In The Spotlight
We shine the spotlight on some of the hospitality professionals who are busy making sure that people know all about their fabulous properties.
Paul hugo Director of Marketing & Events, Hakkasan Group Indonesia
Q: Describe your responsibilities in under 10 words. A: Overseeing marketing, music and creative direction for Hakkasan Group Indonesia.
Q: What makes a typical day?
A: I get up around 5am because I cherish the early mornings, sunrise and the calm before the day really kicks off. With our HQ in Las Vegas, I am often on call with them first thing too. I get to the office about 10am, then it's into meetings and emails. My role covers both OMNIA Bali & Hakkasan Jakarta, so whilst I am based in Bali, I am in Jakarta every couple of weeks. At weekends I'm usually found hovering around the OMNIA Bali DJ booth. I often host the talent as I know a lot of the artistes. They're usually happy to be in Bali and very relaxed, which translates into some amazing performances at OMNIA.
Q: What’s the toughest part of your job?
A: The relentlessness. Operating businesses that are open seven days a week, there is never any down time.
Q: What do you find most satisfying in your job?
A: Watching our guests enjoying themselves, be it couples, small groups or the entire venue at big events.
Q: Who has been the most influential figure in your career? A: Louis Parker, who was the owner of Concorde Talent agency. I worked for him for a short time and was introduced to the emerging international dance music scene, including markets that had never been on my radar before. After that I worked for 15 years touring brands and DJS all over the world, experiencing the scenes in many countries at their very early stages and contributing to their development.
Q: Name one really special thing about your venue.
A: The golden hour, the time when the sun is setting and the light hits the OMNIA Cube illuminating it with a golden glow. It's around the same time the energy in the venue starts to elevate too, this is the time when people start to hit the dance floor and the party kicks in.
Q: How do you unwind?
A: Travel. I love discovering new places and experiencing different cultures.
Q: If you hadn’t taken this career path, what would have chosen? A: I wanted to be a DJ but I was awful, so I quickly moved into promoting, eventually overseeing festivals for up to 50,000 people all around the world, before I settled in Bali four years ago. It's all I've ever known, so I am lucky to have been able to follow my passion. omniaclubs.com/bali
Elfina Vendari Director of Sales & Marketing, Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort
Q: Describe your responsibilities in under 10 words. A: Leading the sales and marketing team to achieve room bookings, banquet revenue and marketing exposure.
Q: What makes a typical day?
A: I start and end my day by reviewing all my ongoing plans, prioritizing them based on urgency and importance and setting up relevant actions, then schedule any other necessary plans. This way, I can increase my pace and be more productive for the day. Typically, I oversee and coordinate my team's progress on various projects and keep my leader updated about the progress, ensuring they are happy with the execution and overall performance.
Q: What’s the toughest part of your job?
A: I prefer to think of my job as being challenging. There are always new ideas and new sales angles that we can execute, but the most challenging is dealing with the ever- changing travel market conditions.
Q: What do you find most satisfying in your job?
A: It's always fulfilling to see my team continuously grow and improve their skills and abilities, and most importantly, becoming leaders themselves.
Q: Who has been the most influential figure in your career? A: I would say my mother. She has contributed a lot to my life and career. To me, she's a tough and very firm figure that I can always look up to.
Q: Name one really special thing about your hotel. A: There's so much more than one! A great beach club, great gastronomy, customised and personalized service for every guest, amazing wellness activities, and our resort offers the complete holiday experience for everyone.
Q: How do you unwind?
A: I love cooking as it is a fun way for me to accomplish something from start to finish, and ultimately enjoy the result. I also enjoy whiling away some me time with a good cup of coffee. Whenever I have the chance, I also love travelling with family.
Q: If you hadn’t taken this career path, what would have chosen?
A: I used to dream of becoming an interior designer. The process of conceptualising and designing, sourcing materials and applying those concepts into three- dimensional reality seems truly rewarding to me. sofitel.com
Dayu Basmiari Executive Assistant Manager - Corporate, Double-six Luxury Hotel – Seminyak
Q: Describe your responsibilities in under 10 words. A: I'm the right hand of the corporate general manager and sometimes I have to play mother to the staff!
Q: What makes a typical day?
A: Checking the daily reports for the six businesses, responding to business associates' emails, briefing my sales team, reading reports and analyses to anticipate market trends and reporting to the GM. Q: What’s the toughest part of your job?
