Maintaining\u00a0Brand\u00a0Integrity\u00a0Throughout\u00a0a\u00a0Crisis<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNavigating\u00a0global brand\u00a0Four Seasons\u00a0through the\u00a0recent\u00a0pandemic required a great deal of skill\u00a0and flexibility. Christian shared his approach to maintaining\u00a0the company\u2019s reputation for excellence while ensuring that the health and safety of guests and employees\u00a0remained\u00a0a\u00a0priority. He explained his first step to crisis management<\/a>:\u00a0\u201cIn times of crisis you have to go back to the fundamental value proposition of your company, your core beliefs, what is the core DNA of your brand and how will you use this crisis to enhance the fundamental value equation that you offer to your guests and your clients.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFour Seasons\u00a0has\u00a0provided outstanding luxury experiences for\u00a060 years. Because\u00a0of this longevity,\u00a0\u201cOur brand stands for quality and excellence and so our guests trust that in everything we do, in the big things and the small things, we are going to apply the same care, professionalism and quality.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0What it\u00a0comes down to is\u00a0that,\u00a0\u201cThe attention to detail has to be in keeping with what you\u2019d expect from Four Seasons, but first and foremost we want you to know you are safe\u201d, because \u201cThe foremost thought of travelers now is, \u2018Is it going to be safe?\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTo ensure the utmost level of safety, Four Seasons has\u00a0\u201cput together a very thorough plan to re-open our hotels and provide guidance to our hotels to operate in the safest possible way\u201d, Christian explained.\u00a0This\u00a0plays out in a variety of\u00a0practices,\u00a0including communication with guests as soon as\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0booked to ensure that even\u00a0the\u00a0journey to their hotel\u00a0is as safe as possible, as\u00a0well as\u00a0temperature\u00a0checks\u00a0immediately upon arrival.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
But managing\u00a0it all\u00a0is easier said than done, because:\u00a0\u201cAs science and technology evolves you have to adjust your game plan,\u00a0so agility is huge.\u201d And it requires\u00a0employees across the company to embrace ongoing change: \u201cYou need to be willing to change your procedures regularly and the hotels need to be able to adjust quickly.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Having a global presence\u00a0helped\u00a0the\u00a0brand\u00a0to\u00a0formulate their\u00a0crisis\u00a0response:\u00a0\u201cBecause we are a global company and because we have nine hotels in China, it was really insightful for us to see what was happening there and to start to prepare early on and to learn from this.\u201d\u00a0He went on to explain:\u00a0\u201cAlthough we were acting locally in China, we were making global plans, so we were a step ahead, but we were still very much reacting to what was happening.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
A\u00a0company of\u00a0Four Seasons\u2019 size and reputation\u00a0can\u00a0access the expertise needed<\/a>\u00a0to manage\u00a0this\u00a0complex situation\u00a0in the best possible way: \u201cWe have what we call a Lead With Care global advisory board made of some of the foremost experts in the world in the medical field.\u00a0We are on a weekly basis\u00a0reviewing our approach to our policies and procedures as it relates to how we operate, not only\u00a0in regards to\u00a0health and safety,\u00a0but also the services that we provide. Right\u00a0now\u00a0we don\u2019t have kid\u2019s clubs\u00a0operating,\u00a0we don\u2019t have spas,\u00a0but,\u00a0at some\u00a0point,\u00a0we will bring these services back.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAlongside operational considerations,\u00a0any business looking to survive a crisis of this magnitude needs to be financially prudent:\u00a0\u201cAs you are creating your forecast for the year,\u00a0and also for 2021,\u00a0you need to ask yourself,\u00a0\u2018What does the path to recovery look like?\u2019\u00a0And of course,\u00a0it is hard to predict in the current environment.\u00a0[\u2026]\u00a0You have to make assumptions based on market intelligence that is not reliable in many cases, so you work on a number of scenarios.\u201d\u00a0Christian\u00a0summarized\u00a0his\u00a0approach as:\u00a0\u201cHoping for the\u00a0best but\u00a0planning for the worst and making sure you are stress-testing your assumptions.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
And although,\u00a0\u201cIn general there is good news everywhere, but it is not all equal; market by market the situation is different\u201d,\u00a0ultimately, \u201cRegardless of what happens on the ground our responsibility is\u00a0to\u00a0make sure that we don\u2019t take a false sense of security from the fact that you might have less cases in certain parts of the world than others, but that we are really thorough and diligent.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
