An Interview with Patrick Griffiin AOM. Truly an industry legend and a gentleman.

Since I first met Patrick 33 years ago, I have admired him and followed his career.  

Let me give you a little background on Patrick

His distinguished 48 years in hospitality have spanned two continents and five hotel groups.

His career started in 1963 as a trainee manager at The Grand Hotel in Eastbourne, a very traditional Victorian-era five-star hotel, where he found his passion for hospitality.  

He joined Hilton Hotels in Amsterdam and returned to the luxury group of De Vere Hotels UK. At the age of 27 he became one of the youngest hotel GM's in Britain.

In 1988 he relocated to Melbourne, Australia to set up the highly awarded Hotel Como.

Which is where I first met Patrick 33 years ago (Ouch that makes me feel old)

In 1992 he joined Orient-Express Hotels to develop and open the first of the company’s ventures into Australasia, The Observatory Hotel in Sydney, moulding the hotel into a truly iconic Australian legend.

In 2009, whilst National Accommodation President of the Australian Hotels Association, he was awarded an Order of Australia (OAM) in The Queen’s Birthday Honours List for ‘Services to Hotels and the Tourism Industry’. Patrick retired from his role as Regional Managing Director of the famed Orient-Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises in 2011 after 19 years. During his time with the company he oversaw both The Observatory Hotel in Sydney (now The Langham) and, until the sale in January 2010, Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort. Patrick is one of the longest-standing five-star hotel GMs in Australia.

On top of his OAM Patrick has been widely recognised for his contribution to the industry 

2004 Recognised by the Tourism and Transport Forum with the ‘Quintessential Hotelier Award for 40 Years of Achievement’

2004 Awarded the ‘Platinum Award’ by Tourism Training Australia ‘in recognition of outstanding services, support and personal contributions to TTA’

2009 Inaugural inductee into The Industries Hall of Fame

2010 Inducted into the AHA’s Johnnie Walker Hall of Fame

Most recently in 2021, he received the Ashley Spencer Service to the Industry Award

Patrick is married with three sons.  These days Patrick is an Author 'The Grand Life' (www.patrickgriffin.info), an After Dinner Speaker and a Consultant on Luxury Service Standards.

In the interview, we talk about Simon's early career in hospitality which happened to start by accident.

We also talked about his unknown talents, soccer and guitar. Of course, we also talk about technology.

Simon appreciates and embraces technology in the hospitality industry, despite not being a technology expert. He studied IT programming in the past and recognizes the importance of technology for enhancing productivity and adding value to the business. He believes that technology, like chat GPT, can enhance the guest experience and help hotels overcome labor challenges, which have become more pronounced after the COVID-19 pandemic. Simon encourages a positive perspective on technology's role in the industry and emphasizes the need to adapt and leverage it to stay competitive and provide better service.

Simon Wan is the President and Director of StayWell Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary of Prince Hotels & Resorts., the largest Hotel owner and operator in Japan. Simon is spearheading Prince and StayWell overseas hotel developments and operations.

Simon has over 35 years of experience working for leading international hospitality groups around the world. Prior to StayWell, Simon was the CEO and Managing Director of THL – an ASX-listed hotel company with 530 hotels worldwide. Prior roles include the Managing Director of the Park Plaza Hotel Group for Asia Pacific and Accor’s CEO for North Asia, based in Beijing, overseeing a hotel portfolio of 68 hotels in the region.

Disclosure

Simon was my very first boss in hotels. The year was 1986 and it was the Parkroyal on St Kilda Road. He was the Executive Assistant Manager and I was a trainee on a full-year internship with my Hotel Management Degree at Victoria University.  I remember vividly one thing that Simon instilled in me in my early career. You need to have initiative. I've always remembered that.

Join us for a captivating conversation with Tish Nyar, a seasoned hospitality professional, as he shares his perspectives on the industry's core values, effective leadership, the delicate balance of technology, and preparing for an evolving future. Delve into his discussions on the importance of genuine guest interactions, the impact of inspirational leaders, the integration of technology without compromising human touch, and navigating challenges in a dynamic landscape. Discover Tish's insights on AI's role in call centers, the resilience required for unforeseen crises, and the delicate equilibrium between pent-up travel demand and sustainable tourism practices.

