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Smart Luxury An Interview with Marlene Poynder, General Manager, Conrad New York The Conrad New York lobby (left) and exterior (right) EDITORS’ NOTE Marlene Poynder I’m happy to be able to stay within How do you balance having a signifi - brings an impressive 30 years of a luxury brand and to build on the repu- cant-sized lobby with making sure there is experience in the tourism and hos- tation of this property. always someone to greet guests? pitality fi elds to Conrad New York, How do you defi ne the Conrad The wonderful advantage of coming into having managed luxury hotels in brand and is that defi nition well a hotel that is operating as well as ours is that Australia, Asia and the U.S. Most understood in the U.S. market? our customer service and experience scores are recently, she served as the general In other parts of the world, the in the top three in North America and, within manager at Waldorf Astoria Chicago. Conrad brand is well-recognized because the Conrad brand, we’re in the top fi ve globally. She joined Hilton in 2010 serving as we have a larger footprint. We certainly are For such a large and imposing lobby space, the pre-opening and opening general building on that in the U.S. with Chicago our team does an incredible job of welcoming manager of Hilton Queenstown and reopening in 2016, Fort Lauderdale hav- people. This means that when any of us have Kawarau Hotel. From 2012 to 2013, ing opened recently and Washington time available, we have a presence in our lobby. she held roles in the Australasia cor- Marlene Poynder D.C. due to open in 2019. The London Once guests are greeted by the doormen, we porate regional offi ce and in Dalian, NYC hotel has joined our luxury divi- need to make sure they know where they’re China, on behalf of Conrad Hotels & Resorts. In sion this month and is going to be renovated going because it can be intimidating to walk 2013, she became general manager of Waldorf in 2018 and will also help to defi ne the Conrad into our hotel for the fi rst time. Astoria Beijing, overseeing the hotel opening. She luxury brand within the U.S. What is the focus of the food and bever- also served as interim general manager of Conrad We are developing a nucleus of hotels in age offering at Conrad New York? and DoubleTree by Hilton hotels in Haitang Bay, the U.S. that represent the Conrad brand, which The offering has to be relevant for our guests Sanya, China, before taking on the general man- is a smart and modern luxury brand that tends and the area and, for this part of New York, there ager position at Waldorf Astoria Chicago. Prior to to attract millennials as well as more mature are a lot of options just outside of our doors. joining Hilton, Poynder held a variety of execu- travelers. With ATRIO Wine Bar and Restaurant, we see tive roles with Hyatt Hotels in Asia and Australia. We’re also an all-suite hotel and the synergies a lot of the local community embracing our spe- between what will be the two Conrads in New cialty menus such as Easter Brunch, Thanksgiving, PROPERTY BRIEF In March 2012, Conrad New York, Conrad New York and The London NYC, New Years Eve and we equally see a lot of interest York (conradnewyork.com) opened its doors in will give us even more strength in this market. in our private dinning spaces for holiday parties New York City’s Battery Park City neighborhood. What are your views of the hotel’s and special occasions. Rising 16 stories along the Hudson River water- Downtown location? We’re primarily focused on continuing the front, the 463 all-suite luxury hotel is the fi rst From a group and conference perspective, success of our Loopy Doopy Rooftop Bar in the New York location for Conrad Hotels & Resorts, the business is extremely strong. What I fi nd sur- summer season, as it is tremendously popular the global luxury brand of Hilton Worldwide. prising about the area of Lower Manhattan as well with hotel guests and locals alike. Conrad New York features spacious suites, each as the hotel is that it’s equally busy on the week- Will you discuss the focus and invest- outfitted with integrated technology and ends and weekdays. ment put into retaining talent? individual climate control. The hotel features Is your competitive set primaily Retaining talent has been a strength on prop- Loopy Doopy, a seasonal rooftop bar with Downtown or does it extend through- erty. Earlier this year, we revamped our sequence breathtaking views of the Statue of Liberty and out New York City? of service training and emphasized the basics of New York Harbor and Atrio Wine Bar and It depends on which market we’re looking luxury training to recalibrate and remind everyone Restaurant, the hotel’s New American cuisine at. Certainly for the leisure traveler, it’s geographic. of the personalized approach. The results have been themed all day dining restaurant. Conrad For our conference and meetings business, our extremely positive from our guest survey responses. New York boasts over 30,000 square feet of competition is further uptown because we have Are there substantial opportunities adaptable meeting space, including the 6,200 the largest event space in this part of Lower within the hospitality industry for women? square-foot Gallery Ballroom. The hotel was Manhattan. The opportunities are becoming more prev- awarded a LEED Gold Certifi cate for new con- How important is your suite component alent. Frankly, one still has to push the envelope. struction from the U.S. Green Building Council and how broad is this offering? I was fortunate to enter the industry at a time for sustainable building practices and design. There is a common feel throughout the when companies started to realize that people suites, and they’re quite modern and stream- with a sales and marketing background were What excited you about the opportunity to lined, which suits the whole North End area very valuable to the General Management ranks. lead Conrad New York? and what is being built in the Lower Manhattan Since there are a signifi cant number of women in I was excited to come to New York as I have area. sales and marketing, there are more opportuni- always wanted to live and work in the city. I came The artwork in our hotel, for example, is ties there. As a female leader, I always encourage to the U.S. at this stage in my career because the quite striking and it carries through to the suites. all of my employees to have ambitious career market here has always been buoyant. I wanted to Our guests are sometimes surprised when they goals. Women and men alike are capable of work in the strongest market in our industry and come into our suites because they are generous in being great GMs in this industry if they can fi rst New York is just that. size, which works well for us. prove it to themselves.• 152 LEADERS POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2018 LEADERS MAGAZINE, INC. VOLUME 41, NUMBER 1.