This conscientious optimism\u00a0characterized\u00a0the conversation and particularly the vision Christian painted of the shape\u00a0he thinks\u00a0travel\u00a0will take\u00a0in the near future.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Luxury\u00a0<\/strong>Travel in the Wake of Coronavirus<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTwo timeless and defining\u00a0components\u00a0of luxury stand true even during this strange time.\u00a0\u201cThe fundamental element in the luxury hospitality industry,\u00a0as much as in any luxury business,\u00a0is excellence in everything that you do.<\/strong> And,\u00a0in the hospitality space, experiences have become the new currency of luxury, more than the design, the lavish architecture, the quality of the linen…\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTheir commitment to providing unforgettable guest experiences means that\u00a0Four Seasons\u00a0have everything from 15th<\/sup>-century convents to urban towers in New York City\u00a0in their property portfolio.\u00a0\u201cWhen you come to our hotels we want you to really get a sense of place, we want you to understand where you are, we want you to get a full exposure to the culture and local environment and we want to provide unique experiences through all the key services and amenities\u201d, Christian shared.\u00a0This includes the restaurants at Four Seasons hotels and resorts:\u00a0\u201cFood drives a large amount of the luxury hospitality industry today. Food drives travel\u201d, Christian said, which is why they\u00a0make every effort to ensure\u00a0that their restaurants are\u00a0destinations in their own right, and\u00a0not just for hotel guests but for local people too.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHowever, these are not normal times and the brand\u2019s strategy has had to shift.\u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t think we will see normalized occupancy and performance such as we had in 2019 until at least 2022\u201d, Christian revealed, and the changing concerns of travelers are shaping what luxury will look like in the short\u00a0term.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Many aspects of the Four Seasons experience are not currently in operation. For example, their exclusive private jet has been grounded\u00a0until\u00a0early 2021.\u00a0However, the\u00a0company has\u00a0quickly learnt what\u00a0guests are looking for and have adapted accordingly:\u00a0\u201cOur private villa product is in incredible\u00a0demand right now;\u00a0anything that provides guests with privacy\u00a0like\u00a0a villa is perfect in the current environment\u201d. As well as\u00a0identifying and optimizing availability of experiences that suit the times, Four Seasons have brand touchpoints for customers not able to travel: \u201cWe also have a retail platform where we offer\u00a0Four\u00a0Seasons branded products so you can create a\u00a0Four\u00a0Seasons experience at home\u201d. Christian explained:\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0think what is important here is that you decide what your relationship with our brand is. Our guests are not only the people that are staying our hotels in a suite with us, we have people who come to our hotels to have a cup of tea in the lobby or a glass of champagne at the bar, or people who just like our pillows and order our pillows at home.\u201d\u00a0That was true before and remains true in this unique time:\u00a0\u201cFour Seasons is a gateway to a global experience and I think that the consistency of providing an experience that will be authentic,\u00a0and\u00a0the excellence with which we execute,\u00a0has been the key to building our brand and is the key to the future.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Christian has not been completely disheartened by the pandemic: \u201cI am very optimistic and I believe that we will figure this out as a global community [\u2026] there are a lot of positives, hopefully, that will come out of it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Designing a More Sustainable Future<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nPinpointing\u00a0a\u00a0silver lining\u00a0in\u00a0the global situation, Christian remarked: \u201cI think this is a huge opportunity for the industry at large to make great strides into sustainable travel.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
At Four Seasons,\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0been concerned with minimizing their impact for many years. Early in his time at the company, nearly 20 years ago, Christian was\u00a0transferred\u00a0to the Mexico office to develop a new resort.\u00a0\u201cWe took very concrete steps\u201d, he recalled, \u201cmaking sure that as we developed this high end resort in Mexico we did it in a way that was respectful of the environment, that we integrated the resort into the natural beauty and landscape of the place but also that we were a good citizen and that we would provide great jobs to these employees that were joining the hotel and the brand.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
And they set off a chain reaction.\u00a0In what had been an industry characterized by seasonal work,\u00a0\u201cWe made the choice early on to give full time jobs to everybody and we did that for two reasons. We felt it was an important competitive advantage to attract and retain the best talent locally,\u00a0and the second reason was because we felt it was the right thing to do\u201d, he said. And in doing so, Four Seasons\u00a0started a movement where every hotel\u00a0nearby\u00a0had to adjust and start hiring people full time. That transformed the lives of people working there: \u201cIt means they can get\u00a0credit,\u00a0they can buy a car, it adds a whole dimension to their personal success\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
It\u2019s not just their\u00a0policies\u00a0that take the brand\u2019s impact into\u00a0account: \u201cWe work with the best experts in the world to ensure that the new buildings are not only great aesthetically, visually pleasing and amazing designs,\u00a0but that fundamentally they use the latest and greatest of technology to ensure we are respectful of the environment and the impact that we have.\u201d\u00a0Responsible businesses\u00a0must\u00a0consider\u00a0everything from the spaces they use to their outreach programs to ensure they have\u00a0a positive impact\u00a0on the\u00a0people and places\u00a0around them<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"Four](\"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/09A1282.jpg\")
