story.”
“As a brand Meliá Hotels International is both well-known and
yet not known at all. Our name builds trust and credibility as we are
well established yet people still want to learn more about us. Our role
is to ensure that we become part of the communities in which we sit
and serve.”
Expansion and culture of the group is underpinned by their concept
of Bleisure, which is where they
actively look for opportunities to
operate and develop the business
in key cities where there is a
special leisure heritage. Sports,
arts and cultural elements are
used as a basis to create an
effective and thriving business.
The concept of Bleisure
runs through the culture of
the group which is focused on
ensuring that guests, regardless
of whether travelling on business
or leisure are welcomed and
cared for as family, inspired in
a variety of ways and always
enjoy the most pleasurable and
memorable of experiences whilst
in their care.
Situated on a quiet corner in
the charming area of Regent’s
Park, an imposing 1930’s art deco
building is home to the Meliá
White House. Since April 2010
Gioele Camarlinghi has been at
the helm. On meeting Gioele, he
is a humble, yet passionate and colourful Italian hotelier who truly
believes that hotels are “theatres” and that as a GM it is his honour to
be the director and producer of the theatre show. His aim is to inspire
his guests in the most innovative, and emotive of ways, by putting on
the best “performances” and building relationships with the brand
that transcends continents and generations.
18 | Perspective | March 2017

“Our role is to ensure that we become part
of the communities in which we sit and serve.”
“For me, true hotel management is about developing a team that the
guest not only trusts but likes to be with. Service sits at my heart and I
love how hotels offer guests an experience that they will never forget.
It is something that lives in the memory for years. However, to achieve
such emotion requires the right team. Hospitality is all about people.
Any GM is only as good as any of the individual staff member they lead.
The guest’s experience relies on great service – so it is all about people
and the environment. The more that we empower the team to play their
part and enjoy their work, the guest will enjoy their stay. My job is to
inspire our people to be the best they can be and to enjoy their work.
I am a coach, a conducter, a parent, a confident and a chef all rolled
into one.”
Innovation and creative thinking is at the heart of this hotelier’s
vision. Gioele has a traditional hotel in architecture and furnishings
and has cleverly and seamlessly mixed this with the avant-garde and
the contemporary.
“The White House has a great history and legacy, which gives us a
strong story to tell. We bring together this heritage and combine it with
modern and creative art styles – whether in the Dry Martini Bar or in
the restaurants. We have set the stage in a way that is distinctly different
to other hotels and which will challenge the senses of the guest.”
Visibility to customer and their loyalty is a challenge that they, like
many majority privately owned hotel chains are faced with. Being
innovative and creative is how they are overcoming this challenge.
Meliá White House under Gioele’s vision and what started out
as simply wanting to fill a large empty wall with art on a stairwell
has unexpectedly turned this hotel into an art gallery for emerging
artistic talent. An ever-changing collection of pieces on walls and
sculptures around the hotel constantly engage and challenges guests
and add inspirational value. This initiative has been such a success
that for the third year running, an entire floor of 70 bedrooms is
opened to over 100 artists who exhibit their art in these rooms during
“ArtRooms”, this fair is free for the hotel’s guests and is open to the
public. This gives the artists unique visibility, often leading to further
opportunities within the industry and provides the hotel with the
pleasure of connecting with guests and the local community in an
inspiring and uniquely bleisurable way.
As a family founded hotel, family is at the heart of many of the
initiatives on offer. This includes adapting experiences and amenities
for children under the Kids & Co brand (which includes unlimited
ice-cream and personalised check-in) to helping parents when
on business trips away from home. They soften the pang of guilt often
felt by facilitating complimentary expert led talks on a variety of
topics covering parenting, child behaviours and mindfulness. As well
as ensuring the wellbeing of all guests with a nutritionist on site to
advise on exercise, healthy eating and the ability to tailor individual
menus – truly ensuring the holistic wellbeing of body and mind of
all guests.
Meliá Hotels International and Gioele bring fun, colour and the
mix of Spanish and Mediterranean flavour into their hospitality and
culture. Their bleisure environment gives guests an opportunity to be
inspired by the creative, mindful hospitality and the opportunity to
experience the various joys of the Mediterranean without having to
leave the comfort of the UK.
epmagazine.co.uk | 19

COMMENT: NEW WORLD
ARE WE BRAVE ENOUGH
TO THINK DIFFERENTLY?
Few experts are so clever anymore. Have you ever considered
creating an Internal Board made up of 25–35 year olds?
Over the last ten years, many experts
have had their judgements and insights
face scrutiny through wrong predictions.
Maybe the lesson of last decade is that it is
very difficult to have complete insight into
how the markets and business are vulnerable.
In January, the Bank of England admitted
that many of the economists got the 2008
crash completely wrong. They also forecast
the fall out of Brexit wrongly. They are not
alone. Many have got some of the key events
of the last decade wrong.
Maybe the real lesson is that we need to
be more open to different thinking and to
encourage executives to be brave enough
to think differently? However this is hard
to achieve as there is a whole level that has
become almost lazy in their thinking. Liam Fox
was roundly criticised in late 2016 for saying
many businesses had become lazy in the
way they competed for business. It was a bold
comment but there was some truth within it.
Many companies are more internally focused
than externally eyed. The customer has not
always been king anymore and maybe the
time is right to return to that basic rule that
everyone used to know within Hospitality.
However, there is also a need to free up
the thinking of the younger generations that
are today breaking through and are looking
at the world differently to how many of the
established leaders of today understood
business up to the 2008 crash.
Many will argue that this is a brave new
world. In some ways it is but in many ways it
is not. It is just the same as it ever has been.
The difference is that:
n Many businesses have moved away
from the fundamentals that originally
created success.
ASAWIN KLABMA | WWW.123RF.COM
n We need to free up new leaders to have a
voice. It is an often discussed topic that there
has been an absence of leaders breaking
through which is seen as the younger
generation’s fault. No, it is how that talent has
been nurtured over the last twenty years.
n Thinking has changed. The baby boomers
grew up in an era when an entrepreneur was
expected to be focused on wealth attainment.
Today many are focused on their impact
on society – there is a group of new socially
driven entrepreneurs. How can the wealth
driven entrepreneur really relate to the
socially driven entrepreneur?
n Many cultures have become lazy. There is
an argument that the hotel industry that was
so confident in itself and the dynamics of the
market that it has been caught off guard twice
in the last decade.
n Firstly, the Airbnb model has posed a
serious challenge to the mid-market. It
was a model that caught many unaware but
the consumer responded to the concept
and the business has grown at speed.
n Secondly, it is noted that online innovators
have grabbed a massive 25% of the hotel
industry, and it is predicted that this will rise
to 45% in 5–7 years. Few forecast this growth.
20 | Perspective | March 2017

RACORN | WWW.123RF.COM
WE ARE NOT ADVOCATING THAT THEY TAKE
OVER FROM THE BOARD BUT SIMPLY THAT
THERE IS MARRIAGE CREATED BETWEEN THE
EXPERIENCED AND THE YOUNG – AND TO
ENCOURAGE NEW IDEAS AND THINKING. NO?
In terms of the global industry, there are
some key points to consider:
n Many hospitality companies became lazy
in the basics and at times took the consumer
for granted. The consumer was open to change
and responded when that change came.
n The last decade has been the era of the
digital entrepreneur. Just as the Industrial
Revolution in the 19th century changed
working practices radically, we are seeing the
same gain with a second revolution, although
this time it is digitally led.
n This is arguably one of the “inventive
“eras since those days of the first Industrial
revolution when everything seemed possible.
However, one of the key differences to today
is that most of the “creators” are under 35
years of age. They create new concepts
online and see their audience as global.
So why not bring together groups of the
young and harness their insight and ideas; to
be prepared to learn from them.
What are the dangers?
It will be said that they will be “naive and
inexperienced”. True as were many of today’s
leaders when they were first trusted.
We are not advocating that they take
over from the board but simply that there is
marriage created between the experienced
and the young – and to encourage new ideas
and thinking. No?
Then reflect on how much change or
innovation has been created by established
players? How much inspirational leadership
has been shown by those from the large
companies with the real strength to be able to
create change?
The real breakthrough that have taken place
– whether Airbnb or Facebook or Twitter –
has been created by those brave enough to
think differently. Most will agree that many
cultures have become staid and ineffective
but cannot see how to create change as it
does take so long to happen. Within large
companies this is true. It is often compared
to an oil tanker changing direction but maybe
the starting point is to encourage the talented
young leaders to have a voice and to be
encouraged to be brave. It makes a statement
and places a marker in the ground.
This is not a new idea.
The old catering giant, Gardner Merchant,
had a policy of not sacking a manager unless
unavoidable as they wanted their managers
to be brave enough to take risk without fear.
Many of the middle Operations Managers
today were an average ten years younger than
they are today. Many of today’s Chairmen
first became board directors between the
ages of 28–34. This is not a radical new idea.
It is a return to what worked in the past.
Hospitality faces a bright and exciting
future. The desire for great experiences is
growing. Whatever the economic challenges
that are faced, there is consumer demand
for great experiences that get them to relax
and have fun. There is also a consumer love
affair with food. This is the time to embrace
change and to ensure that there are a strong
body of new leaders emerging to take the
industry forward. However, their skills will
be different and their perspectives.
The challenge lies in a delicate balance
in how we create a marriage between
leadership teams and young innovators plus
coach middle managers to think differently
and to explore new ideas.
So what is recommended?
n Creation of Internal Think Tanks
to explore new ideas and service offers
n Training/coaching sessions that
encourage lateral thinking and the
exploration of the new
n The freeing of potential leaders
within cultures
n An understanding that experts do
not always know best anymore
n A close eye on the consumer and
their desires
n A return to the old maxim “The
Customer is King”
epmagazine.co.uk | 21

COMMENT: APPRENTICESHIP LEVY
WHEN THE LEVY
COMES INTO PLAY
Most large companies train their staff to their own requirements
yet are subject to the new Apprenticeship Levy. Bob Cotton and
Miles Quest argue that the levy will not achieve its purpose.
When George Osborne rushed the
Apprenticeship Levy into his last budget –
at 0.5 per cent of a business’s payroll over
£3m, raised monthly from PAYE returns –
it gave the impression then of being hastily
introduced. True to form, the details are
still being worked out with announcements
coming through every week even though the
levy comes into force next April. With little
or no prior consultation with industry before
the announcement, employers now have to
scramble to understand the implications of
the measure.
Clearly, the government, concerned about
the rising cost of further and vocational
education, has placed the responsibility
of training fairly and squarely on employers –
and is using the stick and carrot of the
levy to ensure that the largest employers
can’t escape. In view of the industry’s patchy
training record this might be thought to
benefit hospitality but there are tens of
thousands of small employers who will
escape the levy and only a few hundred
large enough to pay it. The burden is on the
largest employers.
Many details, however, are still to be
worked out. Each company’s levy will
build up a fund, which will be added to by
the government at 10 per cent, from which
the company can withdraw money to pay
expenses related to the training of the
apprentices they employ. If the levy raised by
each company is unspent after 18 months it
reverts to the Treasury. So the scheme aims
to encourage businesses to employ as many
apprentices as possible in order to recoup
as much as they can from their fund. The
government believes this will create
LIMONZEST | WWW.123RF.COM
22 | Perspective | March 2017

