INTERVIEW InterviewVIEW AnINTER Iconic Collection

An Interview with Christopher Cowdray, Chief Executive Offi cer, Dorchester Collection

middle market or resorts, but we have seen cake and champagne if you want, so it’s more signifi cant downturns in business so, unfortu- than just going for a treatment. nately, there will be no growth this year. What are the key traits that determine Do you foresee opportunities in new success in a general manager today? markets for the Collection in this economic experience with the luxury market is im- environment? portant, as is understanding our business, who we’re fortunate to be able to take advan- the customers are, and what their expectations tage of the current situation and look for prop- are. so with that understanding, if you’re a real erties that would fi t within the portfolio within inspirational leader, and you have a good entre- north america, europe, and gateway cities in preneurial spirit, then you can really drive the the Far east. business of the hotel. What are the most important character- Many in this industry say one either istics that determine if a property has the in- lends himself more to running a property dividual strength to fi t into the Collection? or more to assuming a corporate role. You it has to have a unique, iconic quality of seem to have found success at both. Do you some sort. if it’s a new building, it has to set the miss being at a property? standards in hospitality and have the potential i don’t. i loved the excitement of being at to be seen as an iconic hotel for years to come. the hotel, but the challenges are different in the on the whole, it’s looking for properties which corporate role. developing new hotels and the Christopher Cowdray are the market leaders in the cities that they’re company are very exciting. in, and that have a unique vision, iconic value, When the opportunity was presented to EDITORS’ NOTE Christopher Cowdray was ap- and heritage. you, did you know right away that leading pointed to his current post in November 2007, af- All of your properties are well-known the Collection was a role you wanted to pur- ter serving as General Manager of The Dorchester brands on their own. How do you balance sue, and has it been what you expected? in London since June 2004. He has 30 years of the individual strength of each property yes, it has been more than i expected. i’m international experience in managing luxury with the understanding that they fall under a person who is always looking for opportunity, hotels on four continents, including six years the Dorchester Collection umbrella? constantly challenging the boundaries to fi nd as Managing Director of Claridge’s in London. as a corporate team, working alongside the out how we can develop the company further A native of Zimbabwe, where he earned a di- hotels’ executive teams, we’ve strived to build and to make it into one of the world’s most ploma in hotel management, Cowdray is also a a solid foundation for dorchester collection successful luxury management companies. so graduate of the executive program at Columbia that positively encourages the hotels to express there is an enormous amount to do and it’s ex- University’s Business School. their own personalities and strengths, while at ceedingly exciting, particularly in current times, the same time operating within a structured where there is a lot more opportunity to grow COMPANY BRIEF Dorchester Collection brand framework. by focusing on “the style of the company even further. (www .dorchestercollection .com) is the succes- individuality,” we have discovered a winning As you look to the future for the sor to Dorchester Group, originally established formula – one that appeals to our people, our Collection, is it important for you to main- by the Brunei Investment Agency in 1996 to guests, and our owners. tain a more manageable size, or will you manage its collection of hotels in Europe and In major cities like London, even with grow as opportunities arise? the United States. The group’s portfolio cur- all its offerings, you still need to provide it will be as opportunities arise. we will rently encompasses The Dorchester in London, the high-end spa experience. Has that been certainly be pursuing opportunities, but we the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Hotel Bel-Air, The a focus as well within the Collection? don’t have the intention of being a large orga- New York Palace, the Hôtel Plaza Athénée and it certainly is the focus. we recently nization, in terms of numbers of hotels. we’re Le Meurice in Paris, and the Hotel Principe di opened a new christian dior spa in the hôtel not chasing quantity – we’re chasing quality. if Savoia in Milan. plaza athénée, as well as a new spa at the we reach 15 hotels in the next few years, we dorchester, and we’re working on a new spa will have achieved our ambitions. if we achieve With all the challenges in this current eco- development at the bel-air. our concept is dif- 20, then we will have done exceedingly well. nomic climate, has Dorchester Collection ferent from the typical spa seen in many ho- but i don’t see the company growing any larger and its properties felt a major impact, and tels, where they are asian-infl uenced and focus than that. how challenging is it today to fi nd growth? on lots of different treatments; we’re looking at With all the current excitement over we certainly have seen an impact. London spas which will fi t into the local environment. future opportunities, do you foresee a time has been the least affected and the dorchester so in London and paris, we offer a european- when you’ll slow down and take it easy? is outperforming its market, so that’s the great type spa where guests feel they can be pam- i love the pace, so it’s too early to say.• news. but the luxury market has been hit. it’s pered, but also indulge as well. For instance, at probably not been as signifi cantly hit as the the spatisserie at the dorchester, you can order The Dorchester London 64 Leaders posted with permission. copyright © 2009 leaders magazine, inc. volume 32, number 3