Hospitality’s Multifaceted Manager

Klaus Assmann, Cluster General Manager for Accor, explains what it’s like managing some of Dubai’s hospitality hotspots – and what it takes to succeed in a competitive market.

You have built an impressive career in the hospitality industry. What steps led you to where you are today?

In the beginning I was attracted to the sense of adventure, unpredictability, and excitement that a job in hospitality can provide, which I think is common for many of us who enter the industry. With every role I took on, my responsibilities grew and evolved. I very quickly discovered that I have an appetite for new challenges and enjoy how these experiences can help broaden my knowledge.

My passion, combined with a drive to make things happen, has brought me to where I am today. I have learned to work in different countries and cultures with people from all over the world, and to face and overcome different kinds of challenges each day. I truly enjoy putting together teams and achieving difficult goals.

I am a person who is driven by action and hospitality keeps me extremely active in this regard! To sum it all up, it was my appetite for continuous growth that led me to this point in my career and life.

As Cluster Manager for Accor, what does your role involve?

I have the pleasure of managing a multifaceted portfolio of brands here in Dubai, including Fairmont the Palm, Movenpick JLT, RIVA Beach Club, and Th8 Palm, an all-suite luxury boutique hotel and resort that is due to open soon. My day involves a mix of meetings, discussions with management teams from each property, overseeing operations, and ensuring that we not only perform well financially, but that we always deliver the very best experiences to our guests.

How has your experience influenced your management style?

Living in different countries and handling teams of individuals who come from all over the world has certainly helped to shape the way I manage people and situations. There are several factors that you need to consider when managing people, such as culture, experience, and individual character traits. When you are dealing with people, there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. People have different ways of approaching different challenges; they have different motivations, depending on where they are on their professional journeys. What has not changed is who I am – transparent, straightforward, and a firm believer in teamwork. I believe that certain aspects of who you are as a person come across when you manage people.

In the context of a challenging year, how did your hotels perform in 2020?

Despite the challenges, we did well in 2020. Our teams have worked smartly and worked hard. We have put in place not only cost saving measures, but also innovative and appealing campaigns like our U.A.E. Residents Staycation offer at Fairmont the Palm, that allows guests to redeem their full room rate on food and beverages during their stay. Challenging situations like the pandemic force you to be creative and to think about what clients want and what kind of service they would like to receive. For us, creative thinking and the smart allocation of our resources and budgets helped us to emerge from the worst of the pandemic in a strong position and lay the foundations for a successful period ahead.

What are your thoughts on the current state of the Dubai hospitality market?

Dubai is a destination that constantly evolves and challenges the norms of the hospitality industry. The effective and immediate way Dubai responded to COVID-19 has made it one of the few destinations to have successfully and safely emerged from the pandemic. Leading by example, all of us in the hospitality industry need to follow suit and work hard to maintain our recent achievements. Competition in Dubai’s hospitality industry is fierce and there are a lot of great properties with great offerings, from rooms to restaurants to bars – all of which are very appealing to guests from the U.A.E. and abroad. What will set a great hotel apart is top notch customer service, top quality F&B, and great marketing.

As an industry veteran, what do you think makes a great leader in hospitality?

It is a combination of things. A great leader is one who leads by example. You cannot ask your team to work hard if you don’t put in the

“Dubai is a destination that constantly evolves and challenges the norms of the hospitality industry.”

hard work yourself. You cannot ask for honesty and transparency if you don’t display those qualities. People stand behind the person they believe in – the leader needs to be strong, have a clear vision and help his or her team to reach their goals. I am a firm believer in challenging the status quo, thinking out of the box, trying out new things, and not being afraid to fail. I believe in great teamwork and collaboration in a space where people feel safe to discuss openly without being judged. Hospitality is a people’s business – it’s people serving people. It is important for a leader to show that they understand and respect people and nurture talent.

With a multifaceted portfolio, how do you manage to organize your time and ensure you do justice to each brand or hotel under your umbrella?

Trying to balance the focus and attention each business needs can be a challenging task. I try to keep a detailed list of all the things I need to be mindful of. I have daily briefings with all the teams, and I ensure that the executive team and I meet at least twice a week to discuss all the top-level items on our agenda. We have an amazing management team across all four properties made up of people who are driven to get the best results but who also foster a great team spirit.