3m additional apprentices although it’s not
clear from where.
But there is clearly a limit to how many
apprentices a company wants to train and
employ and, in any case, only expenses
directly related to the training and end-point
assessment, can be claimed, which excludes
‘wages, statutory licences to practise, travel
and subsidiary costs, managerial costs,
traineeships, work placement programmes
or the costs of setting up an apprenticeship
programme.’ As wages represent by far the
greatest cost of employing an apprentice,
a company with, say, a total payroll levy
of £1.5m a year would have to employ a
prodigious number of apprentices to recoup
even half that amount.
Worse, there are businesses which have
little or no need for apprentice training or
who employ them abroad; they will still pay
the levy but they cannot reclaim any funding
as all training has to be
undertaken in the UK – a
drawback for hospitality
companies wanting to
send key staff abroad
for work experience.
But, as a benefit,
the government has
broadened the meaning
of ‘apprentice’ to include
practically all kinds of training – from craft to
management (even up to Level 7) so training
providers reckon that with some creativity,
the levy should be largely revenue neutral.
Companies who comprehensively train
should be able to get back as much as they
pay in levy. That’s the intention. Where it gets
complicated is where a business has already
set up training programmes, some of them
award-winning, that aim to drive it forward
according to its needs. In the hospitality
industry, some companies have even set up
their own training schools which successfully
meet their objectives in terms of quantity and
quality. They have no business need to recruit
more apprentices than they already recruit.
This alone suggests that the levy will do little
to encourage more training. The government
also insists that any disbursements can only
be made to employers who use a registered
training provider or have their own training
facilities registered and inspected by
OFSTED. For those companies already
providing good quality training schemes,
the former is viewed as an unnecessary
expense and may well make confidential
training practices available to others, while
OFSTED increases bureaucracy. Indeed,
some companies have already failed OFSTED
inspections and, for various technical reasons,
are unlikely to ever pass.
At the same time, as an encouragement
to small employers who do not pay the levy,
90 per cent of the cost of their apprentice
training will be covered by government – but,
again, only if they use an approved training
provider. The money for the remaining
10 per cent will presumably come from
unclaimed levies.
This might all seem rather complicated.
It is. But let’s not think that 0.5 per cent of
IN AN INDUSTRY WHERE MOST LARGE
COMPANIES ALREADY HAVE TRAINING SCHEMES
IN PLACE TO MEET THEIR NEEDS, IT’S DIFFICULT
TO SEE HOW THE LEVY WILL ENCOURAGE THEM
TO TRAIN MORE PEOPLE.
payroll is a small amount of money. Wage
costs are the biggest single element in any
hospitality business – anything up to 40 per
cent of total turnover. Assuming that the total
turnover of the hotel and catering industry
alone is in the region of £50bn payroll costs
at, say, 35 per cent would add up to some
£17.5bn. At a low estimate, we can assume
the largest hospitality employers represent
about one-third of this – nearly £6bn, of
which 0.5 per cent adds up to some £30m.
That’s a very quick assessment – it’s unlikely
to be less and may well be much more. For
the largest employers it amounts to a levy of
several millions.
Now £30m, for such a large industry, may
not be considered much but size is hardly the
issue. Hospitality is a low margin industry
and 0.5 per cent of payroll is a significant
cost whether sales are £3m or £500m. Other
costs are rising, including the National Living
Wage. Margins are low and tight, particularly
in the restaurant and catering industry
where employment is much higher. For those
employers who do not see the business need
to train as much as they can recoup in levy, it
is, in effect, a payroll tax.
There is a further complication. At
present, the scheme only applies to England:
those companies (plenty in hospitality)
who operate throughout the UK will face
significant back office work to sort out the
arrangements required by Scotland, Wales
and Northern Ireland.
Now, of course the hospitality industry
needs more skilled craftsmen. Of course,
training them is an industry responsibility. Of
course, the industry’s training record is not
perfect. But in an industry where most large
companies already have training schemes
in place to meet their needs, it’s difficult to
see how the levy will
encourage them to train
more people than they
would otherwise have
trained.
It’s difficult not to get
the impression that the
former Chancellor’s
scheme is tantamount
to fining successful
companies who are already seriously
committed to training but who may not be
able to recoup all their levy – yet rewards
those for whom it is a much lower priority.
It is too late to make significant amends
before the scheme is introduced next April
but major hospitality employers are now
clearly pre-occupied in creating new and
innovative ways to maximize funding from
their levy pot, going so far as to consider
seconding training staff to providers in order
to reclaim some of their direct training
costs. Doubtless there will be other similar
wheezes. Will it be worth it? What is certain
is that the levy will take time and plenty of
management effort to implement. What
is not so certain is whether the number of
apprentices being trained will increase.
In hospitality, no figures yet have been
produced to prove this.
epmagazine.co.uk | 23

COMMENT: SOCIAL CHANGE
WHO PLAYS THE LEAD
ROLE IN SOCIAL CHANGE
IN THE FUTURE?
RAWPIXEL | 123RF.COM
24 | Perspective | March 2017

Both Entrepreneurs and Hotel General Managers
will play lead roles in social change in the future.
The year 2016 was one of political change
with the votes on Brexit and for Trump.
There is real change in the air but maybe
the one truth emerging is that no longer are
the political establishment in control of the
change agenda.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of Brexit
and the changing landscape, the reality is that
politicians do lag behind many businesses in
understanding the change that is taking place
– and this will naturally mean that it will be a
responsibility for business leaders to contribute
and play key roles in supporting change.
In the future businesses will not only be
judged by their ability to generate profits
but by their contribution to society and for
many hotels, to their
communities.
It can be fairly argued
that the Hotel General
Manager in many towns
across the country
played important
community leadership
roles back in the 1960s,
70s and 80s. The Hotel
General Manager was
one of the pillars of
the community along
with the bank manager.
The bank manger’s
community role has been eroded with the
new systems developed within the banks but
the Hotel General Manager is still standing.
Some will argue that many General
Managers have become more business
managers and the old-school Hotel Manager
is missing but maybe these skills will return
as Hospitality leaders do have a role to
play within their communities. The same is
true for entrepreneurs who are driving and
developing new agendas – many of which are
exciting but change does concern people and
the old structures are struggling to adapt at
the same speed as change.
All the issues are natural but what is
needed is a fair balance between profit
MAYBE THE
IMPORTANCE OF
PEOPLE BECAME
SLIGHTLY DILUTED WITH
THE GREAT PROFITS
EARNT IN THE BOOM
AND THE RISE OF THE
NEW DIGITAL WORLD.
generation and a responsibility to the wider
community. The younger generations that
are breaking through do believe in this
balance. There is an argument that we lost
a whole decade of talent as the boom of
1996–2008 was too long and perspective
was lost.
Not true? Well consider how many of
the leaders from the 1990s are still in
position today and how many have broken
through since?
Well change is coming as this leadership
group will naturally move on and there is an
exciting new group of thirtysomethings that
are breaking through with new ideals and a
new vision.
Most of the leaders
from the 1990s first
became leaders in their
thirtysomethings so
the argument is that
the old natural order is
being restored.
The older generation
understood the
importance of people
and maybe this became
slightly diluted with the
great profits earnt in the
boom and the rise of the
new digital world.
It took time to find the right balance.
Today we argue that there is a natural
marriage between the older generation and the
new leaders emerging – both need the other –
but more importantly Hospitality can play a
bigger role on a bigger and wider stage as the
old structures struggle to adapt and change.
Whether with charities, in community
forums, in tourism bodies, in social and talent
development, Industry’s leaders – both young
and older – have important roles to play.
This could be an exciting period for the
industry – maybe a new golden era – but in
many ways, it needs a return of old fashioned
values and behaviours and a real care for
people again.
epmagazine.co.uk | 25

INNOVATION: AUTO HOSPITALITY
TECHNOLOGY CAN
REPLACE HOSPITALITY
Today the question is not “Can technology replace good old-fashioned hospitality?”
but “When and how will technology impact the hospitality industry?”
The sector must look outside the bubble to view important
markets. Whilst some will always seek the familiar, there are
others who want to work with entrepreneurs to ensure they are
ready to offer what the consumer now and may desire.
EP now works with over 120 entrepreneurs who have original ideas
and concepts that bring a point of difference to operations and engage
customers. One will look back at this period and see it as the Age of
Originality which encourages entrepreneurial thinking.
Last year EP created the Robin Hood Ideal Reworked campaign to
promote innovation, ideas and talent. There are many entrepreneurs
who are a credit to the industry and this is the platform for them to
thrive. They are passionate, have real talent and a belief and courage
in what they are doing. It is now especially important to nurture them
because change is happening at such a fast pace.
At a recent hoteliers conference the argument was put forward that
technology can never replace hospitality. The warmth of a personal
welcome, of attentive service and the ability to interact with a human
being will never be replaced by automation and a robot.
However this is already happening, albeit in a small form, and it
will appeal not to different generations but to different consumer
behaviours. Hoteliers may argue it is a trifling matter. Guests will always
opt for what they know, but innovation will always appeal in some shape
or form to certain people. The turndown in a good hotel is a special
touch, the drapes are closed, the lights are dimmed and the temperature
is set just right. However, this turndown can now be controlled by
automation and suddenly we see the revolution has started.
The Henn-na Hotel in Japan has a goal that in the near future 90
percent of all tasks in the hotel will be performed robotically. With 10
robots already, they know where their future is going to be. It saves
costs and labour in the long run and once guests have overcome the
somewhat unfamiliarity, it may be embraced.
This example is the ultimate extreme in terms of innovation
within the hospitality industry. But major investment and long-term
decisions are needed for future competitive edge. Innovation is
required to maintain and for advancement, but who is bringing these
new ideas into the sector?
The best ideas can often come from those who look at a problem in
a different way or from an altered angle. Entrepreneurs are shaking
things up and for the first time we are seeing the need for them to
JOZEF POLC | 123RF.COM
work with established
leaders in hospitality.
Both the existing
leading companies
require the skills
and original thinking
coming through,
as much as the
entrepreneurs needs
their experience
and guidance.
What should we prepare for?
There is no doubt that we have witnessed a rise in the need ‘for an
experience’, the growth of Airbnb is a strong sign of this.
Technologist Kevin Kelly has observed that the maturing of virtual
reality technologies heralds a fundamental shift. He believes the internet,
in which information is the basic unit of currency, is moving to one in
which experiences are. Will these digital experiences impact hospitality?
It is now a consumer world of material abundance, and the
experiences people pick are often an important part of how they
identify themselves. It can be difficult for generations coming through
to spend money on limited physical experiences, which are much
more expensive than an alternative in the digital world.
Some will argue that guests stay for the whole experience which
impacts both physically and mentally, but it is important to watch
the infinite and boundless virtual world. Especially as the cost,
accessibility and capability are all moving in the right direction,
making time the only scarcity.
Real experiences for many are becoming very difficult to achieve.
From 1981 to 2012, the price of the average concert ticket rose over
400%. It is these changes that bring new innovation as consumers
seek less expensive alternatives. In 2018 ABBA are putting on a
virtual and live experience for a new generation of fans. They want to
create a sense of wonder and create lasting memories, just delivered in
a different medium.
Purposeful companies will find renewed opportunities in taking
on the new ideas from entrepreneurs and trying to understand the
changing relationship between the consumer and the experience.
26 | Perspective | March 2017

