“ I BELIEVE CEOS HAVE TO INSPIRE , NOT SELL . CEOS NEED TO SPEND A GOOD DEAL OF THEIR TIME INSPIRING ALL OF THEIR STAKEHOLDERS WITH THEIR VISION , WHETHER IT ’ S THEIR EMPLOYEES , VENDOR PARTNERS , GUESTS , OWNERS OR SHAREHOLDERS .”
GOOD ISN ’ T GOOD ENOUGH . VERY GOOD ISN ’ T GOOD ENOUGH . GREAT MIGHT CUT IT .
As the ousters of both Denis Hennequin at Accor and Katie Taylor at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts prove , staying on top takes more than talent , drive and effort . Being a hospitality company CEO in 2013 means excelling at everything from crafting a strategy that generates buy-in from the board of directors and hotel staff alike to being a branding genius and a social media whiz . Plus , there ’ s no field guide for the resident of the corner office .
“ I never got a job description for this job ,” says Reto Wittwer , CEO , Kempinski Hotels , Geneva . “ If you need a job description to be the CEO , then you ’ re not ready for this type of role . The CEO ’ s role is more about having objectives and executing them , and knowing how to anticipate change .”
That ’ s left a lot of industry insiders reconsidering the skills a hotel company ’ s chief executive officer must have . “ In the past , most hospitality executives were operators ,” says Keith Kefgen , CEO , HVS Executive Search , New York . “ That changed as
“ I BELIEVE CEOS HAVE TO INSPIRE , NOT SELL . CEOS NEED TO SPEND A GOOD DEAL OF THEIR TIME INSPIRING ALL OF THEIR STAKEHOLDERS WITH THEIR VISION , WHETHER IT ’ S THEIR EMPLOYEES , VENDOR PARTNERS , GUESTS , OWNERS OR SHAREHOLDERS .”
– NIKI LEONDAKIS , COMMUNE HOTELS & RESORTS the industry got more sophisticated regarding real estate and finance . Now technology , branding and social media are playing a factor . The days of working yourself up from doorman or waiter are long gone . Now , hotel CEOs come from all areas of expertise .”
While former bellmen like Wyndham Hotel Group president and CEO Eric Danziger might beg to differ , there is a trend toward looking broadly when it comes to hiring . “ The typical CEO ( or potential CEO ) résumé will include prior stints as CFO or CMO , depending on the most urgent needs for the position ,” says Benoit Gateau-Cumin , chief recruiting officer , The Boutique Search Firm , Los Angeles . “ In the past 10 years , the CEO has gone from being a specialist to being a generalist . Strategy is not a specialty ; it ’ s a very specific responsibility meant for someone with a superior level of intelligence , the ability to prioritize and delegate and a great ability to manage his or her time .”
Not only does that special “ someone ” not have to have been a hotel industry lifer , it ’ s possible the only experience he or she has in the industry is as a guest . While a few recent crossover hires have been less than perfect , other companies have thrived when helmed by executives to whom running shoes or law books are as familiar as F & B concepts . Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide followed up the widely publicized resignation of former Coca-Cola head
Steven Heyer with the hiring of Frits van Paasschen , who came with a lot of street cred ( as in Wall Street investors ) for his performance with Molson Coors , Disney and Nike .
The move paid off . Van Paasschen ’ s quick-thinking , high-octane style is admired by his company ’ s investors as well as his peers , and helped drive 26 new franchise and management agreements in the first quarter of 2013 .
Jumeirah Group President and CEO Gerald Lawless says leaders like van Paasschen fit the job ’ s finance-driven responsibilities . Gateau-Cumin adds , “ Van Paasschen may go down in history as one of the greatest leaders in the hospitality world .”
CEO 101 :
No matter how many roads lead to the corner office , the requirements for the top job are comprehensive and exacting . Here are some points that get candidates noticed — or dismissed . ❱ Global perspective is a must .
Frequent flyer miles won ’ t do . “ Gaining one ’ s education in a single country would be insufficient too ; a year at the London School of Economics or at Paris ’ HEC would be a nice complement to an MBA from Harvard or Stanford ,” says Benoit Gateau-Cumin , CEO , The Boutique Search Firm , Los Angeles . ❱ Be prepared to learn . No one is
going to walk into the office on the first day able to predict what he or she will have to know in three to five years . Whether it ’ s getting a grip on technology or looking deeper at CSR programming , acquiring new knowledge is ongoing . ❱ Everything counts . Hobbies and
causes say a lot about someone , Gateau-Cumin says . “ A great stamp collector implies a very focused , patient and detailed individual . A seat on a board with a local children ’ hospital implies a compassionate individual ,” he notes . And , even time hitting the pavement can pay off . Starwood Hotels & Resorts ’ CEO Frits van Paasschen can credit his dedication to running as one thing that piqued Starwood ’ s interest .
SKILL SET
22 HOTELS September 2013 www . hotelsmag . com