Today, as the pre-opening General Manager of the Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch, he is preparing to unveil a one-of-a-kind hotel at the intersection of history and modernity.
In this exclusive interview, discover how he shares insights into his career, his approach to team leadership, and his unwavering commitment to the art of hospitality.
Hello, could you take us through your career journey, from your beginnings to where you are today, and how your experiences have shaped your path in luxury hospitality?
I am French and was raised in Paris, with a father involved in running Fashion and Haute Couture Maisons like Chanel, Givenchy, Lanvin, Balmain and others.
I have therefore always been attracted to the Luxury world hence my decision to work in luxury hotels throughout my career. This led me to a placement at The Meurice originally and then moved to London where I have been privileged to work in and/or manage hotels such as The Dorchester, The Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Claridge’s, The Connaught, The Ritz, then open The Chiltern Firehouse as its first Managing Director. Later on went on to manage Hotel Cafe Royal and now on to lead the opening for The Waldorf Astoria London, Admiralty Arch.
I feel rather blessed to have been part of such fabulous properties and teams in the past and indeed to be the first General Manager to give this iconic building in London, its new lease of life as a world-class luxury hotel.
Having led the Food & Beverage departments in prestigious hotels, how have these roles influenced your vision of hospitality?
Coming from Food & Beverage always gives more perspective as a hospitality professional in my opinion, because you are dealing with so many aspects of delivering a guest experience in such varied environments (bar, restaurants, room service, events, etc). Your ability to adapt, create, react quickly to changing conditions are always tested. You also manage very diverse departments and teams therefore you need to be visible and lead from the front, always!
Finally, your business acumen needs to be strong as generating healthy profits in Food & Beverage are a constant focus and challenge.
What key qualities are you focusing on to develop within your team to ensure a successful opening?
Despite this principle being obvious, I always tell the teams I work with that we are here for one purpose and one purpose only, which is to make our guests and colleagues happy. I feel that a lot of operators in our profession have forgotten this very basic, core hospitality attribute.
Therefore, you would not be able to work in my hotel if you were not a person who is generous, kind and has a genuine desire to please people. We can teach you everything else but this quality, you must possess! We are here to serve and create experiences and this must always be at the forefront of our minds…
Beyond that, a relentless pursuit for excellence and a detailed, focused daily approach to our work is key. Finally, being here for your colleagues, present when needed to help others, create winning and performing teams. As a leader, you have to be available for everyone, at all times.
With your extensive experience in London’s hospitality scene, what do you believe sets London apart from other major capitals when it comes to luxury hospitality?
I believe that London offers the largest variety or choices when it comes to luxury Hospitality. It is a city that constantly evolves, changes and when needed, reinvents itself. The growth in luxury brands in the last twenty years has been tremendous, including top hotels and the diversity of Restaurants, luxury shops etc is the best in the world in my opinion. It is also a large city meaning that there is always something new to discover or try. So much so that it is hard to keep up with it!
Ultimately, this means that as a luxury operator, the competition levels are the toughest you can face therefore delivering excellence consistently and building reputation is paramount to create a successful business model. Thus, when opening the Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch, our appreciation of this fact will be very strong and will drive our focus daily.
If you could offer advice to a younger version of yourself, at what point in your career would you choose to speak to yourself, and what message would you share?
I have had the luck to both be mentored by great professionals and now mentor the future leaders of our amazing industry. I do not think there is a right age as such to coach someone. What I would tell myself is that Learning is the most important thing in life and in general. One must actively seek information and knowledge. When you do this, it means that you are listening to people, you are developing empathy and a sound understanding of others around you, you become a more effective leader who builds strong teams, you create integrity and become an example that others want to follow.
To wrap up on a personal note, if you were…
- A place: Our family beach house in Le Cap-ferret, South western France. It is paradise on earth!
- A flavor or scent: Citrus, bergamot notes.
- A dish: My mother’s veal blanquette, nothing beats it!
- A quote: “You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realise this and you will find strength”. Marcus Aurelius