COMMENT: REAL DIFFERENTIAL
“CULTURE EATS STRATEGY
FOR BREAKFAST”
The late business management guru Peter Drucker is attributed to this
famous quote. Both sides are argued for being able to trump the other, but
does the debate miss the key point – people are the only real differential.
Did you know that the average corporate
manager has, on average, twice has
many internals meetings each week than
30 years ago?
And yet there is more information
available to be able to make decisions. There
is an argument that internal processes are
acting as a barrier to business.
We all are involved in strategy discussions.
Of course, strategy is important but it is
secondary to culture. In Hospitality, very
little will beat a strong culture with people
that are engaged and wanting to make a
difference. One can argue that culture was
more important than strategy in the 1980s
and 90s but as the rise of
technology came through
strongly and new markets
opened up, strategies and
process became more
important as the concept of
Brands became dominant.
Often there would be a belief
that the company’s name and brand would
do the legwork with customers and clients
that used to be covered by those out building
relationships – almost to the point whereby
internal processes within companies became
a block to business action.
However change is now in the air. There
is a growing awareness that people are
Hospitality’s greatest asset and there are
new philosophies developing around HR
who once again feel free to focus on the
development of the Human asset. Operators
too are becoming more aware of the guest’s
overall experience and the need to empower
the front line staff to ensure that they
positively respond to the guest’s journey.
There is an awareness that brands are
not entities in themselves but need to have
a connection and relationship with their
customer. They appeal to the emotional
side of the consumer. In an Olympic year it
becomes ever more clear as the strength of
the Olympics is built off the powerful people
stories that emerge that make it so special.
The likes of Usain Bolt and Michael
Phelps will go down in history especially as
it was there show-stopping exits but other
stories include when the British nation
gasped when Mo Farah tripped and fell midrace.
The tumble didn’t stop the athlete who
retained his 10,000m title with a thrilling
“OFTEN THERE WOULD BE A BELIEF THAT
THE COMPANY’S NAME AND BRAND WOULD
DO THE LEGWORK.”
victory. In the women’s 400m final, Shaunae
Miller of the Bahamas somehow managed to
win a dramatic gold medal by diving over the
line. Miller stumbled in the final stages and
then lunged forward as she headed towards
the finishing line, winning by 49.44 seconds.
Laura Trott won gold in the women’s
omnium and then had to sit trackside as
her finance Jason Kenny won his third
gold of the games. Their one relationship
has 10 Olympic gold medals. One of the
most inspiration stories was the Brownlee
brothers, Alistair and Jonny, who won gold
and silver in the men’s triathlon. The British
brothers collapsed into each other arms at
the finish line.
When creating a healthy culture, it
needs to become a focal point within the
company’s values. Although by putting too
much emphasis on culture it simply becomes
the business as opposed to strengthening
the business. A balance must be found
that allows for a fun, comfortable and safe
environment and with time spent adding to a
person’s life.
A positive and inspiring culture within
hospitality should not be placed ahead of
strategy, but made a key driver of strategy.
Anyone can copy a strategy but nobody can
copy a culture. It has to originate somewhere
or it will simply not happen. The leader must
take responsibility and
identify a cultural vision
for the company and they
must live and breathe it. This
behaviour should inspire and
involve all employees.
Research tells us that
all companies will change.
Workforces will change. Companies will
focus on creating a better balance between
technology, data information and employing/
empowering great people. L&D programmes
will be more focused on developing
individuals as great employees can make
a real difference. People need to be given
freedom and for new leaders to
be empowered.
Strong cultures need good leaders –
aligned to objectives – on a number of levels
and across businesses. The great companies
of the past all possessed many leaders, not
just a few. Strength lies with depth and within
a culture. A strategy can only be a road map.
No more.
epmagazine.co.uk | 27

INTERNATIONAL: JUMERIAH PORT SOLLER HOTEL & SPA
TELLING THE
SUSTAINABLE STORY
As more travellers grow conscious of their carbon footprint and crave
‘eco-luxury’ stays, should hotels commit to stronger environmentally-friendly
and social sustainable activities? Jumeriah Port Soller Hotel & Spa in the
Mediterranean is a strong advocates of this approach.
Hotels are making steps to integrate sustainable methods into
their everyday operations. In well-travelled locations there is an
abundance of choice for accommodation and this competition allows
the opportunity for some hotels to utilise the growing eco demands
from guests. Whilst not always on the top of the priority list for some
hotels, for others it is becoming an essential commodity and they are
reaping the rewards of the savvy traveller.
Nestled in the clifftops of the Northwest coast of Mallorca,
Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa is increasing its involvement in
sustainable tourism. When originally built the hotel was divided into
eleven low-rise structures ensuring guests experience an exceptional
and natural environment during their stay. Jumeirah Port Soller have
had solar thermal and photovoltaic panels installed since opening
the hotel and is continuing to add to its ongoing commitment to
environmentally-friendly and socially sustainable initiates.
Recently the hotel celebrated its successful re-certification for
sustainable tourism by meeting the strict requirements of Green
Globe. It remains the only hotel on the island to have achieved this
internationally recognised certification and is a clear sign of how
Jumeriah Port Soller has integrated sustainable methods into its
operations. It has been a busy time for the hotel, with the adding of a
Tesla electronic car charging point, creating green rooftops covered in
a 40cm layer of soil and introducing a greywater recycling system. The
hotel is making strides in order to preserve the beauty of its natural
surroundings, which should appeal to the modern traveller.
Environmental initiatives are not only aimed directly at energy and
water. Jumeriah Port Soller have collaborated with the Black Vulture
Conservation Foundation, which protects the endangered black
vulture native to Mallorca. As well as collaborating with a local olive
oil co-operative ‘Cooperative de Soller’ and creating a bespoke oil
available to visitors and guests.
A hotel’s corporate social responsibility policies should also satisfy
their employees and can be used to entice the best workers. This
year Jumeriah Port Soller signed an agreement with ALLCOT, an
international company that offers various services related to climate
protection. Together with the hotel they developed a project which
offset carbon emissions produced by employee trips in 2015.
The total volume of emissions generated by the hotel’s employees
came to 39 mtCO2e (metric tonnes of equivalent CO2). They chose
a project located in the state of Pará, Brazil, the ‘Brazilian Rosewood
Amazon Conservation’ which protects one of the most diverse and
abundant ecosystems on the planet. The hotel will now invest in the
project to eliminate the equivalent volume of emissions from the
atmosphere to what it has produced. The project will protect the
fragile ecosystem of the Amazon Rainforest and simultaneously give
the depleted forests a chance to regenerate.
28 | Perspective | March 2017

Will other hotels follow this move? Some will argue that by respecting
the harmony of the landscape they exist in, they are doing enough
already. Others may look to various services that relate to the calculation,
reduction and compensation of carbon footprints their teams produce.
How a hotel communicates its activities may be the key for
attracting future guests, especially as traveller numbers are predicted
to only go up. International tourist arrivals have increased from 25
million globally in 1950, to 278 million in 1980, 527 million in 1995
and 1.1 billion in 2015. This is according to The World Tourism
Organisation (UNWTO) which also expects international tourists to
increase by 3.3% a year between 2010 and 2030 to reach 1.8 billion by
2030. Many of these are likely to be of travellers who place value on a
hotel’s authentic green initiatives.
With this impressive growth, hotels will need to make sure they
tell their story, and broadcast what difference their activities make. If
there initiatives reduce impact then they must engage the guest and
even invite them to support the hotels efforts.
Some speak of unfair advantages and it can be argued that modern
hotels gain from being able to create buildings and operations that
utilise all modern advancements to reduce their impact. For older
properties other challenges exist which they must overcome if they
wish to become more environmentally friendly. The fear for both is
that some hotels may ‘greenwash’, a deceitful practice of promoting
A BALANCE BETWEEN A GREAT GUEST
EXPERIENCE AND A CARE FOR THE
PLANET MAY BE THE ULTIMATE AIM.
environmentally friendly programs while hide ulterior motives. The
ultimate consequence of this is losing credibility with guests, which
may directly or indirectly alter their travel decisions in the future.
Some hotels will continue to question whether green policies really
matter to guests. If they chose to escape the busy modern world by
relaxing and indulging in a hotel stay, do they look into environmental
policies the hotel operates? It can be argued that for millennial and
younger generations, the pre-thought is actually not to question the
policies, because they are possibly under the assumption that all
hotels must have working and successful initiatives in place by now.
A balance between a great guest experience and a care for the planet
may be the ultimate aim.
Jumeriah Port Soller have shown an impressive work ethic by
integrating environmental policies and strategies into the hotel. Its
enviable location overlooking the sea on one side and the recently
declared UNESCO Heritage Site of Sierra de Tramuntana on the
other will tempt many travellers. How it uses its sustainable activities
to guide its daily decision making process should entice even more.
epmagazine.co.uk | 29

When results
are required
AlixPartners is a global consulting business with over
1,500 employees across 25 offices around the world.
We work on matters that materially affect the future of
organisations, often in situations of extreme pressure
and high stakes. We field small teams with deep sector,
operational and situational experience who move at speed.
One of our core sectors is hospitality and leisure.
As part of this, in the last five years we have advised
hotel companies in the UK accounting for over 5,000
hotel bedrooms. We have help our clients through
transactions, to restructure or to enhance their financial
performance. Our clients include global brands,
independent operators and financial investors.
In the UK we constantly track the hotel sector, and
produce a quarterly bulletin that commentates on
demand, supply, pipeline and transactions.
If you would like to find out more about our services,
or sign up to our quarterly hotel bulletin, please
email Graeme Smith at gsmith@alixpartners.com or
Tom Paterson at tpaterson@alixpartners.com.
When it really matters. alixpartners.com
30 | Perspective | March 2017