<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSustainability\u00a0and\u00a0corporate social responsibility\u00a0initiatives\u00a0frequently feature in the strategies\u00a0and activities of businesses around the world. However, measures taken often treat surface symptoms and rarely investigate\u00a0the\u00a0root causes of the negative impact\u00a0global industry has\u00a0on our planet. \u201cLike every crisis this brings about opportunities to go beyond what we already do which is focus on environmental impact, carbon footprint and corporate social responsibility, to really think through carefully what the impact of tourism is\u201d, Christian said.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Leading a Global Workforce<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt\u2019s\u00a0clear from the insights Christian shared\u00a0about his approach\u00a0that he\u2019s an inspirational leader.\u00a0Asked about his leadership\u00a0style, Christian referred to a Harvard Business Review\u00a0article\u00a0on\u00a0the importance of emotional intelligence<\/a>\u00a0in leadership.\u00a0\u201cLeaders who show authenticity in their leadership style have a very impactful, very powerful following\u201d, he commented,\u00a0\u201cIt starts with being honest and being transparent and admitting when you don\u2019t know something.\u00a0[\u2026] To be very honest about what we know, the things that we don\u2019t know and what you we are doing about it creates trust.\u201d\u00a0And during these difficult months, \u201cHope is what you are really trying to instill\u201d, he\u00a0reflected.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLeading with humanity is especially important at Four Seasons<\/strong>:\u00a0\u201cWe\u2019re a people business;\u00a0when you go to our hotels what you will remember is not the interior design, the room, the bed, it will be the people you interacted with that provided this great service.\u201d\u00a0To\u00a0enable the delivery of memorable service:\u00a0\u201cWe want our employees to feel empowered, we want them to feel confident, and in order for them to be really motivated they need to feel a strong connection with the leadership of the company.\u00a0I think the best way to achieve that is to have a clear vision, to be coherent in your strategies with your global vision for your brand, and then to equip your team with the right tools so they can do their job and to make sure that they feel empowered and trusted.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u201cPeople today don’t want to be managed, they want to be inspired\u201d, Christian added.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The Road to President\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nChristian\u00a0has risen to become an eminent leader in luxury hospitality. He\u00a0generously\u00a0shared his career\u00a0story\u00a0to inspire and inform the\u00a0audience of EU students,\u00a0alumni\u00a0and guests.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Christian was only 12 years old when he\u00a0developed a passion for hospitality.\u00a0He\u00a0grew up in Montreux, Switzerland,\u00a0living\u00a0on the mountain above\u00a0Lake Geneva.\u00a0The family of a\u00a0friend\u00a0owned an Italian restaurant in town\u00a0and\u00a0Christian would\u00a0often\u00a0wait\u00a0at the restaurant until closing time\u00a0before staying at\u00a0their\u00a0house:\u00a0\u201cInstead of just waiting I would help, so by the age of 12 I could do every job in the restaurant, front, back, bar, pizzeria\u00a0[\u2026]\u00a0and I loved it, I really loved the energy\u00a0[\u2026]\u00a0that\u00a0was how I fell in love with the restaurant business.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
As\u00a0high school\u00a0came to an end\u00a0Christian was still thinking\u00a0about\u00a0a career in hospitality. On his father\u2019s recommendation he enrolled in the prestigious Ecole\u00a0h\u00f4teli\u00e8re\u00a0de Lausanne.\u00a0Following\u00a0graduation,\u00a0he worked in the U.S.A.\u00a0and then in\u00a0the hotel business in\u00a0Paris and Rome: \u201cAt the time I was more interested in learning than I was in titles. What was\u00a0really important\u00a0to me was, what was I going to get out of this role, and less what title was I going to have.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cI was still thinking about being an entrepreneur. I never thought I would be in a company for this long and go up the ranks and be president\u201d, he reflected,\u00a0\u201cI was more interested in learning and in having experiences sometimes outside of my comfort zone that would teach me something. That is how I acquired the general skill set that really helped me to move forward and still serves me well today.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
One of these experiences was working at the\u00a0then-new Disney Resort in Paris:\u00a0\u201cIt was not a hotel company, it was an entertainment company, but everything they do is with a level of professionalism that is\u00a0exceptional,\u00a0and it was a great experience for me.\u201d\u00a0Working at Disney also confirmed for Christian that he wanted to work in the hotel industry\u00a0specifically,\u00a0as opposed to the broader areas of entertainment or park services. He decided to return to the U.S.A.\u00a0to pursue his career as a hotelier. And\u00a0after developing his skills and leadership\u00a0style\u00a0under the wings of an influential mentor at a boutique hotel, Christian went in pursuit of career progression.