All articles by chris cox
chris cox
For the love of it: Jason Atherton interview
From Ramsay protégé to possessor of a rapidly expanding restaurant empire, Jason Atherton has travelled a long way in a short amount of time. As he gears up to open the flagship restaurant at Marriott’s London EDITION, Atherton talks to Joe Warwick about his approach to dining, the London restaurant boom and his love of Asia.
Hans Koch: my magic formula for success
As CEO of KKL Luzern Management and a seasoned hotelier with nearly 40 years of experience, European Hotel Managers Association president Hans Koch knows how to create memorable events and experiences. Here, he outlines how achieving guest satisfaction boils down to heeding two magic words: customer focus.
Open for business: hospitality and leisure in the Middle East
Recent years have seen the significant emergence of the hospitality and leisure sector in the Middle East. Systematic diversification into new tourism segments and investment into different subcontinental markets, and their robust supporting infrastructure, have provided growth and development with considerable momentum. Andrew Robinson, resident partner at KPMG, talks about transaction services, financial risk management and business performance services in the region.
Rezidor’s momentum for growth
Applied in 2011, The Rezidor Hotel Group’s Route 2015 plan represents a set of tenets to bolster its portfolio in the EMEA. Elie Younes, senior vice-president and head of group development, talks about how the ability to embrace change is helping the group attain this goal.
A conflicting picture
How has civil unrest changed the dynamics of the Middle East’s hotel market and where are the core growth areas moving forward? Philip Kleinfeld talks to Hala Matar Choufany, regional managing director at HVS, Filippo Sona, head of hotels and hospitality, MENA Region at Colliers International, and Olivier Granet, vice-president development Middle East at Accor, and discovers a future that’s brighter than what might be expected.
Green roots: sustainability at the heart of Scandic
Since the early ’90s, Scandic Hotels has been famed for its environmental credentials, embedding responsible behaviour across its corporate culture and developing what many now agree is the industry’s leading sustainability programme. Tom Vaughan meets president and CEO Anders Ehrling to discuss the impetus for constant self-improvement, and setting standards for others to follow.
No alarms and no surprises
Modern technology plays a pivotal role in keeping hotels secure and safe. Arup’s Gregoir Chikaher and the Information Systems Security Association’s Kevin Richards speak to Hotel Management International about how the latest developments provide protection and why operators must be suitably proactive without seeming alarmist.
GM evolution: being a modern general manager
As new technologies proliferate and competition grows fiercer, the role of the general manager has undergone dramatic changes. Abi Millar talks to Dorchester Collection CEO Christopher Cowdray; Jean-Luc Naret, managing director of Heritage Resorts; and Johanna Fragano of the European Hotel Managers Association about the greatest challenges currently facing those on the front line of hospitality – and how they are being overcome.
Hilton prepares for public offering
Hilton Worldwide has filed to raise $1.25 billion in an initial public offering. The stock market launch could become the largest ever in the hotel industry if it exceeds Hyatt’s 2009 $1.09-billion offering.
Great technological expectations: Global Hotel Industry Survey
More than ever before, hoteliers’ understanding of new technologies is dictating market success. In ‘Global Hotel Industry Survey 2013: Emerging Trends in Technology, Sustainability, Health and Wellness Tourism’, Timetric – a leading provider of online data, analysis and advisory services on key growth economies and sectors – provides an overview of the current investment landscape.