COMMENT: INDICATER
LOOMING
CHALLENGES
Recognising and anticipating future changes
may lead to a more successful and less painful
few years ahead. Bob Cotton, Non-executive
Director of IndiCater looks at some immediate
challenges.
The hospitality industry closed 2016 in good
heart. The major political event, Brexit,
has yet to negatively affect the industry’s
well-being: indeed, the weak pound has
boosted UK visitor numbers (though spend
is not so buoyant) and the UK remains a key
world tourism destination. The weak pound
will encourage more UK residents to opt for
a staycation next year. Consumer spending
on eating-out remains high. The principal
downside of Brexit – the likely restrictions
on migrant labour, particularly the unskilled
labour that the industry needs to survive in
its present shape and to expand further – has
yet to hit employers. When they do, however,
the impact will
be serious.
But there are more
immediate challenges.
In April 2017, the
National Living Wage
rises to £7.50 a hour,
a 30p rise. That doesn’t sound much but
over a 36 hour week, that’s another £10.80
a week per adult employee. With so many
employees on the NLW (over 60 per cent?)
the cost to the industry will be significant.
To reach the government’s much publicised
£9 per hour by 2020, the NLW increases
in 2018 and 2019 will have to be very much
greater. There is also the pressure that the
NLW puts on wages higher up the scale (the
so-called differentials); even more serious,
if Brexit does restrict the employment of
migrant labour, manpower shortages will
inevitably result in a natural increase in wage
rates over and above the NLW. Pension costs
will be an additional burden.
All in all, this is a challenging scenario.
The next few years will pose huge problems
and employers would be wise to recognise
them now. Wage percentages are going to
be put under extraordinary pressure and no
employer will escape.
Wage increases represent one danger;
food inflation is another. Already on the rise,
some estimates put food inflation at four
per cent in the next 12 months. Restaurant
operators, already running their business
on tight margins, will find rising food costs
will make those margins even tighter. But, if
HAVING A SOFTWARE SYSTEM TO KEEP TRACK
OF YOUR MENUS’ RISING COSTS COULD ALERT
YOU BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE.
quality suffers, or portion sizes are reduced,
reputations are inevitably harmed. And if
prices are increased, the competition may win.
Having a software system to keep track
of your menus’ rising costs could alert you
before it’s too late. Being able to adapt your
recipes or change your suppliers without
significantly impacting your business will
allow you to keep on top of rising food costs
and ensure you are maintaining a healthy
margin. If inflation rises at the anticipated
rate, engaging with software may not provide
the definitive solution, but it will certainly
help keep control of those costs.
Employers need to think now about how
they deal with these two looming challenges.
Cost increases are already beginning to press
hard on the industry’s economics but they
will become much more painful in the next
three years.
The principal objective for any operator is
to maintain standards and attract additional
business. Customers, more demanding
than ever, need more enticements than
ever to visit a hotel or a restaurant – for the
latter increasingly important will be the
introduction of new tastes, value-added
dishes and unusual price offers or special
events that provide new excitements and
extra points of interest
that resonate with the
needs of the target market.
And realism will
become more important.
If Mondays are always
dead it’s probably best to
close and concentrate on boosting business
on other days of the week which offer far
greater potential reward.
With a changing menu and by constantly
developing the ambiance of the restaurant
as a must-visit venue, the best operators
will inevitably become more showman
less restaurateur, more entertainer less
businessman. Flair, quality, engaging
early with dynamic software and being
creative will most likely result in the most
successful operators. Brexit and its economic
consequences will demand disciplined as
well as creative management.
epmagazine.co.uk | 31

INNOVATION: CHANGE AGENDA
There have been two common
conversational themes over the last
six months. Firstly, how will hospitality
companies respond to the shortage of labour
that will inevitably come with Brexit and
secondly, how to be competitive and offer
new engaging service lines in a market
that is both under pressure and saturated
with competition.
It is true, the market is saturated with
choice and options. The consumer’s
expectations are constantly on the rise
and skilled labour will be at a premium.
However, it is an opportunity to not just
follow the traditional routes but perhaps
throw everything in the air and review
all the fundamentals so that new and old
solutions are found. Rather than these
problems being a major negative, it could
be that these problems offer the opportunity
for positive change and growth. There
is a view that many operations have
become lazy in the basics. Or have moved
so far from their starting point that they
have lost sight of how best to action their
core business activities, caught up in the
noise and distraction that now surrounds
business practice.
UPSIDE DOWN,
INSIDE OUT
Re-engineering Hospitality
Really? Lazy? Is this fair? Some thoughts
to consider:
n In the modern era, should five star
hotels really charge for Wi-Fi access in
their operations? It is now resented by
consumers who understand the cost of the
service and know they can likely access
Wi-Fi freely outside of the building. Does
this build customer faith and goodwill or
destroy the potential relationships to be
created? Is it a fair revenue line or is it a last
possibly desperate way to increase revenue?
Estonia now offers free Wi-Fi across the
NDUL | 123RF.COM
whole country and even many of the train
lines in the UK offer free Wi-Fi and yet
leading, expensive hotel operations do not?
Why do they not see the benefit that small
improvements in customer service and the
customer journey can have on dwell time,
loyalty and ultimately customer spend?
n Airbnb is a business model that very few
would have ever considered or invented – in
fact most would have dismissed the model
as being very unlikely to succeed and yet it
has not only been successful, it has offered
the consumer an excellent new service that
really has challenged the mid hotel market.
How has the hotel market responded in
terms of innovation?
32 | Perspective | March 2017

AGENCYBY | 123RF.COM
ESTONIA NOW OFFERS FREE WI-FI ACROSS
THE WHOLE COUNTRY AND EVEN MANY
OF THE TRAIN LINES IN THE UK OFFER FREE
WI-FI AND YET LEADING, EXPENSIVE HOTEL
OPERATIONS DO NOT?
n There are very few hotels that still possess
the old fashioned Mein Host General
Manager that is clearly visible and yet the
consumer/community really enjoyed seeing
the GM on the floor, in control. It added
a service line, a comfort and confidence,
a sense of belonging. It declined as hotel
mangers became business managers rather
than service focused. Are we beginning to
see a change back, is there a refocus on the
importance of visible leadership and good
old fashioned relationships?
n It is interesting as one of the other
debates that is linked to the above is that the
skill of welcoming and hosting – the core of
hospitality is either exceptional or pretty poor
depending on which operation is entered.
For a time, hotels were viewed almost as
retail operations rather than hospitality
centres and of course the result was a decline
in core skills which are essential in order to
build spend by the customer. The customer
will always spend more in a venue that they
are relaxed within. There is a new focus on
training welcome skills and empathy for
the customer and truly understanding the
customer journey.
There is a debate whether most corporates
carry too many middle managers and
whether corporate cultures have become too
strategic and box ticking rather than focusing
on the business and having strong external
facing cultures. There are companies that
are beginning to debate the return of dress
down days in head offices and more flexible
working hours. All very relaxed but how do
the operators at the coal face – who have to
operate seven days a week – feel about their
leaders having such policies at head office?
We have written previously that senior
executives have to make decisions 40%
faster and yet actions are taking 20%
longer to action/implement. Is there a need
to free up actioning? Is there a need to give
leaders the freedom and support to enable
them to lead? Is there a need to review
existing processes and question why we do
certain things, or why they are done in a
specific way. What would the impact be if
you just stopped?
It is easy to be negative about the
challenges that lie ahead but maybe the
question is how does one re-engineer
services and businesses?
Far from being a negative challenge,
this could be a great opportunity for those
that are prepared to review just how they
deliver hospitality.
epmagazine.co.uk | 33

SPECIAL FEATURE: TIMELESS LIFESKILLS
MIND THE SKILLS
& INEQUALITY GAP
Atul Pant, founder of London-based charitable organisation
Timeless Lifeskills, explains how they provide 21st-century
life skills to the underprivileged students.
In one of the three tiny rooms that make up ‘Jeevanshala’ school
in village Madham, 7,000 feet up in the Indian Himalayas, a small
group of fifth graders is racking their brains trying to figure out
how can they make the balloon-powered car they have made with
used plastic water bottles go faster. Once they figure out that the
trick is not filling in more air in the balloon but attaching two balloons
to the bottle instead of one, they will move to the next task – replace
the balloon with a DC motor fitted with a propeller. Later still they
will tinker and figure out the circuit required to make a toy car go
forward, reverse and turn left and right. They will then learn about
sensors and convert their toy car into a robot.
These tinkering workshops on 21st-century life skills are conducted
by Timeless Lifeskills (TLS), a London-based charitable organisation.
In earlier TLS workshops these young students have made electronic
art using copper tape, coin cell, and LEDs; they have been on field trips
as citizen journalists to produce a school newspaper; learnt to create
stop-motion animation on various topics of study like the solar-system
and the local environment; role-played standing for local village-level
elections; run a mock village council meeting, and a lot more.
Like Jeevanshala, TLS has been working with 14 other rural schools
and schools for the underprivileged in several villages in the Indian
Himalayas, in Kutch region of the Western Indian state of Gujarat,
and in villages in the vicinity of New Delhi, to impart skills that have
become essential for success and wellbeing in the 21st century.
When advances in technology transform the economic landscape,
and required skills are not imparted at the same pace, the result is
inequality. The ongoing industrial revolution, which is being described
as the 4th Industrial Revolution, is transforming the global landscape
like never before. This poses a big risk that the already wide inequality
gap will become even wider. The raison d’être of TLS is to impart
life skills essential for thriving in the 21st century, to less privileged
students, through a combination of hands-on workshops, online
34 | Perspective | March 2017