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Thankfully, he knew what he was looking for: \u201cBeing Swiss, I was taught that quality always wins, so I was looking for a quality organization. If I was going to work at a company rather than an independent hotel or my own business, I wanted to be associated with a company that was going to be uncompromising when it comes to quality and excellence and,\u00a0for me, Four Seasons was a great example of this. I also wanted a company that had a strong company culture where their values would match my personal values, values of ethics and integrity, and so I found a home.\u201d\u00a0Starting in 2000 as a hotel manager in Washington DC, Christian worked his way up the ranks to becoming president of the company 20 years later.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Reflecting on his journey, Christian said:\u00a0\u201cThe more you go beyond your comfort zone,\u00a0the more you get to realize that the things you enjoy\u00a0[\u2026] But also it is important to know things you don\u2019t like, that don\u2019t make you happy, you\u2019re not stimulated or maybe you\u2019re just not good at them, and you don\u2019t know until you try.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0the same with leadership; the more you move around the more you experience leadership good and bad and you can learn from both. I\u2019ve learned from the worst\u00a0bosses\u00a0things that I would never want to do and replicate to my own team, but I\u2019ve learnt to analyze why does that person make me feel that way? What is it that they do? And to know I never want anyone that works with me to feel that way. Having that cross exposure is so important because it helps\u00a0you to narrow down what makes you happy and what you\u2019re passionate about<\/strong>.\u201d\u00a0And he advised the audience:\u00a0\u201cemulate the things you see that you like in people\u00a0[\u2026]\u00a0Everybody around you has things that they do better than you and if you can somehow understand, learn and emulate those things you become a better person, a better leader and a better professional.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nPursuing Excellence and a Better Future\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFinishing with a characteristic note of optimism, Christian\u00a0informed guests: \u201cAny crisis acts as an accelerator to technology to trends and if you can figure out what will have to change, because things have to change, you can turn this into an incredible opportunity for you.<\/strong>\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u201cThis is hard, it\u2019s unprecedented, but we will get through this and the world economy will be back on its feet regardless of which sector of the economy you look at\u201d\u00a0he said. As a global luxury travel expert and recognized business leader, he advised the audience that\u00a0\u201cThe best place to be in this time is in school, learning\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
If you\u2019d like to kickstart your career in tourism\u00a0or\u00a0equip\u00a0yourself with the knowledge needed\u00a0to identify new business opportunities,\u00a0take a look at EU Business School\u2019s programs, including our\u00a0Bachelor of Art in Leisure & Tourism,<\/a>\u00a0and our\u00a0BA (hons) in Business Management (International Business)<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"eu](\"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Define_750x125_3.gif\")
<\/a><\/figure>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Christian Clerc is one of the foremost\u00a0global\u00a0experts in luxury travel.\u00a0At\u00a0another fascinating Learning\u00a0From\u00a0Leaders conference, he spoke to Peter Vanham about his career\u00a0and early love of\u00a0hospitality,\u00a0shared his strategy\u00a0for\u00a0navigating\u00a0the brand through the\u00a0recent\u00a0crisis\u00a0and offered optimistic ideas for a better future for\u00a0tourism.\u00a0\u00a0 To enjoy the full conversation, access the recording\u00a0here. Read on for highlights from this lively conversation about the life and learnings of an incredible leader;\u00a0President of Four Seasons, Christian Clerc.\u00a0\u00a0 Maintaining\u00a0Brand\u00a0Integrity\u00a0Throughout\u00a0a\u00a0Crisis\u00a0 Navigating\u00a0global brand\u00a0Four Seasons\u00a0through the\u00a0recent\u00a0pandemic required a great deal of skill\u00a0and flexibility. Christian shared his approach to maintaining\u00a0the company\u2019s reputation for excellence while ensuring that the health and safety of guests and employees\u00a0remained\u00a0a\u00a0priority. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28979,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1773,1777,1769],"tags":[4673,658,1309,1077,779],"class_list":["post-28976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eu-business-school-community","category-eu-business-school-guest-speakers","category-learning-from-leaders","tag-hospitality","tag-learning-from-leaders","tag-luxury","tag-tourism","tag-travel-leisure","post--single"],"yoast_head":"\r\n
Insights From Christian Clerc, President, Global Operations, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Christian Clerc spoke about his career, shared his strategy for navigating the brand through the recent crisis and offered ideas for a better future for tourism.\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/insights-christian-clerc-president-global-operations-four-seasons\/\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"EU Business School\" \/>\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/insights-christian-clerc-president-global-operations-four-seasons\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"EU Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"EU Community\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/eu-business-school-community\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Learning From Leaders\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/eu-business-school-community\\\/learning-from-leaders\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Insights From Christian Clerc, President of Global Operations at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts\"}]}]}<\/script>\r\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Insights From Christian Clerc, President, Global Operations, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts","description":"Christian Clerc spoke about his career, shared his strategy for navigating the brand through the recent crisis and offered ideas for a better future for tourism.