Dare to Connect

What is your role at the hotel?

I’m the General Manager of the hotel. I see my role to facilitate the success of the team, to challenge but also remove obstacles that allow people to be at their best. My little pleasure is when I see people realise their potential and even uncover hidden talents. I really enjoy hosting and getting to know our guests, and I believe these are the foundations of our hotel.

It’s been a couple of tough years for hotels, what does the future holds for Crowne Plaza Amsterdam - South?

It has been tough, there’s no escaping that, but the hotel continues to adapt to the times, we have a really strong brand, in a great part of Amsterdam that is more accessible now than it ever has been.

IHG Rewards continues to grow and will undergo some very big changes this year.

Most importantly we have a really great, well established and diverse team, some fresh faces bringing new ideas, and some familiar personalities that make the hotel a second home.

I’m excited about the future, I know people want, and are ready to travel and reconnect, and we will be there to comfort them when they arrive.

Why should anyone want to join this hotel?

We support each other, and we don’t just say it. We believe that our guests and our team should feel at home, and sometimes the work is hard, but the reward and the teamwork make it all worthwhile. We also believe in developing our own colleagues, even if it means taking a chance on someone, we give priority to our teams development and career growth.

What does it mean to work at IHG for you?

I have been incredibly fortunate to have a career that has exposed me to work in many different cultures, and have contact with guests and colleagues, many of whom remain lifelong friends.

My family have also been an integral part of this journey and I would encourage anyone with an opportunity to work for a global organisation with overseas exposure to pursue it. IHG delivers those opportunities, but also provides a consistent framework that is familiar no matter where you are in the world.

Your favorite place in Amsterdam and why?

Having only been here a year (much of it during various restrictions) I still have so much to explore! I love the water and the nature, so running or cycling by the river is always a joy (even when the weather is bad!). I also love the small city lanes and typical canal houses.