Learning different modes of thinking
enables students to look at a topic
through several different lenses and
enriches their perspective.
learning content, and the creation of learning communities using social
media and messaging services like Whats App. Given the growing
ubiquity of mobile phones and internet connectivity, even in rural India,
the online component will help reach a large number of students.
At TLS, we believe that like the primary colours, Red, Green and
Blue, that can be mixed to create millions of colours, there are three
fundamental life skills that are essential for flourishing in the 21st
century: ‘Yearning to Learn, Learning to Learn, and Learning to Be’.
Yearning to Learn means firing up the intrinsic motivation of young
learners by remaining ever curious and becoming self-inspired to
learn all life long. Learning to Learn means becoming self-directed
learners who can take ownership of their learning, think critically,
know how to make the most of the online and other learning resources
available, and understand how they learn (i.e. meta-cognition, or
learning about own learning). Learning to Be is having the ability to
live a joyful life, of meaning and purpose.
We imagine these three fundamental skills to be the bottom layer
of the education cake and to this, we add another layer – the ‘Mode of
Thinking’ layer. Too much emphasis on exams and on completing the
syllabus has led to schools teaching only the ‘content’ of a discipline and
not the mode of thinking of that discipline – how an expert in a discipline
thinks. For example, a scientist will follow the scientific method of
observation, hypothesis/prediction, experimentation and inference;
while a historian will analyse a claim on the basis of the provenance of
primary and secondary sources. Learning different modes of thinking
enables students to look at a topic through several different lenses and
enriches their perspective, an essential skill when so many businesses of
influence – media, advertising, politics and even religion – are constantly
trying to persuade youth to think in a particular way.
The third layer in the education cake is ‘familiarity with the emerging
technologies’ that will shape the future of today’s youth – robots, drones,
sensors, internet of things, virtual reality, 3D printing and more.
In the context of rural India, the dearth of employment opportunities
in rural areas which is leading to emigration to over-crowded cities
to get low-wage jobs, implies adding another layer to the education
cake – a layer that prepares the rural youth for self-employment in
emerging domains, like setting up their own micro-enterprises in
graphic design, animation and other futuristic areas. The youth also
needs to be empowered to make the most of the emerging ‘gig’ or
freelance economy, where online marketplaces like Etsy, that aggregate
the fragmented global demand for hand-made art & craft, or online
platforms that aggregate demand for B&Bs and homestays offer microentrepreneurial
opportunities like selling a rural home-stay experience
to a global market. Tapping into this gig economy requires being IT
savvy and cultivating the spirit of entrepreneurship.
Instead of following a didactic pedagogy, TLS imparts these skills
through tinkering and project-based learning. In addition to the
workshops, TLS is setting-up Tinkering Labs, or Laboratory 2.0,
where children get hands-on with emerging technologies by doing
projects. While working on projects students also learn other essential
21st century skills like creativity, collaboration, problem-solving and
decision making. Along with the Tinkering Labs, TLS is also setting-up
Library 2.0 where with the help of tablets and smartphones children
can access a multitude of online learning resources. Using tablets and
the Internet for project work also helps students learn information
literacy skills in a fun way. These Tinkering Labs and Digital Libraries
are low cost and easy to set up thus offering potential scalability.
The burgeoning problem of lack of relevant skills resulting in
widening of the inequality gap is not limited just to the developing
world. Even in the developed countries, including the United
Kingdom, this is becoming a major challenge. Thus, TLS in
association with EP, is shortly going to start its ‘new skills for the new
economy’ programmes for the less-privileged students in London.
Watch this space!
epmagazine.co.uk | 35

INTERNATIONAL: DRAKE BAY
NEW TO THE GAME
Moving from one sector to another is often a daunting task, but to sell all
that you own and move from fast-paced, high tech jobs in the USA to build
a luxury, sustainable hotel in Costa Rica is a different challenge altogether.
It can often be one of hardest
feelings in the industry to
describe, but being welcomed
by an hotelier who treats you
as an old friend can make all
the difference in a new location
and environment. The ability to
offer personal warmth that can
make one feel at ease and which
sets the scene for an enjoyable
and relaxing stay.
Yens Steller and partner Patrick Ludwig (pictured) possess this
talent and provide this hospitality in five hillside cabins they have
designed and built in Costa Rica. The proprietors dreamed up a vision
for their property located on the Pacific coast of the Osa Peninsula
when working in the technology sector in the US. Dissatisfied with the
stress and increasing speed of that world, the duo decided it was time
to leave the tech industry behind and embark on a new adventure in
the tourism industry.
They built Drake Bay Getaway Resort as a luxury sustainable
jungle lodge which appeals to both those who want an eco-friendly
stay but also one that matches the demands of the growing number
of travellers who want a personalised experience or simply need to
switch off and relax.
Yens, who is originally from Costa Rica, explains what made them
turn their dream into a reality, “In our old jobs the money was good
but we hardly found any time for life. We would travel to Costa Rica
for holidays and finally decided to sell up and build our hotel on
the Southern coast, where I grew up. We had some land which we
purchased from my family a few years earlier. This would be the home
for our luxury sustainable hotel.”
They sold their cars and house and built their dream in an area
of the world famed for its incredible diversity of animal and plant
life. “We wanted to do something very different than the technology
industry. We love people and this is the perfect environment for that
passion. In the tech world, our mind-set was always to look towards
the future, to innovate and think about how something would look and
work in 3 or 5 years’ time. We simply apply this same thinking to our
resort. One of the main differences we have encountered is that in the
technology sector you can sometimes drop the ball and think ‘it’s ok;
we can fix that in the next update’. In hospitality, there is no chance for
this, we are in the business of happiness and have to ensure everything
is perfect for our guests. We cannot forget to pick someone up from
the local airport or leave them behind in one of our adventure tours.”
“Opening the resort was a shock at the beginning but we learnt
so much in such a short space of time. We saved money during the
construction process by buying the materials directly from the suppliers.
If we hadn’t sourced in this way, we would have paid at least double
the amount. We had $10,000 left to our names when we first opened
the hotel doors. We felt sick knowing that’s all we had left in our bank
account. This feeling soon disappeared once the guests started staying.”
Making such a career change takes a lot of courage and
determination. Yens and Patrick would have had to have the belief
“BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE JUNGLE
LODGE WAS ALWAYS PART OF OUR
VISION AND WE HAVE ACHIEVED THIS
IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
36 | Perspective | March 2017

they were doing the right thing. “We felt in the states we had fallen into
a routine and really needed to experience something else – a trend
we are actually seeing with our guests now. They need to feel alive
and don’t want to get stuck in the system, which is what happened to
us. I believe you have to be genuine in this sector and not in it for just
making money. If it was just about that we would have stayed in our
technology jobs in the US! We are fortunate that some of our guests
have invited us to their homes and we believe this shows the deep and
emotional connection we make with those who stay here.”
Drake Bay Getaway Resort is popular with honeymoon couples but
50% are actually made up of families and solo travellers, especially
those looking for adventure. “It’s difficult to explain, but guests do
really want an experience which they remember and has a deep
meaning in their life.”
“Building a sustainable jungle lodge was always part of our vision
and we have achieved this in many different ways. Not only during
the creation of the property but in how is it operated as a business.
We have no air-conditioning which is better for the environment and
does keep the bills down too. Instead, we have used ‘Passive Cooling’
design principles in all our buildings to keep them cool naturally. We
catch rainfall for our gardens and laundry with all clothes sun-dried in
a special transparent room we built. Water is solar-heated and cabins
are built from 90% recyclable materials.” These initiatives would
lead to Drake Bay Getaway Resort being awarded the Platinum level
GreenLeader by TripAdvisor, their highest environmental standards
for commitment to environmental sustainability.
Yens and Patrick may be new to the sector but 95% of their hotel
bookings come direct with only 5% from travel agents, a figure some
UK hoteliers can only dream of. “We go against the local curve. Most
of the hotels that we know receive 60% of their bookings from travel
agencies, which require at
least 15% commission.”
Yens argues that they
spend little to no money
on marketing and instead
use their search engine
optimisation knowledge to
ensure their website is an
influential tool.
Business has exceeded
their expectations as
the hoteliers have had to
tackle the challenges of being a remote property. The logistics of food
means that it all arrives by boat which relies on weather conditions.
However, so far the boat has never failed, which is just as well as Drake
Bay’s only other option to get food is by dirt track roads and they
are around three hours’ drive from the nearest town. “We ask all our
guests their food preferences and tolerances in advance of their stay.
This tackles any issue which may have otherwise come up during a
stay. We never give anyone a food menu. Instead, we provide unique
dishes every day of a stay based on the guest’s diet. It can be stressful
when choosing a meal, so we have removed this option and surprise
our guests with each meal. We also have unlimited speciality coffee
and tropical fruit drinks which is a real hit.” It will be interesting to see
if this trend is carried out by other hotels and restaurants to improve
the experience for those with more sensitive diets.
It is clear to see why guests want to stay at Drake Bay Getaway
Resort. Costa Rica is a wildlife paradise and each cabin overlooks the
sapphire bay, beautiful beach and tree-topped jungle. Yens and Patrick
have taken an ethical approach and are passionate for conserving,
protecting and enjoying the surrounding environment. Matched with
their personal hospitality and combining luxury with an eco-stay, they
may be new to the game but these hoteliers are making real headway.
epmagazine.co.uk | 37

COMMENT: BUSINESS MODEL
THE PROBLEM IS:
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT
THE PROBLEM IS
Ambiguity is everywhere; it is the one constant. How do
you successfully create a new business model in a sea of
disruption? Build your foundations through emotional
engagement and values based change says Heather
Gibson, Managing Director at Pendulum Partnership.
Imagine mining for resources but not
being sure whether to upscale the final
product to sell to luxury markets in Asia or
expand your tried and tested product into
new markets across the globe. Imagine
too that the complexity of the challenge is
amplified by speed of change in the external
environment and the need for new capability
to deliver a new business model, or even
conceive of one. Further factors could be
added such as political or regulatory change,
demographic and human shifts, but suffice to
say that this mining scenario is not pretend
or isolated. This fundamental question
– how do we build a model to sustain our
organisation into the future – is being played
out across all corners of the world at this very
moment in time in boardroom conversations.
The problem is, you don’t know what the
problem is and, if there is one thing to glean
from reading this article, it is that this is okay.
Accepting this constant ambiguity is the first
step towards building strong leadership and
cultivating new thinking to be successful
in change.
Leading change involves incredible
resilience and agility. Acceptance of
ambiguity as the norm provides a leader with
the mental freedom to ask the questions
that need to be asked and explore scenarios
without limitation. With so many variables,
particularly the intensity of information flow
and the pace of change driven by digitisation,
leaders must adopt an open mind and
incessantly question the potential for new
impacts on their strategy. To effectively
conceptualise the scope of the challenge
and then respond appropriately, desired
outcomes need to be driven through an
approach to change that is fluid and agile.
Values based change is fundamentally about
establishing a set of specific values that
recognise the need for change leadership
THE TRUTH IS THAT
CHANGE FAILS BECAUSE
IT IS FRONT-LOADED TO
FOCUS ON A ‘BIG BANG’
APPROACH AND A
SHORT-TERM OUTCOME.
across an organisation as part of the culture;
prizing authentic, real discussions; growing
creativity and curiosity; and allowing passion
to thrive. It’s also about coaching leaders
to align themselves with these values and
giving them freedom to communicate and
engage in a way that continues to tell a story
of change, which will inspire discussion and
build trust. Focusing on these values creates
a base for emotional connection with your
key audience – your employees – to build
a state of change readiness and sense of
urgency around the agenda, in addition to
breaking down historical mental barriers.
Most individuals resist change through the
lens of what has happened before, and it’s
vital that these are unblocked in order to be
able to deliver outcomes.
Many of us look at change within the
context of what has failed and why. It’s true
that change does fail but the mistake is often
to focus on the symbol of that failure – the
ousted CEO, the bust company, a restructure
destroyed by resistance – without focusing on
the real issue. The truth is that change fails
because it is front-loaded to focus on a ‘big
bang’ approach and a short-term outcome,
without enough investment in the back-end to
see change embedded and get to the desired
future state. The issue here is a failure to invest
in sustaining engagement with employees who
will make the change happen. Resistance to
change is complex and hard worn employees
who have ‘seen it all before’ have often just
learnt to ride things out until the current
wave disappears, as it so very often does.
This is a bad outcome for both parties, and
no longer good enough. The financial cost of
failed change is significant and it is troubling
to see organisations waste money in wave
after wave without adopting a more holistic,
values centric approach that embeds change
into the culture of an organisation. This is
why investment in emotional engagement is
CONVISUM | 123RF.COM
38 | Perspective | March 2017