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/insights-christian-clerc-president-global-operations-four-seasons\/","author":"EU Business School","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/insights-christian-clerc-president-global-operations-four-seasons\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"EU Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"EU Community","item":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/category\/eu-business-school-community\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Learning From Leaders","item":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/category\/eu-business-school-community\/learning-from-leaders\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Insights From Christian Clerc, President of Global Operations at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts"}]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28976","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28976"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28976\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32088,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28976\/revisions\/32088"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28979"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28976"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28976"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28976"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Four Seasons\u00a0has\u00a0provided outstanding luxury experiences for\u00a060 years. Because\u00a0of this longevity,\u00a0\u201cOur brand stands for quality and excellence and so our guests trust that in everything we do, in the big things and the small things, we are going to apply the same care, professionalism and quality.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0What it\u00a0comes down to is\u00a0that,\u00a0\u201cThe attention to detail has to be in keeping with what you\u2019d expect from Four Seasons, but first and foremost we want you to know you are safe\u201d, because \u201cThe foremost thought of travelers now is, \u2018Is it going to be safe?\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n To ensure the utmost level of safety, Four Seasons has\u00a0\u201cput together a very thorough plan to re-open our hotels and provide guidance to our hotels to operate in the safest possible way\u201d, Christian explained.\u00a0This\u00a0plays out in a variety of\u00a0practices,\u00a0including communication with guests as soon as\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0booked to ensure that even\u00a0the\u00a0journey to their hotel\u00a0is as safe as possible, as\u00a0well as\u00a0temperature\u00a0checks\u00a0immediately upon arrival.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n But managing\u00a0it all\u00a0is easier said than done, because:\u00a0\u201cAs science and technology evolves you have to adjust your game plan,\u00a0so agility is huge.\u201d And it requires\u00a0employees across the company to embrace ongoing change: \u201cYou need to be willing to change your procedures regularly and the hotels need to be able to adjust quickly.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Having a global presence\u00a0helped\u00a0the\u00a0brand\u00a0to\u00a0formulate their\u00a0crisis\u00a0response:\u00a0\u201cBecause we are a global company and because we have nine hotels in China, it was really insightful for us to see what was happening there and to start to prepare early on and to learn from this.\u201d\u00a0He went on to explain:\u00a0\u201cAlthough we were acting locally in China, we were making global plans, so we were a step ahead, but we were still very much reacting to what was happening.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A\u00a0company of\u00a0Four Seasons\u2019 size and reputation\u00a0can\u00a0access the expertise needed<\/a>\u00a0to manage\u00a0this\u00a0complex situation\u00a0in the best possible way: \u201cWe have what we call a Lead With Care global advisory board made of some of the foremost experts in the world in the medical field.\u00a0We are on a weekly basis\u00a0reviewing our approach to our policies and procedures as it relates to how we operate, not only\u00a0in regards to\u00a0health and safety,\u00a0but also the services that we provide. Right\u00a0now\u00a0we don\u2019t have kid\u2019s clubs\u00a0operating,\u00a0we don\u2019t have spas,\u00a0but,\u00a0at some\u00a0point,\u00a0we will bring these services back.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Alongside operational considerations,\u00a0any business looking to survive a crisis of this magnitude needs to be financially prudent:\u00a0\u201cAs you are creating your forecast for the year,\u00a0and also for 2021,\u00a0you need to ask yourself,\u00a0\u2018What does the path to recovery look like?\u2019\u00a0And of course,\u00a0it is hard to predict in the current environment.\u00a0[\u2026]\u00a0You have to make assumptions based on market intelligence that is not reliable in many cases, so you work on a number of scenarios.\u201d\u00a0Christian\u00a0summarized\u00a0his\u00a0approach as:\u00a0\u201cHoping for the\u00a0best but\u00a0planning for the worst and making sure you are stress-testing your assumptions.