THE INTERVIEW : RETO WITTWER
“ I NEVER TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER .
I hate discipline and policies and procedures . Procedures kill initiative . I am revolted about injustice , stupidity and people who create things to safeguard their comfort zone . I am fighting permanently to make sure our company becomes one where the word ‘ was ’ is never mentioned .”
Fifty percent of our portfolio should be in Europe because we claim to be European . In the Middle East , we are practically everywhere we should be and in a few places we shouldn ’ t and plan to make some exits . We are braking into India and Asia . I proposed to our 50-50 joint venture in China three years ago that we cap expansion at 20 to 25 , and it will be our choice where they will be . I know they want to develop more , so we decided to create a new brand ( Nuo ). It can have 100 hotels . Our partners believe so much in it they own and are developing the first two hotels ( in Shanghai and Beijing ). They believe , thereafter , [ owners ] will flock and want a newer brand on their building — a custom-tailored product that does not exist for the Chinese market , as all the current deluxe brands are foreign brands .
H : What accomplishment in 2011 gave you the most satisfaction ?
RW : I spend about 50 % of my time on our people . Our raw material is people . We have created a culture to really make sure we identify talent , push them , promote them and don ’ t lose them . That has become a company culture . … I just had a conference call with all our hotels and 800 people listening in to thank everyone for a great year . It was not an easy year , but we are doing extremely well .
H : How did you best manage through the economic downturn ?
RW : We didn ’ t lay off anyone in the hotels . For example , we were hit hard in Budapest , and the staff there
The Kempinski Hotel Cathedral Square in Vilnius , Lithuania , opens this year .
collectively agreed to cut 20 % of its wages to avoid layoffs . It created a deep sense of solidarity , and I made a deal with the owner to pay back the 20 % over time when times get better . H : What defines the Kempinski culture ? RW : Attracting and retaining good people . We had a career day in Munich using our website to tell prospective employees to come meet our all of our managers , who we had in the lobby
42 HOTELS January / February 2012 www . hotelsmag . com