CONVISUM | 123RF.COM
crucial to meeting the challenge of disruption
head on. It’s vital to understand the story
behind your team’s individual perceptions
of change and to acknowledge what has
happened before in a meaningful way. This is
simple step, but so often not done well, or even
at all. Transparency of dialogue is needed and
is often a huge barrier to overcome, largely
because leaders’ shy away from these more
conflicted discussions. However, without
them, change will fail.
Communication and language is central
to leading values based change. In part this
is because the language we use to facilitate
change is also evolving. In short, the
discussion needs to be authentic, challenging
and honest in order to recognise the volatile,
uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA)
operating environment we all live within.
It is shifting towards growing creativity and
fostering collaboration at all levels. Everyone
is creative in their own individual way, and
this can be applied in a business context;
unfortunately most of us are blocked from
seeing our own skillset in this light – but this
needs to change. By fostering transparency
of communication and driving face-to-face
dialogue, leaders build a platform of trust and
create emotional connection to understand
past legacies, move on and absorb new
messages aimed towards the future. Although
communication needs to have a purpose and
clarity of messaging, the real need is just to
communicate, communicate, communicate.
It cannot be overstated, yet it so often is
overlooked or too tightly controlled. Change
requires investment in communication – it is
make or break – and without it the platform
of trust becomes eroded. The problem is,
you don’t know what the problem is, and you
also don’t have all the answers. This too is
okay. Let people know this and see barriers
break down.
Ambiguity is everywhere; this fact will not
change. In an era of digital disruption change
is not an easy journey, but it is the right one.
The problem is, you don’t know what the
problem is and you need to begin asking the
questions, incessantly, that need to be asked
right now. This is a conceptual, strategic
and challenging conversation within your
leadership team as we face the rapid dawning
of a new era of work. Take heart though. I will
leave it to one of the great leaders of our time
– John F. Kennedy – who in 1963 gave us one
of the most inspirational quotes a leader in
2017 can live by: “Change is the law of life.
And those who look only to the past or the
present are certain to miss the future.” Some
things have not changed.
epmagazine.co.uk | 39

INNOVATION: WINNOW
CONNECTING
THE KITCHEN
How The Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre
& Residences is getting smarter on food waste.
Energy and water are the main issues hotel groups take into
consideration when adopting sustainable practices. However,
one of the biggest opportunities is often neglected with huge
environmental and financial impact: food waste. This month we
travelled to the UAE to meet with Dwayne Thomas Krisko, Executive
Chef at the Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre & Residences who has
used Winnow to cut waste and costs.
While food waste has been generating attention internationally,
it presents a huge challenge especially to countries that have seen a
sudden growth in the hotel and catering sector. A good example of this
is the booming hospitality market in the UAE and Dubai in particular.
Tourism has helped Dubai become the fifth-highest performing
metropolitan economy in the world. The city offers exciting shopping
and entertainment opportunities as well as great venues for meetings
or conventions. Yet over a year, 365,000 tonnes of food is discarded in
Dubai and there is an enormous savings potential for the hospitality
sector in addressing the issue.
The team at Winnow are on a mission to help the hospitality
industry cut down on food waste by ‘connecting the kitchen’. “Our
technology consistently cuts food waste in half by automatically
measuring what gets thrown away and providing data to help chefs
reduce overproduction,” says Marc Zornes, Winnow Co-Founder.
One of the first hotels to adopt Winnow’s technology in the
region is the Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre & Residences. The
contemporary 5-star hotel, located in Deira, Dubai’s heritage hub,
is a beautiful hotel with over 300 elegant rooms and an event space.
Its restaurants and bars serve world class food tailored to foreign
travellers and local customers alike.
The hotel places environmental and social responsibility at the top
of their list of priorities and by implementing food waste prevention
strategies they work towards AccorHotels’ Planet 21 initiative. As part
of the initiative the hotel chain is aiming to reduce food waste by 30%
before the year 2020 across their entire portfolio of hotel brands.
Using Winnow’s reporting, the hotel has been able to dramatically
reduce waste (over 5 tonnes annually) which has led to a 4% reduction
in food purchasing costs. We asked the hotel’s Executive Chef,
Dwayne Thomas Krisko to share some insight into his culinary origins
and how Winnow’s technology helped him work towards less food
waste in his kitchen.
What inspired you to become a Chef?
Cooking has always been my passion and it was something I
enjoyed doing at home with my family. So when the opportunity
raised I accepted it with a great enthusiasm and made it my career.
Where and how were you trained?
I studied at the Culinary School in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania in the
USA. After graduating, I travelled around the US and Europe where
I worked with some of the top chefs of the time.
What challenges did you face when you decided you wanted to
cut waste from your kitchen?
One of the main challenges was to pass the trend of the new mentality
around food waste on my staff. We had to shift the team’s thinking
on the consequences of their actions and to make the right decisions
on the produce process. It has resulted in optimised workflow and of
course, less food waste.
How does Winnow help you in your daily operation?
First of all, food is too valuable to be wasted. Winnow is a great tool
which Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre uses to monitor our daily
making and waste. Also, having the system in my kitchen helps me plan
a better control production, which automatically means significant
cost reductions as we are saving US$400 weekly on food cost.
40 | Perspective | March 2017

IT’S EASY TO PLAN AND IT IS A
BET FOR US TO HOW LOW CAN WE
GET THE WASTE. IT IS ALSO A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY AS WELL SINCE WE
CAN USE THOSE SAVINGS TO
PURCHASE BETTER PRODUCTS.
What initiatives have you implemented based on the data from
Winnow’s reporting?
Reports provide us a very clear picture that highlight where changes
could be made. It’s easy to plan and it is a bet for us to how low can we
get the waste. It is also a great opportunity as well since we can use
those savings to purchase better products.
How do you think technology will have an impact upon how
customers engage with the stories of the food, the chef, and
the restaurant?
It is a subject that affects everyone as we all feel guilty about the
mounds of food likely to go waste. With Winnow’s technology we
have the opportunity to engage our customers to the whole story
and become involved with the operation. We are exposing this effort
through our Pullman social media platforms and website – giving as
much information as possible for the people who is interested in to
found out exactly what is that we are doing and what is the goal.
How do you see your kitchen develop towards a more sustainable
operation in the future?
With the advancement of technological tools and social recognition
of waste, our goal at Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre is to optimise
usage and achieve zero waste. We will all need to make smaller
portions, use sustainable products and minimise when possible; that
will achieve major cost control and essential loss of food.
If you could give just one piece of advice to chefs on how to tackle
food waste, what would it be?
I would advise every young chef to be transparent and make wastage
a positive issue and give constructive re-enforcement to the staff
so people will respect the issue and pay more attention to how to
waste less.
Winnow is on a mission to solve the problem for restaurants on a
global scale. They are already live in 18 countries and are saving to
their clients millions. They encourage operators to come on board and
look strategically at food waste reduction for clear economic as well as
environmental reasons. With the right tools, you can dramatically cut
waste, saving costs and improving your offer at the same time.
epmagazine.co.uk | 41

SPECIAL FEATURE: NED
INTRODUCING
THE NED PANEL
A marriage of skills between the baby boomers and emerging businesses.
There has been so much written about the pace of change and
it is remarkable but the one truth is that everyone – however old
or young – needs to be open to learning new ideas and skills.
This is arguably the first time in history whereby the older generation
is learning new skills from the younger generation but it is also true
that the latter do need the skills of the former just as much.
The Baby Boomers led lives based on actions. Their generation
grew up in a different era but one that developed some very special
character traits. They were invariably independent and worldly at a
younger age. They networked and socialised in a different way and
they understood most of all the importance of relationships and trust.
Generation Y is more strategic and global.
The world is changing at such pace, it is easy to miss key pieces of
information and all need to be open to learning and listening to new
ideas and concepts.
PWC have published a fascinating report about the workforce
in 2022. The report goes onto to visualise the world’s first fully
automated and robot-served hotel opens in 2022. In 2021, licences
will be granted for driverless car. How the world has changed.
In a recent discussion with a group of students, they talked proudly
of the way that social media has made the world open and transparent
and there is free information at everyone’s fingertips. It is true. It has
encouraged an era of learning and information flow that is arguably
never been seen before. However, how does one explain the joy of
letters and post; the excitement of escaping to phone partners and best
friends on pay phones as invariably the money would run out? It seems
like a different age but was in truth it was less than thirty years ago.
The modern flow of information has arguably led to increased
process, analysis and transparency. Arguably what is missing is the
action-led nature of the Baby Boomers to whom strategy was often
what was discussed on the M1 motorway. The focus was on getting
things done; and less talk and analysis.
Strangely too in a world that is so easy to communicate in, the
Baby Boomers possessed great skills in networking and in the art of
conversation. They also have lived through a series of crisis from the
3 day week in the 1970s, the oil crisis, 4 recessions, Black Wednesday,
the first Iraq war, the financial crash of 2008 and many more dramas.
There is a whole bank of knowledge and experience that can be
called upon.
Most business books are based off the philosophies and experiences
of proven business leaders and expert observers. However often
business leaders are being led by the younger generation too. There
have been very few business books written by an audience of emerging
leaders but maybe that would have real value.
Beyond this the baby boomers have worked through periods of
turbulence. Their perspective and knowledge can only be of value,
which younger businesses can use for their learning.
We are therefore delighted to launch the NED panel which is
a group of some of Industry’s greatest leaders from over the past
thirty years and who can add real value to emerging businesses that
would like a proven industry player that they can call upon and work
with their boards. Nothing is more important in making decisions
than experience and understanding of market dynamics beyond the
workings of the business. This is one of the values a good NED brings
to the table – a broader, more objective perspective. A good NED
brings real hidden value that enables business to make good decisions
The Hospitality Industry possesses a deep bank of knowledge
and experience that every business can call upon. Hence the value
of the NED panel. It is a turbulent period and the NED panel allows
businesses of all sizes – whether £100k or £100m – to call upon
proven experience to help guide and support board decisions in this
period of change.
Change has become a constant and experience/knowledge is an
invaluable commodity to possess for every company.
42 | Perspective | March 2017