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n And although,\u00a0\u201cIn general there is good news everywhere, but it is not all equal; market by market the situation is different\u201d,\u00a0ultimately, \u201cRegardless of what happens on the ground our responsibility is\u00a0to\u00a0make sure that we don\u2019t take a false sense of security from the fact that you might have less cases in certain parts of the world than others, but that we are really thorough and diligent.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n This conscientious optimism\u00a0characterized\u00a0the conversation and particularly the vision Christian painted of the shape\u00a0he thinks\u00a0travel\u00a0will take\u00a0in the near future.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Two timeless and defining\u00a0components\u00a0of luxury stand true even during this strange time.\u00a0\u201cThe fundamental element in the luxury hospitality industry,\u00a0as much as in any luxury business,\u00a0is excellence in everything that you do.<\/strong> And,\u00a0in the hospitality space, experiences have become the new currency of luxury, more than the design, the lavish architecture, the quality of the linen…\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Their commitment to providing unforgettable guest experiences means that\u00a0Four Seasons\u00a0have everything from 15th<\/sup>-century convents to urban towers in New York City\u00a0in their property portfolio.\u00a0\u201cWhen you come to our hotels we want you to really get a sense of place, we want you to understand where you are, we want you to get a full exposure to the culture and local environment and we want to provide unique experiences through all the key services and amenities\u201d, Christian shared.\u00a0This includes the restaurants at Four Seasons hotels and resorts:\u00a0\u201cFood drives a large amount of the luxury hospitality industry today. Food drives travel\u201d, Christian said, which is why they\u00a0make every effort to ensure\u00a0that their restaurants are\u00a0destinations in their own right, and\u00a0not just for hotel guests but for local people too.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n However, these are not normal times and the brand\u2019s strategy has had to shift.\u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t think we will see normalized occupancy and performance such as we had in 2019 until at least 2022\u201d, Christian revealed, and the changing concerns of travelers are shaping what luxury will look like in the short\u00a0term.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Many aspects of the Four Seasons experience are not currently in operation. For example, their exclusive private jet has been grounded\u00a0until\u00a0early 2021.\u00a0However, the\u00a0company has\u00a0quickly learnt what\u00a0guests are looking for and have adapted accordingly:\u00a0\u201cOur private villa product is in incredible\u00a0demand right now;\u00a0anything that provides guests with privacy\u00a0like\u00a0a villa is perfect in the current environment\u201d. As well as\u00a0identifying and optimizing availability of experiences that suit the times, Four Seasons have brand touchpoints for customers not able to travel: \u201cWe also have a retail platform where we offer\u00a0Four\u00a0Seasons branded products so you can create a\u00a0Four\u00a0Seasons experience at home\u201d. Christian explained:\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0think what is important here is that you decide what your relationship with our brand is. Our guests are not only the people that are staying our hotels in a suite with us, we have people who come to our hotels to have a cup of tea in the lobby or a glass of champagne at the bar, or people who just like our pillows and order our pillows at home.\u201d\u00a0That was true before and remains true in this unique time:\u00a0\u201cFour Seasons is a gateway to a global experience and I think that the consistency of providing an experience that will be authentic,\u00a0and\u00a0the excellence with which we execute,\u00a0has been the key to building our brand and is the key to the future.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Christian has not been completely disheartened by the pandemic: \u201cI am very optimistic and I believe that we will figure this out as a global community [\u2026] there are a lot of positives, hopefully, that will come out of it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Pinpointing\u00a0a\u00a0silver lining\u00a0in\u00a0the global situation, Christian remarked: \u201cI think this is a huge opportunity for the industry at large to make great strides into sustainable travel.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n At Four Seasons,\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0been concerned with minimizing their impact for many years. Early in his time at the company, nearly 20 years ago, Christian was\u00a0transferred\u00a0to the Mexico office to develop a new resort.\u00a0\u201cWe took very concrete steps\u201d, he recalled, \u201cmaking sure that as we developed this high end resort in Mexico we did it in a way that was respectful of the environment, that we integrated the resort into the natural beauty and landscape of the place but also that we were a good citizen and that we would provide great jobs to these employees that were joining the hotel and the brand.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n And they set off a chain reaction.