Special RepoRt : Change Makers
BiggEST cHaLLEngE :
Scaling up across a wide geography with the people . When Accor sent him to the island of South Lombok , he says , he and his team were training people who had never worked in hotels and who hadn ’ t had the opportunities or education of many Westerners . “ The warmth and care that I got in return from all the employees was heart-warming . I worked with people who will do anything for you .”
It ’ s another aspect of the business that drove him as he moved to Singapore as a co-founder and managing director of Alila Hotels & Resorts in 2001 : “ A complete passion for the industry and our guests , a compass to monetize that , and being a good developer and a good mentor for our team .”
Alila touts sustainability and personalization , and aims to add up to 30 sites by year-end 2018 in countries including China , whose megacity dwellers are hungry for the kind of back-to-nature experiences in Alila ’ s sweet spot . Flageat-Simon ' s alila Seminyak in Bali , indonesia
creative mandate remained the same but broadened beyond Asia when Commune took over Alila last year . That company ’ s stable includes the Tommie , Joie de Vivre and Thompson brands and took another leap forward in January when a merger with Destination Hotels & Resorts was announced .
Integrating with Commune was straightforward , he says , because the two companies shared similar values . “ The words were different , but the meanings were the same . When you are working with like-minded people , it makes everything easier .” The combination means that Alila can grow faster , but the trick is maintaining Alila ’ s entrepreneurial mindset within a bigger geographic footprint .
Growth is the key right now . “ We have a lot of hotels to open ,” says Flageat-Simon , who was interviewed on a rare day in Singapore after recent trips that included Goa and both U . S . coasts . Next currEnT fOOTprinT : alila has 11 properties in asia . a Joie de Vivre is planned for nha Trang , Vietnam , and the company is in " advanced negotiations " for several other Joie de Vivre and Thompson Hotel properties .
THE gOaL : up to 30 alila properties operating by yearend 2018
he was headed to Oman , where Alila has a hotel in Jabal Akhdar and is beginning construction of a second in Salalah . When he can , he combines business and pleasure trips with his wife of 22 years to encounter the destinations more like an experienced tourist would .
With Alila ’ s ambitious growth path , staying curious won ’ t be a problem for Flageat-Simon , who reflects bottomless curiosity about the region and where his vision can take him . “ We have to be able to monetize the passion and be good entrepreneurs .”
44 HOTELS April 2016 www . hotelsmag . com