ALWAYS AN EYE ON PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT
PROFILE
ALLEN LAW
The Park Hotel Group ' s flagship – the fashionable Grand Park Orchard in Singapore
ALWAYS AN EYE ON PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT
Diana Ee-Tan , vice chairman , SHATEC Institutes , formerly president Raffles Hotels & Resorts , offers her impressions of Allen Law :
recognized few hotel operators were themselves owners . By wearing both hats , he saw he could add value to other owners not only by delivering business but by increasing the asset value .
“ Asia Pacific reported the highest growth by region of about 10 % in 2016 , led by strong demand from intra-regional source markets . The tourism outlook is expected to remain robust and resilient for the next few years ,” says Law , who recently launched a third brand , the select-service Destination , after his Grand Park and Park brands . “ The positive market sentiment and a deep understanding of Asian cultures and values present a huge opportunity for Asian homegrown hotel groups to grow their presence in emerging or untapped markets in this region to further strengthen their foothold . It ’ s a very exciting time for Asia now where travel interest and spending remains strong and our portfolio of brands is able to serve the varying needs of diverse travelers .”
NIMBLE , CARING CULTURE Law believes Asian brands can tailor their products and services to the Asian customer at every touchpoint of the guest journey – “ not just changing the breakfast menu items but also looking at how these customers book , transact , engage and then developing new strategies and channels to be where they are .” This is far more important than blindly rushing into technological innovations like self-service check-in kiosks or voice-controlled rooms . “ We are in the people business , and love is the core of our hospitality ,” says Law , referencing the chain ’ s marketing theme of “ Loving Hospitality .” “ People travel to be inspired and enriched by local cultures , people and stories .
The human connection that binds these experiences is invaluable and is what makes travel meaningful .”
The next lap for Park Hotel Group , however , won ’ t be a breeze – even if it has become an established name . So these days , Law , now 37 , is preoccupied with how to ride changes hitting the industry .
“ 2016 saw the M & As of some of the biggest players in the industry ,” he says , adding that the sharing economy will also continue to grow and disrupt the way things are done traditionally . “ The growing dominance of OTAs and large , well-funded companies like Google getting into the hotel booking business have also changed the dynamics ,” he continues . “ Along with the shift in customer preferences , from the way they choose to transact to the way they experience the destination , change is taking place across the ecosystem .”
Law also believes the group ’ s smaller size and structure will allow it to respond quickly . For example , it is implementing payment gateways and developing standalone hotel websites dedicated to serve the needs of specific markets .
Corporate culture will also need to evolve and adapt to the fast-changing landscape , Law muses . “ Why are certain companies or industries able to re-invent themselves faster than others ? I believe corporate culture is a key factor .”
But it ’ s clear “ Loving Hospitality ” will remain the core of Park Hotel Group , no matter how the world changes .
Law , a father of two , says work isn ’ t work when you love what you do , and it ’ s the people you work with who share common goals that will bring about shared performance and results .
“ I have served on boards and committees together with Allen . At the Singapore Hotel & Tourism Education Centre Scholarship Panel , for example , when we saw the need for new approaches for managing student bursaries or initiatives relating to student development , Allen came forward to give ‘ first mover ’ support . It occurred to me that when he saw that his own action could help give impetus or ballast to a goal , he did not wait and see who might lend support or who would oppose – he was willing to cast his lot independently .”
50 hotelsmag . com April 2017