\u00a0In what had been an industry characterized by seasonal work,\u00a0\u201cWe made the choice early on to give full time jobs to everybody and we did that for two reasons. We felt it was an important competitive advantage to attract and retain the best talent locally,\u00a0and the second reason was because we felt it was the right thing to do\u201d, he said. And in doing so, Four Seasons\u00a0started a movement where every hotel\u00a0nearby\u00a0had to adjust and start hiring people full time. That transformed the lives of people working there: \u201cIt means they can get\u00a0credit,\u00a0they can buy a car, it adds a whole dimension to their personal success\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n It\u2019s not just their\u00a0policies\u00a0that take the brand\u2019s impact into\u00a0account: \u201cWe work with the best experts in the world to ensure that the new buildings are not only great aesthetically, visually pleasing and amazing designs,\u00a0but that fundamentally they use the latest and greatest of technology to ensure we are respectful of the environment and the impact that we have.\u201d\u00a0Responsible businesses\u00a0must\u00a0consider\u00a0everything from the spaces they use to their outreach programs to ensure they have\u00a0a positive impact\u00a0on the\u00a0people and places\u00a0around them<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Sustainability\u00a0and\u00a0corporate social responsibility\u00a0initiatives\u00a0frequently feature in the strategies\u00a0and activities of businesses around the world. However, measures taken often treat surface symptoms and rarely investigate\u00a0the\u00a0root causes of the negative impact\u00a0global industry has\u00a0on our planet. \u201cLike every crisis this brings about opportunities to go beyond what we already do which is focus on environmental impact, carbon footprint and corporate social responsibility, to really think through carefully what the impact of tourism is\u201d, Christian said.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n It\u2019s\u00a0clear from the insights Christian shared\u00a0about his approach\u00a0that he\u2019s an inspirational leader.\u00a0Asked about his leadership\u00a0style, Christian referred to a Harvard Business Review\u00a0article\u00a0on\u00a0the importance of emotional intelligence<\/a>\u00a0in leadership.\u00a0\u201cLeaders who show authenticity in their leadership style have a very impactful, very powerful following\u201d, he commented,\u00a0\u201cIt starts with being honest and being transparent and admitting when you don\u2019t know something.\u00a0[\u2026] To be very honest about what we know, the things that we don\u2019t know and what you we are doing about it creates trust.\u201d\u00a0And during these difficult months, \u201cHope is what you are really trying to instill\u201d, he\u00a0reflected.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Leading with humanity is especially important at Four Seasons<\/strong>:\u00a0\u201cWe\u2019re a people business;\u00a0when you go to our hotels what you will remember is not the interior design, the room, the bed, it will be the people you interacted with that provided this great service.\u201d\u00a0To\u00a0enable the delivery of memorable service:\u00a0\u201cWe want our employees to feel empowered, we want them to feel confident, and in order for them to be really motivated they need to feel a strong connection with the leadership of the company.\u00a0I think the best way to achieve that is to have a clear vision, to be coherent in your strategies with your global vision for your brand, and then to equip your team with the right tools so they can do their job and to make sure that they feel empowered and trusted.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cPeople today don’t want to be managed, they want to be inspired\u201d, Christian added.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Christian\u00a0has risen to become an eminent leader in luxury hospitality. He\u00a0generously\u00a0shared his career\u00a0story\u00a0to inspire and inform the\u00a0audience of EU students,\u00a0alumni\u00a0and guests.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Christian was only 12 years old when he\u00a0developed a passion for hospitality.\u00a0He\u00a0grew up in Montreux, Switzerland,\u00a0living\u00a0on the mountain above\u00a0Lake Geneva.\u00a0The family of a\u00a0friend\u00a0owned an Italian restaurant in town\u00a0and\u00a0Christian would\u00a0often\u00a0wait\u00a0at the restaurant until closing time\u00a0before staying at\u00a0their\u00a0house:\u00a0\u201cInstead of just waiting I would help, so by the age of 12 I could do every job in the restaurant, front, back, bar, pizzeria\u00a0[\u2026]\u00a0and I loved it, I really loved the energy\u00a0[\u2026]\u00a0that\u00a0was how I fell in love with the restaurant business.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n As\u00a0high school\u00a0came to an end\u00a0Christian was still thinking\u00a0about\u00a0a career in hospitality. On his father\u2019s recommendation he enrolled in the prestigious Ecole\u00a0h\u00f4teli\u00e8re\u00a0de Lausanne.\u00a0Following\u00a0graduation,\u00a0he worked in the U.S.A.\u00a0and then in\u00a0the hotel business in\u00a0Paris and Rome: \u201cAt the time I was more interested in learning than I was in titles. What was\u00a0really important\u00a0to me was, what was I going to get out of this role, and less what title was I going to have.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cI was still thinking about being an entrepreneur. I never thought I would be in a company for this long and go up the ranks and be president\u201d, he reflected,\u00a0\u201cI was more interested in learning and in having experiences sometimes outside of my comfort zone that would teach me something. That is how I acquired the general skill set that really helped me to move forward and still serves me well today.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n One of these experiences was working at the\u00a0then-new Disney Resort in Paris:\u00a0\u201cIt was not a hotel company, it was an entertainment company, but everything they do is with a level of professionalism that is\u00a0exceptional,\u00a0and it was a great experience for me.