A: When the GM is not around then I am completely responsible for the six businesses and 889 staff, so the responsibility of being the mother figure or second-in- command overseeing the businesses and revenue in his stead is quite a big responsibility.
Q: What do you find most satisfying in your job?
A: When the businesses grow in line with the budget. Also, as a Balinese woman, I find great satisfaction in being entrusted to make decisions managing the six companies.
Q: Who has been the most influential figure in your career? A: For me, there are two. First is my father, who wanted me to have a career even though I am a woman and who encouraged me to never give up. The second is my mentor, who also my general manager, Praba Maniam, who for the last 15 years has seen me as a career-minded person and has taught me all I know about the hotel industry, even though my background is civil engineering. He once told me, “Bali has given me a great life, I owe my good fortune to the people of Bali.” Whenever he sees Balinese employees with potential, he takes the trouble to train them for higher positions in the industry. Ninety percent of our top managers are Balinese.
Q: Name one really special thing about your hotel.
A: It's widely known that Double-six is an all-suite hotel, so one special thing, among many others, that we offer is around-theclock butler service without any additional charge to all the suite categories.
Q: How do you unwind?
A: I love my spa time, a me-time lunch by myself and when I am stressed out, I love to dance.
Q: If you hadn’t taken this career path, what would have chosen?
A: Most likely I would have become a professional Balinese dancer. double-six.com
Chrestian Pesik Executive Assistant Manager, Swissôtel Jakarta PIK Avenue
Q: Describe your responsibilities in under 10 words. C: Ensure flawless hotel operations with excellent guest satisfaction and happy colleagues. Q: What makes a typical day?
C: I meet the guests, talk to them and get their feedback and make sure that they are truly happy with the stay experience.
Q: What’s the toughest part of your job?
C: Our team is the most important asset for our company. Seeing them sad or in a negative mood would make a tough day for me. As a leader, I have to make sure that all my colleagues are happy when they come to the hotel because I'm a firm believer that a happy team will eventually make a happy guest. Doing this will keep our business running successfully.
Q: What do you find most satisfying in your job?
C: It is most rewarding when I see our guests happy and satisfied with all the services we provide.
Q: Who has been the most influential figure in your career? C: My mother. She taught me how to be a good man, to respect others and always be humble.
Q: Name one really special thing about your hotel.
C: Vitality experiences. It is really like nowhere else. We are thinking about and providing the means and services to ensure our guests can make the most of their stay whilst keeping fit and feeling at ease.
Q: How do you unwind?
C: I run every morning. This healthy habit truly makes me happy and fit.
Q: If you hadn’t taken this career path, what would have chosen? C: There was nothing in my mind other than being a professional hotelier. swissotel.com
Adrian Wong Hotel Manager, Intercontinental Jakarta Pondok Indah
Q: Describe your responsibilities in under 10 words.
A: Making sure every guest experiences the promise of living the Intercontinental Life.
Q: What makes a typical day?
A: Knowing what is happening in the hotel so that I can assist in overcoming any difficulties, ensuring smooth operations and happy guests. Q: What’s the toughest part of your job?
A: This is a people business and every person is unique. Managing all our stakeholders from owners, to guests and staff. Hence, patience, listening and understanding are key to achieving results. The other thing is learning how to unwind after work.
Q: What do you find most satisfying in your job?
A: To see smiles on the faces of all our guests because of the services that we provide.
Q: Who has been the most influential figure in your career? A: My mentor, MPS Puri formerly from Raffles Singapore, who put me on the right path and taught me God is in the details.
My current general manager, Anil Pathak, has also shared his knowledge and the ropes of managing a luxury hotel. Both have moulded me to be who I am now.
Q: Name one really special thing about your hotel.
A: The people and the service we provide. This is the ethos of IHG'S True Hospitality.
Q: How do you unwind?
A: I love to cook. My speciality is devil's curry from my Eurasian heritage. In my quiet time, I like listening to music and enjoying a glass of wine or a dram of single malt, especially from Islay.
Q: If you hadn’t taken this career path, what would have chosen?
A: I could never see myself in any other vocation. Food and beverage is my passion. If I had to choose, I would be a master of wines or a chef. jakartapondokindah.intercontinental.com