– MICHAEL STRUCK |
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than 1,500 workspace desks . One way Ruby is trying to attract hospitality employees in its growing network is through a novel recruitment campaign in which every new employee with six months at their new job will receive up to € 500 for a tattoo , piercing or new hairstyle . Ruby says it “ wants to encourage its employees to create their individual success story , to show their own personality and also showcase it at work .”
For these creative approaches such as its recruitment program , its brand positioning and strong financial backing , Struck is confident about the future despite the uncertain economic climate .
HOTELS : Ruby was 25 % owned by the Otto family , who own and operate the ECE development firm . Is that still the case ? Can you
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disclose who the other major investors are ? Michael Struck : The Cura KG ( Alexander Otto ’ s Family Office ) still owns 25 % of Ruby . Other main shareholders are Soravia Group in Vienna , Franger Investment , Michael Struck , Michael Hehn , and Ocean Link ( a Chinese PE firm ). H : Ruby has opened three hotels since April , expanding your portfolio to 15 hotels and three workspaces . The company has announced plans to create even more hotels . Will this rate of expansion continue for the next three years ? Is there a number of hotels and workspaces that the company envisions ? MS : Ruby ’ s lean luxury product is fully developed and performs very well , especially in very competitive cities like London |
or Zurich . More hotels will be added to our portfolio in London and Florence within the next 12 months .
Ruby Workspaces are under construction in Amsterdam , Vienna , Florence and Stuttgart and will also open within one year . While we do want to continue growing , however , we are not in a hurry and focus on making each Ruby hotel perfect and consistent with our lean luxury philosophy . Our growth rate is therefore entirely dependent on if ( or rather when ) we find the right spaces in the right locations .
H : How do workspaces fit in with the overall strategy ? Are they part of hotels or are they stand-alone operations ? How many do you plan on creating by the end of the year ? MS : Workspaces are an ideal complement to our
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hotels . They share our lean luxury philosophy and fit our established core capabilities . They generate spatial and operating synergies , and they help to optimize space efficiency , providing additional value to our real estate partners .
Our Ruby Workspaces are always linked to our hotels , either by being in the same building or in close proximity .
H : How is the portfolio performing for hotels and workspaces ? Are there economic concerns over the next six months ? MS : We are very fortunate that not only the general recovery from the pandemic has benefited our hotels and workspaces , but that indeed the current economic uncertainty benefits price-value-advantageous products like ours , particularly also because our entry price
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24 hotelsmag . com September 2022 |