From the subcontinent to all around the world, we are all trying to get the same employee. In the hotel industry we still have big competition with airlines and cruise ships, who have better jobs and better pay. The industry is very competitive and training needs to become more systematic with succession plans in place. Employees need to go through training quickly within our company, instead of changing companies to climb the career ladder.
What Interesting HR Projects Have You Implemented at Millennium Hotels?
I have been at Millennium Hotels for eight months. In that time we have structured the new regional office, and in the last year brought on new directors and vice presidents. What I've been doing is looking at what has been happening across all of our hotels in the past few years and I have worked on putting streamlined systematic policies in place and making sure that all our hotels have the same way of doing things. We have been looking back to succession planning as we expand to 50 hotels. We really need to start putting a clear career path in place for everybody and that has been quite an ambitious task, as we are setting up assessment centres for our department heads and looking at development centres for our general managers of the future.
Take Us Through A Typical Day?
Wake-up time is 6 o'clock. The day starts bright and early with a strong cup of coffee and a couple of slices of toast. I have a nine year old son, so usually by 7 o'clock we are on the road to school and I'm in the office by 7.30 reading my emails and catching up on what's been happening overnight. I then meet with different suppliers, vice presidents, general managers, hold interviews, write training materials, coach training managers outside in the properties and go for visits during audits. Generally, I am very busy until I go home around 7 o'clock in the evening.
How Can Our Readers Find Out More About You And Millennium Hotels?
Millennium Copthorne hotels have their own website at millenniumhotels.com You can read everything about the company. You can also click on careers to see all the vacancies which are currently available within all of our hotels around the world.
A Day In The Life Of...
program, that’s why I love what I get to do as CEO.
How Do You Spend Your Day's Off When You Are Not The CEO of Biz-Group?
If i'm in Dubai then on a sailing boat out on the water, which I enjoy. If I am outside of Dubai, my ideal scenario would be travelling on Safari, we have a beautiful place on the beach down in South Africa.
Even though I’m in the role of CEO, I thoroughly enjoy travelling and seeing new markets and meeting new businesses in new industries. My nickname is ‘What’s Next?’, as I’m always looking to find 'what’s next' in this industry. That may still be work, but I consider it 'playtime’.
What Advice Would You Give Our Readers For Training Success In The Middle East?
Great question. I think first of all train and develop people in a subject you are passionate about, that way it never feels like work.
The second thing, is to work extraordinarily hard as it’s an unforgiving industry, everyday is a new day and you need to be on your game, that is why passion helps.
We are spending a lot of time right now on return on investment and proving business impact. If you can find a subject that you are really passionate about and makes a difference in organizations, then you can do that day in day out .
Start proving those cases to clients and that will make you successful.
For us, our success and results got us ranked No.16 in the Dubai SME 100 list.
How Can Our Readers Find Out More About You And Biz-Group?
Just go to www.biz-group.ae and I suggest you get a sense of our culture by watching the biz happy video on youtube.
http://www.biz-group.ae