EDUCATION: SOCIAL BUSINESS
The entrepreneur
has changed
The Education System is changing Business – but maybe not for the right reasons.
However it could mean that students are the future agents of change.
There are many theories about why there
has been a lack of leaders’ breakthrough in
the last ten years. One of the reasons that
has been researched is that the education
system is more interested in exam results
than teaching life skills to the young. In olden
times, the school system was supposed to
develop balanced, rounded young adults
ready for life beyond education. In fact,
this was the reasoning for the development
of sport in Victorian times. The Victorian
Public Schools embraced sports as a method
for teaching good character and discipline.
However the balance has shifted as league
tables were introduced and there is a direct
correlation between the advent of league
tables and the supposed fall in emerging
leaders breaking through. The view is that
life skills, and understanding of human
nature, of teams and communities are crucial
to leadership. The generation at University
today is sometimes even referred to as “the
Snowflake” generation as they are, in theory,
more sensitive and less hardened in life skills.
A touch harsh towards the young as there is
some exceptional young talent and they view
the world through different eyes to previous
generations. But there is undoubtedly a
change in focus.
The system may not be generating natural
leaders but they have arguably created a
new raft of social entrepreneurs that want
to create change. They are arguably turning
to entrepreneurship earlier as they carry
higher level of debt that they want to lose
and also as they want to play active roles in
changing society.
Higher education institutions across the
country are seeing more students – young
disruptors, innovators and entrepreneurs –
impatient to changing the world. Many of them
are already armed with the ideas, curiosity, and
creativity to solve big problems by the time
they graduate. Over the past several years,
programs geared specifically toward social
innovation and entrepreneurship have grown,
mostly driven by student demand and in some
cases even developed by students themselves.
In the days of Thatcherism, the idea was
that entrepreneurs created wealth and
employment. It was a relatively self-focused
discipline. Today it is different.
So what exactly is a social entrepreneur?
While definitions vary, most social
entrepreneurs are simply individuals with
innovative solutions to society’s most
pressing social problems. They are ambitious
and persistent, tackling major social issues
and offering new ideas for wide-scale change.
The movement is growing all across
the globe. More people want more from
their job than just a salary, and social
entrepreneurship is one way to get there.
There have been a number of studies – both
with company employees under 35 and with
graduates – and often the results state that
one of the prime motivators is to create eco
and social change.
On this basis, it is fair to argue that:
n Entrepreneurs will be the lead change
agents in society
n Corporates will need to change the
way they nurture talent and leadership.
Far more work needs to put into place
in relation to leadership development
n Corporates will need to match
entrepreneurs in their care for a
world beyond their own organisations.
Quality of life and care for the
community will be important to attract
the best talent
RAWPIXEL | WWW.123RF.COM
epmagazine.co.uk | 43

FOOD & DRINK: SHANGRI-LA
The Missing Mindset
Ask hotel executives their thoughts on the biggest issues facing the sector and
many will cite the ‘chef shortage’ in the top three. However, is there a lack of people
or is the underlying problem that the chefs lack the experience, skills and most
importantly the mindset for the job. EP met with Heather Kaniuk, the recently
appointed Executive Pastry Chef at Shangri-La Hotel to look into this issue.
Heather Kaniuk is a confident, outgoing chef who
is in charge of running a brigade of 17 chefs in the
pastry section at the highest hotel in the capital
at the Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London.
Originally from New Zealand, Heather came to
London on a scholarship programme and stayed
for longer then she expected. The passionate rising
star has worked across some of the most revered
pastry kitchens in the capital and has observed some
growing trends which may impact the sector more so
then ever before.
“I’ve been with Shangri-La a short time, and like
every kitchen in London we are missing a few chefs.
We’ve been searching
Today’s young chefs don’t want to spend ten
hard years getting to this level. We are lucky to
keep staff for more than one to two years.”
for people with the
correct drive and
attitude needed but we
are struggling to find
those with a passion and
desire to learn. Many
young chefs seem to be misled by fame, the promise of fortune and the
celebrity chef lifestyle – what should drive them is the search for new
skills, and a sense of teamwork which is driven by the right work ethos.
There are young chefs out there, but not enough of them.”
Whilst working hours in kitchens have reduced for many from the
eighty hours plus weeks that were once the norm. Heather, amongst
others, is struggling to find candidates willing to go the extra mile, or
work in excess of their contracted forty hours. During her formative
years, Heather was driven in her learning and gained experience
from working around the globe, spending time working on-board
luxury superyachts that toured the world. She also spent time in San
Francisco and Canada, working for Michel Suas, a renowned leader
in French artisan baking. She believes that young chefs need to be
pushed, taught and trained to become the best they can be, and whilst
many have the ambition, some lack the drive needed to reach the top.
“There are colleges out there who are great at teaching the technical
knowledge but not the practicalities of a working kitchen. The long
hours, speed of production and service and the ability to
think on your feet in a stressful environment all comes
as a shock. We are finding people joining often come
from a wide variety of backgrounds and ethnicities, and
for many it’s their first job in the UK. We have to teach
them about the kitchen but also life skills. I have found
that my leadership style has had to change to adapt to
this situation. You need to be able to wear many ‘hats’–
that of the parent, the friend and the counsellor.”
“I am where I am by putting my head down and
working hard pushing the boundaries of what I
thought I could achieve. Today’s young chefs don’t
want to spend ten hard years getting to this level.
We are lucky to keep
staff for more than one
to two years.”
The concern facing
the sector is that a
chef may work only six
months and then move
on. This impacts those who are investing valuable time in teaching
them. Although it can seem beneficial to the young chef eager to
learn many new skills in a short term, it may also cause strain on an
industry already struggling to recruit. The question to ask is why is
this happening now?
“Social Media does play a role. People look on their platforms or
watch The Great British Bake Off, recreate the dishes at home and
think they’re a chef. Whilst they may be able to do one dish well, they
lack any other techniques or knowledge.”
“When I was travelling I worked in various kitchens with different
set-ups and attitudes. In Europe we are very traditional, maintaining
the classical hierarchy. Working in the States, I found it much more
relaxed and laid back. There is an emerging culture of strong female
chefs, with the likes of Dominique Crenn, Belinda Leong and Nicole
Krasinski, who are changing the face of kitchens. I do find that many
female chefs are precise, dedicated and have great attention to
detail. We must look at ways to keep females in the kitchen longer –
44 | Perspective | March 2017

I’ve seen too many burn out or change
careers to be able to juggle their family life
with their career.”
Whilst the potential ideal of a relaxed
kitchen may be in the distance for many
hotel restaurants, Heather does believe
that the chef culture is starting to shake
off its reputation as a male dominated,
aggressive environment. “There is less
yelling and screaming.” Heather says
with relief. “Whilst I was working my way
up this was often normal. However this
method, whether rightly or wrongly, did
bring with it respect and an understanding
of hierarchy.”
“I’ve also found that many people are
trying to enter the industry at a later age.
However it’s a demanding space to work in
– both physically and mentally. People may
see it as a fun and creative job, but can they
handle standing up all day, long hours versus
the low salary, adapting to the fast-paced
environment? Unless you’ve grown up with
it, it’s very hard to adapt to it.”
“Like many other industries, if the person
wants to learn, they can go far. Within
Shangri-La we offer the opportunity to
learn all aspects of pastry across our outlets –
plated desserts, afternoon tea, event catering
and private dining, amenities and also
our retail offering – LÁNG, an artisan deli.
This gives young chefs a much broader
skillset than what you typically learn in
a restaurant.
When Heather does bring on new team
members, she needs to bring them up to
speed quickly. “They need to understand
allergens, dietary requirements and
ingredients. This can be as simple as
‘where does honey come from, or what
is an egg made up of ? The lack of basic
knowledge is scary, but this is a reality
for some.”
Heather proposes that we may need
to reinvent what it is to be a chef and do
more to encourage others to enter the
industry with the right attitude. By focusing
on hands-on training, motivating staff,
working more efficiently, people should join
who want to go far in a place of learning,
not just working.
epmagazine.co.uk | 45

INTERNATIONAL: VIVAANA CULTURE HOTEL
PRESERVING THE PAST
EP speaks to Shiven Khanna on how he and his family
meticulously restored a 19th century Haveli in India and
turned it into the Vivaana Culture Hotel.
Restoring antiques, artwork and buildings runs in the Khanna
blood. Shiven and his farther opened the Vivaana Culture Hotel four
years ago following a long restoration process. Their story is one of
passion, reward, hope and preserving beauty forever.
“My mother and father, Atul and Devna, are an entrepreneurial
couple and together we found a haveli in Mandawa, Rajasthan. A
haveli is a mansion in India. My father said on his 50th birthday he
wanted to do something different and due to his love of restoration, so
we decided to transform the beautiful property into a hotel.”
“When we purchased the haveli we also wanted the one next door to
ensure the hotel had enough rooms and space. However the owner of
this second haveli said we could not see inside until we have purchased
the property. We were under the assumption the inside would need
much restoration and would be in a poor condition. However, to
our surprise and delight once we had purchased the property we
discovered it actually contained the best painted frescos and some
were so beautiful we decided to use the spaces as public areas and not
turn them into bedrooms.”
Shiven recalls how they had to install water and electricity with the
whole restoration taking quite a long time. The experience was all
very new to the family because none of them had a hotel background.
However, they tackled it head on and the Vivaana Culture Hotel has now
been open for four years and is doing well. The Khanna’s have gone on
to purchase other properties in Delhi and are in the process of restoring
a smaller 1850s mansion with the aim of providing a glimpse of how life
was back then. As with Vivaana they are restoring and maintaining the
character of the buildings but with the modern necessities the modern
traveller craves. This has become their family’s passion and why they
undertook and continue to restore these grand charming properties.
“We want guest to see the unique Mandawa district and use us as a
window into the culture and heritage of the surroundings. At Vivaana
we focus on many public areas for our guests and include a gallery
walk through within the haveli.”
“We have embraced the community around us and now the person
who looked after the property during the restoration shows our guests
his home and sells drinks when they visit. We feel this experience
of viewing local homes and culture is very important. We also work
closely with a local farm who provide camel tours, guests can see
what’s around the area this way and our community feel we are
supporting them by bringing them business.”
Within the haveli are painted frescos which are over a hundred years
old. They show Hindu Gods and Goddesses as well as everyday life.
46 | Perspective | March 2017