Tish's Bio as of March 2023

Tish has a wide range of expertise gained over 30 years in the hotel industry. He has a proven track record in operations and overall asset management. His overall industry experience can also be seen in his work with the NSW Tourism Accommodation Australia Board and National Accommodation Division Board & More recently with the AAOA NSW Advisory Committee, his Strategic Management Certification from Macquarie University Graduate School of Management, Advanced Diploma of Hotel Manager from the Blue Mountains International Hotel School and his presence on the TAA – AHA National and NSW Board. Last year Tish also received a leadership award from the B.M.I.H.M.S alumni. 

Tish has recently been promoted to Senior Director of Operations ANZ with TFE Hotels where he has been for the last 6 years.

He currently manages a team of three Regional General Managers and 51 hotels across TFE Hotels’ Australia and New Zealand network.

In this insightful conversation, Scott Boyes, an industry leader, discusses the evolving landscape of hospitality and the importance of fostering quality teams, hotel experiences, and guest appreciation. Amidst economic uncertainties and ongoing challenges, Scott highlights the resilience and adaptability of the industry. Looking ahead, he envisions a future where technology plays a supporting role, allowing hotel teams to enhance face-to-face interactions and provide exceptional experiences. Join us for an engaging discussion on the potential changes in the next three, five, and ten years, and how the hotel industry can position itself as a valuable asset class alongside commercial and residential spaces. Discover the enduring human touch that differentiates the hospitality industry and drives its success.

Today I have the pleasure of talking with Mark Hodge. Mark has had an extraordinary career in the hospitality and tourism sector which spans more than 30 years.

At the time of the interview, Mark was with The Star Entertainment Group as the General Manager of Hotels & Residences, Gold Coast. In this role, Mark oversaw The Star Gold Coast’s existing hotels – The Star Grand and The Darling, as well as the newly established The Star Residences*  

Prior to that, Mark was with the Mantra Group for just over 12 years as Group General Manager, Mantra Resorts, Hotels & Apartments. With the sale of Mantra Group to Accor in 2018, Mark became the Senior Vice President of Operations, at Accor. A role encompassed full operational responsibility across all four brands of Art Series, Peppers, Mantra & BreakFree under the Accor Hotels Apartments & Leases banner across 140 properties that spanned Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia & Hawaii. Mark was also part of Accors' Pacific Executive Committee. 

Mark has held and holds a number of board positions within the industry including past Director of the National Board of Accommodation Association of Australia (AAoA) Regional Chairman for the Hotel, Motel and Accommodation Association (the predecessor of AAoA) and past Director/Board member for Destination Gold Coast.

Most recently Mark has been appointed as a Chairman of the Accommodation Association, QLD State Advisory Board.

Mark was also the 2022 HM Australian General Manager of the Year.

As of May 2023, Mark finished with the Star Entertainment Group and here is a note from him which was published on LinkedIn.

After 2 exciting years with The Star Entertainment Group on the Gold Coast, my time with the organisation has drawn to a close.
I am so grateful and appreciative for the opportunity and for the incredible team that I worked alongside. Together we achieved so much of which we all should be so proud including as part of the $2.1B masterplan the delivery & opening of Tower 1, the launch of the Dorsett Hotel and personally spearheading the establishment & creation of The Star Residences strata business model across the group ...

Alongside these achievements, I'm also so proud of how we developed a new Hotel executive leadership team across the Darling and The Star Grand Hotels that allowed us to establish a culture where we focused on "what matters most".
As a result, we exceeded many of our KPI targets breaking multiple records on the island including our focus towards guest sentiment, attention to detail and fiscal margins. Personally, as I leave I am richer for the overall experience and the new relationships & friendships that have been formed over my time and the positive legacy I leave behind.