| Summary_ "A tribute to Ladies & Gentlemen_ From my youngest age, I have always wanted to be in the hotels & restaurants business. I just loved the buzz, glamour, permanent change, cross cultural that is common to those international large upscale hotels. Thanks to my parents, I was lucky enough to be able to travel across Europe and USA and visit those wonderful, unique hotels, casinos, resorts, restaurants._ In the 70’s one of my uncle who was architect, offered me for one of my birthdays a book in which the largest US hotels were displayed among which some were built by Frank Lloyd Wright; another revealing sign for me to embrace this profession of international hotelier. Hotels can truly be unique architectural landmark and working in some of those was a real treat for me. Le Meridien in Boston (now the Langham) was the former Federal Reserve Bank and the pastry shop was built into what use to be the main Safe!“Le Grand” in Paris with its “Salon Opera” and Café de La Paix._ Thanks again to my parents, I was able to attend some of the finest hotel schools among which IMHI/CORNELL/ESSEC. During those 2 years of intense study, I acquired the necessary academic tools to be able to one day operate large hotels; I will never thank enough gentlemen such as Paul Beals – Dean of IMHI at that time in 1984, Michael Nowlis for his entertaining Case studies, Professor Michael D. Olsen for his thick and indigestible book on strategic finance in which FPV’s & NPV’s got me so often confused!_ It is also during that time that I happened to meet some of the most wonderful people with whom I am still friend or even more – since it is there that I met Agnès who became my wife. Having close to you somebody who perfectly understands the constraints of such a profession was key to both my successful professional and personal life._ Upon graduation, I joined Méridien and traveled across the USA along working with some fine properties in Houston - TX, New Orleans - LA, San Diego – CA, Boston – MA and great people; in 1993, I took the opportunity to work for Intercontinental Hotels in Paris at “le Grand”, London – IHC Hyde Park, Brussels IHC; It was still in Brussels that Rezidor asked me he if I wanted to open their second hotel in Brussels – The Radisson Blu EU hotel; question to which I of course said yes; working with Mr. Kurt Ritter – CEO of Rezidor Hotels & Resorts, as a Boss is a tribute for any true Hotelier and true it is that I was a bit sad to ask him to leave Rezidor. The latest chapter of my hotel book has been opened in 2010 with Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts – company that truly promote traditional hospitality but also entrepreneurial values and this I truly enjoy it. Thanks to Mr. Jean Gabriel Peres – President & CEO of MH&R, these true hotelier values are kept alive within Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. Hard Work, respect of all stake holders, passion for excellence, fairness, loyalty, good friends, balance approach to all what you do and all this with humility, common sense and a good sense of humor is what all these ladies and Gentlemen that I met along the last 26 years have taught me; may they be thanked a million for all this invaluable treasure they gave me." |
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