\u201d\u00a0Working at Disney also confirmed for Christian that he wanted to work in the hotel industry\u00a0specifically,\u00a0as opposed to the broader areas of entertainment or park services. He decided to return to the U.S.A.\u00a0to pursue his career as a hotelier. And\u00a0after developing his skills and leadership\u00a0style\u00a0under the wings of an influential mentor at a boutique hotel, Christian went in pursuit of career progression.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Thankfully, he knew what he was looking for: \u201cBeing Swiss, I was taught that quality always wins, so I was looking for a quality organization. If I was going to work at a company rather than an independent hotel or my own business, I wanted to be associated with a company that was going to be uncompromising when it comes to quality and excellence and,\u00a0for me, Four Seasons was a great example of this. I also wanted a company that had a strong company culture where their values would match my personal values, values of ethics and integrity, and so I found a home.\u201d\u00a0Starting in 2000 as a hotel manager in Washington DC, Christian worked his way up the ranks to becoming president of the company 20 years later.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Reflecting on his journey, Christian said:\u00a0\u201cThe more you go beyond your comfort zone,\u00a0the more you get to realize that the things you enjoy\u00a0[\u2026] But also it is important to know things you don\u2019t like, that don\u2019t make you happy, you\u2019re not stimulated or maybe you\u2019re just not good at them, and you don\u2019t know until you try.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0the same with leadership; the more you move around the more you experience leadership good and bad and you can learn from both. I\u2019ve learned from the worst\u00a0bosses\u00a0things that I would never want to do and replicate to my own team, but I\u2019ve learnt to analyze why does that person make me feel that way? What is it that they do? And to know I never want anyone that works with me to feel that way. Having that cross exposure is so important because it helps\u00a0you to narrow down what makes you happy and what you\u2019re passionate about<\/strong>.\u201d\u00a0And he advised the audience:\u00a0\u201cemulate the things you see that you like in people\u00a0[\u2026]\u00a0Everybody around you has things that they do better than you and if you can somehow understand, learn and emulate those things you become a better person, a better leader and a better professional.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Finishing with a characteristic note of optimism, Christian\u00a0informed guests: \u201cAny crisis acts as an accelerator to technology to trends and if you can figure out what will have to change, because things have to change, you can turn this into an incredible opportunity for you.<\/strong>\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cThis is hard, it\u2019s unprecedented, but we will get through this and the world economy will be back on its feet regardless of which sector of the economy you look at\u201d\u00a0he said. As a global luxury travel expert and recognized business leader, he advised the audience that\u00a0\u201cThe best place to be in this time is in school, learning\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n If you\u2019d like to kickstart your career in tourism\u00a0or\u00a0equip\u00a0yourself with the knowledge needed\u00a0to identify new business opportunities,\u00a0take a look at EU Business School\u2019s programs, including our\u00a0Bachelor of Art in Leisure & Tourism,<\/a>\u00a0and our\u00a0BA (hons) in Business Management (International Business)<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Christian Clerc is one of the foremost\u00a0global\u00a0experts in luxury travel.\u00a0At\u00a0another fascinating Learning\u00a0From\u00a0Leaders conference, he spoke to Peter Vanham about his career\u00a0and early love of\u00a0hospitality,\u00a0shared his strategy\u00a0for\u00a0navigating\u00a0the brand through the\u00a0recent\u00a0crisis\u00a0and offered optimistic ideas for a better future for\u00a0tourism.\u00a0\u00a0 To enjoy the full conversation, access the recording\u00a0here. Read on for highlights from this lively conversation about the life and learnings of an incredible leader;\u00a0President of Four Seasons, Christian Clerc.\u00a0\u00a0 Maintaining\u00a0Brand\u00a0Integrity\u00a0Throughout\u00a0a\u00a0Crisis\u00a0 Navigating\u00a0global brand\u00a0Four Seasons\u00a0through the\u00a0recent\u00a0pandemic required a great deal of skill\u00a0and flexibility. Christian shared his approach to maintaining\u00a0the company\u2019s reputation for excellence while ensuring that the health and safety of guests and employees\u00a0remained\u00a0a\u00a0priority. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28979,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1773,1777,1769],"tags":[4673,658,1309,1077,779],"class_list":["post-28976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eu-business-school-community","category-eu-business-school-guest-speakers","category-learning-from-leaders","tag-hospitality","tag-learning-from-leaders","tag-luxury","tag-tourism","tag-travel-leisure","post--single"],"yoast_head":"\r\nLuxury\u00a0<\/strong>Travel in the Wake of Coronavirus<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Designing a More Sustainable Future<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLeading a Global Workforce<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The Road to President\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Pursuing Excellence and a Better Future\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/a><\/figure>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"