They were painted by artists from all over India, the shekhawati
region is known as the ‘open art gallery’. Within the hotel guests
can view the paintings depicting the British influence in india which
existed in the 19th century and even some exotic images which were
discovered during the restoration process. “We soon discovered why
this had been covered up.” Shiven explains. “The central façade really
has some very interesting paintings of everyday life which have survived
the tests of time.”
Vivaana is not only a symbol of craftsman excellence and hidden
grandeur, Shiven explains how their hotel packages also entice the
guest to the small unexplored village where the haveli sits. “We have
packages which contain massages, designed diets, village walks,
mediation and yoga and herbal tonics. It’s all designed to calm, renew
and invigorate the guest and provide a rejuvenating experience.”
The Elephant House Spa is named after its original use as the stables
which were included in the richer traveli’s to house their family’s
elephant. As well as the packages the hotel includes O – The Organic
Kitchen, which serves world cuisine and local delicacies.
“The region is made up of around 50 small villages and each has
haveli’s with paintings in them. Our area has a huge concentration
of them and they were particularly favoured by merchants who lived
in the area due to the silk route. They built these to showcase their
wealth but would often have tiny doors to enter into their haveli’s.
This was so when the King or hierarchy arrived they would have
to bow when entering to avoid hitting their head, thus allowing the
merchant to feel they had gained some respect.”
The mascot for the hotel is a donkey and a life sized statue is on
show at the hotel. “We wanted to have the hardest working animal
of the region as our mascot. We plan in the future to open a donkey
sanctuary because these animals are sometimes mistreated and have
to lift heavy items.”
Shiven, a lawyer by trade has relished the experience of working
on a hotel and notices the huge differences between the two worlds.
“I go to the hotel and see people having a great time and then I go to
the courts and see some sort of fight and high levels of stress. I think
you know which I prefer!”
With its typical Rajasthani architecture and beautiful fresco
paintings, Vivaana is an art lovers delight. Stories unravel from each
wall and the Khanna’s family passion for restoring the traditional look
is clear to see. Shiven and his family has produced an authentic and
historic hotel and preserved beautiful frescos of an old world for many
in the future to savour.
epmagazine.co.uk | 47

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: W LONDON
Anticipating
the next trend
EP speaks to Martijn Mulder, General Manager of
W London, on defying traditional thinking and producing
new experiences within a hotel’s walls.
The guest is forever changing and
hotels are often chasing the current
trends and attempting to equal the
guest desires.
To truly match and surpass this
expectation a hotel has to predict
what the guest may want next, rethink
their offering or for W London hotel,
completely turn something upside down
to make it truly memorable.
Being able to predict the guest’s
movements is a rare gift and one which
brings with it a touch of risk. However, when an experience hits the
mark it can create waves across the market and bring guests from
around the world. W London, located on the corner of Leicester
Square, has recently introduced their own trend prediction, a new inroom
service, a luxury mobile cocktail bar named the Mega Bar.
“We are industry disruptors in the luxury hotel market, pushing
boundaries with innovative new thinking.” Explains Martijn, who
has been General Manager of W London since 2016. The relaxed
Dutch GM is visibly in tune with the hotel, its guests and the market.
He proudly explains how W Hotels are charged with redefining the
hospitality sector and how W London wants to be the best at doing
this. With the group on track to reach 75 hotels by 2020, Martijn has
his work cut out but is embracing the challenge.
The mobile cocktail bar is linked to the hotel’s ‘W Insider’, an
in-the-know tastemaker who sets the stage for amplified guest
experiences, offering insider insight and tips and is part of W Hotels
‘Whatever/Whenever’ service. “This is where we grant any wishes of
the guest, we make special moments in all shapes and sizes and all we
say is that it just has to be legal.” Martijn jokes.
“When I first came to the hotel I received an email from a guest
who had looked me up on LinkedIn. They explained they wanted to
surprise their wife and told me what their partner likes. They said she
loved dolphins and told me her favourite drink. I forwarded all of this
to our Insider who explained that this was actually quite common
to receive and so we set up sea life music in the room, an inflatable
dolphin in the bath tub and prepared her favourite drink. They were
thrilled and it is this experience we try to offer to all guests.”
Martijn believes this is what makes them different to other
properties within the luxury segment. “The team are challenged
each time and we all love trying to surpass the requests we receive”.
The guest experience is high on the list for the hotel but the team
also understand that the staff, who they call ‘talents’, need to see and
understand the offering. “We have an internal Facebook page where
we post photos, videos and other messages. We want to look after our
staff and share with them. An idea may start big but we know they
eventually are the ones putting on the show and so their engagement
and comments are welcomed.”
The new in-room experience includes a personal mixologist, sound
system, disco ball and unique choice of cocktails. These come with
additional add-on’s, such as a pair of sunglasses for their ‘Here Comes
The Sun’ cocktail. Inspired by a music freight case, the Bar can be
wheeled into each suite.
With W London’s location in the centre of the capital, it raises
the question of whether the hotel is trying to keep their guests at the
property to ensure they spend their whole night there. “We get lots of
nightlife seekers who may book us for the location. We want to show
48 | Perspective | March 2017

our commitment and passion for creating new and next experiences
for them. We have guests who use the Mega Bar as the start of their
night, go out for dinner and come back to the hotel for drinks and
dancing in our secret nightclub.” Hidden behind a door named Room
913, W London has a hideout overlooking Leicester Square with bar,
dancefloor, DJ’s and a huge disco ball.
W Hotels are a strong brand in their market and Martijn believes
this helps with the introduction of new experiences. “We often have
guests visit that have stayed in a W Hotel before, they understand
our ethos and know we push boundaries. Our role is to surprise them
and do something completely unexpected. For example we recently
created a pretend snowstorm within the hotel longue. We are close to
the theatres, the restaurants and the cool vibe of Soho but if we can
enhance a stay then we will.”
The Mega Bar is not the first experience with a difference that the
hotel has introduced. ‘Walk Out Wardrobe’ was a revolutionary in-hotel
designer-wardrobe in partnership with Girl Meets Dress. “They have
4,000 outfits to choose from and so our guests can select designer
dresses, which they can wear on a night out. We were the first hotel to
introduce this service and it has been very popular.”
Being first is something Martijn and his team work hard on. With
many hotels focusing this year on wellbeing and looking at how the
guest no longer wants to indulge as much as they used too, Martijn is
looking at how they may actually want both. “Our AWAY Spa provides
treatments which make our guests red-carpet ready, they can use the
spa as a sanctuary and revitalise their body. However with our inroom
experiences we can then reenergise them for a night out.
“Linked to this is our healthy food offering where guests can enjoy
superfoods in their room. It’s perfect for recovery from the night
before and allows them to go again the next night. We call this ‘Fuel’
and focus on a detox, retox, repeat schedule.”
Although the Mega Bar may appeal to leisure guests on the
weekend, Martijn explains how during the week the hotel has a high
percentage of corporate guests that also look to have fun. “They stay
a few nights for business, in the day you see them in their suits, but by
night they have become less formal and want to have a good time.”
The hotel’s strategy is to promote their exciting offering through
online channels and ensure their experiences are aligned to their
philosophy of being what’s new and next. They recently teamed up
with several young fashion designers during London Fashion Week,
offering them a platform to present their collections and designs.
“This allows them to showcase their creative work in a pop-up style
within the hotel. At the last event we held a virtual reality show
which included attendees being able to view a catwalk through the
technology.” Martijn explains.
W London is challenging the current thinking of the guest and some
may argue goes against current trends but they are quite possibly
predicting the next moves. The in-room experiences have hit the
mark with a certain calibre of guest and their bold approach may just
motivate other hotels to rethink their offering for future generations.
To defy traditional thinking should be embraced and the results
carefully monitored, if guests have an endless appetite for something
‘new’ Martijn and his team may have chosen the best road to become
an even more powerful London destination.
epmagazine.co.uk | 49

INNOVATION: SOCIAL INNOVATION
THE ERA FOR
SOCIAL INNOVATION
Who will lead the change agenda following a turbulent year?
2016 has been a year that has created
genuine shock waves that have been felt
across the world. Brexit...The election
of Donald Trump...it does seem that the
traditional middle and working classes are
asking to see change in the political arena but
how can one expect to see change within a
group that does not really possess the skills
or craft to be leaders of change.
It is more likely that it will be entrepreneurs
and innovators that do lead the change agenda.
Of course, in past times – maybe the years
of Thatcherism – the argument would have
been that entrepreneurs were selfish and all
about wealth creation.
However, this may be the most important
change of all. Innovation, change for social
good, and change for a better future – these
are phrases we hear a lot of nowadays,
and there is a desire amongst emerging
entrepreneurs that they want to change
the world for the better. There is a genuine
optimism and belief amongst the young that
is quite inspiring.
Social Innovation can come in a range
of forms including the traditional social
enterprise where an organisation has both
a social and for profit focus and the lesser
known social innovation which is not about
profit, but rather benefits society as a whole
and not just the individual.
The idea of doing things to make life better
isn’t a new thing, but the focus on creating
novel solutions to address social problems
that are more effective, efficient, sustainable
and a step up from current solutions is
rapidly gaining momentum.
In a recent report in Australia, it was
noted that there has been a 37 percent
increase on the number of social enterprise
businesses operating from five years ago.
THERE IS A DESIRE AMONGST EMERGING
ENTREPRENEURS THAT THEY WANT TO CHANGE
THE WORLD FOR THE BETTER.
The majority of these have been operating
for an average of 3 years, indicating that
growth has been quite rapid. Those social
enterprises with a commercial aspect to their
operations generate around $22 million
annually, accounting for 39 percent of their
income and around 2 percent of GDP.
The level of investment in social
innovation is a bit harder to estimate,
but according to the Australian Centre
for Social Innovation the amount is in
the billions if you take into account the
investment made by government in welfare
and social inclusion programs – think
about Medicare and its origins and more
recently the National Disability Insurance
Scheme. The government focus in on
increasing productivity and participation and
stimulating a vibrant, dynamic and inclusive
social economy.
It is setting a tone and one can see similar
change taking place in the UK. Just think of
the Scottish sandwich business “Social Bite”
that has attracted huge profile with the visits
of Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney
in successive years.
This is a new era and change is happening,
the leaders of social change could well be you.
© SANIPHOTO | DREAMSTIME.COM
50 | Perspective | March 2017

Specialised Accountants
& Business Advisors to
the Hotel Industry
From detailed reporting to a fully
outsourced finance function, Ecovis
harnesses expert industry knowledge,
experience and leading technology to
deliver information and advice you can
act on.
Outsourcing the finance function was a completely new concept for the business,
Ecovis bought a new dynamic to the team which strengthened internal controls.
I was particularlly impressed with the effort made by the team in engaging with
the business in various locations, rather than working remotely. Ecovis showed
commitment at all levels and their support went beyond the accounting and finance.
Head of Finance, International Hotel Group
Robert McCann
Hospitality Partner
0207 495 2244
robert.mccann@ecovis.co.uk
www.ecovis.co.uk