Based in New York City, Ernest Lee has an extensive range of business experience in investments, real estate, finance, strategy, and even operations. It’s safe to say, in the bustling “City That Never Sleeps”, he is truly doing it all.

As the Chief Growth Officer for the famous citizenM Hotels, Ernest is responsible for implementing new growth initiatives, products and programs, pursuing strategic partnerships, and developing long-term commercial strategy in collaboration with citizenM’s Chief Commercial Officer. And, to top it off, he is recognized for guiding the complex, multi-regional expansion of citizenM’s North American portfolio. These luxury properties or “proud misfits of traditional hotels,” are satisfying the modern traveler’s desire for affordable luxury and brilliantly shifting the status quo of hospitality as we know it.

What You Will Hear:

• How Ernest built a career in the hospitality industry
• Chief Growth Officer explained
• Learning by looking at other industries
• citizenM Ethos
• Creating a new category, Affordable Luxury, in the boutique hotel industry
• Building a boutique hotel portfolio based on transparency
• The 360 experience. Advice and tips on owning and operating a boutique hotel
• Authenticity and the importance of listening
• Choosing locations
• What boutique means to Ernest

Quotes:

“I've always had the ambition to become more well-rounded as a hotel owner and hotelier and get much closer to our guests.”

“Protecting the customer experience was the number one goal for us, and in order to do that, that requires a significant amount of control. For us, it means that we want to play developer, play owner, play designer, play operator, and play brand all at the same time.”

“When you focus less on a tangible thing, but you focus more on capturing a feeling, then that is when the execution becomes more heartfelt, and it actually feels real and authentic.”

Mentioned:

citizenM

Cushman and Wakefield

Sponsored by Solonis

BLLA