WHAT I LEARNED WAS THAT WHEN YOU ’ RE IN CHARGE , TAKE CHARGE . IT ’ S NOT ABOUT POPULARITY , IT ’ S ABOUT MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION FOR EVERYONE TO KEEP THEM SAFE .
– RANDY SHIMABUKU
ION ”
HOTELS : You have been associated with Four Seasons for over three decades . Did you expect to remain with one company for so long ? What has kept you in place all this time ? Randy Shimabuku : When I joined Four Seasons , I never thought I ’ d be here for 30-plus years . When I graduated from Cornell University , I had a dozen interviews and one of these was Four Seasons . I received 10 offers , but none from Four Seasons , which was an upstart company in the 1980s . It was expanding and there was a lot of buzz about it . But I didn ’ t get an offer from them . I joined the company eight years later .
Four Seasons has a very strong people culture and that ’ s something I believe in . Shared values are very important in any marriage , whether to a person or a company , and that creates loyalty and a bond beyond a typical employer-employee relationship . These days , it ’ s almost old-fashioned to stay so long with one company .
H : You are succeeding Uday Rao , Bali ’ s longest-serving general manager . How do you plan to continue or reimagine his legacy ? RS : Uday was in Bali almost 10 years and built quite the reputation . Uday is a good friend , we ’ ve known each other for 29 years and have worked together many years ago back in Japan . But I don ’ t know how he operates and it doesn ’ t matter to me . We are both peopleoriented , big heart kind of guys and that ’ s why we are friends and colleagues . I continue that legacy of being a people person , while
I bring different experience and background . Uday ’ s background is rooms and mine is F & B . So , he may be more critical of rooms , while I would be more critical of our dining offerings and give daily feedback to the chefs .
H : You are joining Four Seasons in Bali as it unveils a new culinary team , spa and immersive experiences to showcase Bali ’ s culture . How will you enhance Four Seasons ’ brand of hospitality as Bali begins to welcome international travelers ? What new projects have you planned for the hotel ? RS : The vision is celebrating the authenticity of the Balinese village , the core of the hotel , with seven villages and the
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