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Bav Tailor… If you can Dream it, you can Achieve it. Dreams… do they really come true? Well if you dream hard enough, they truly can. That was the case for me anyway, Bav Tailor, 28 years old, born in London. Today, 2 years later, I still wake up every morning and have to pinch myself to make sure my life is for real. Let’s start with a brief summary of my life. I graduated in London with BA (Hons) Business Economics in 2001 and thereafter decided to take a break and do some travelling. I wanted to go as far away from everything as possible, so where did I end up… the unknown paradise, Auckland, New Zealand. A trip that was supposed to last for a year ended up lasting 3 years as I decided to stay put for a while. Within the 3 years I tried various jobs including using my degree to work in a bank which lasted about 2 months. As soon as I started I knew it wasn’t the life long career I’d always dreamed of. During my last year, after working in fashion retail in Newmarket, I was privileged to have been offered the job of Store Manager of moochi Filter Room in Newmarket. For those of you who are unfamiliar with moochi, shame on you! moochi is a boutique that produces beautiful clothing with its essence being Made in NZ. It was fantastic… the company, my staff, we were a real team; there was nothing that made me think ‘What am I doing with my life…’. One Sunday afternoon, reading the paper and drinking a flat white (god I miss flat whites!) I read an advertisement for a free seminar being held at the Stamford Plaza Hotel on completing a Masters in Fashion. Out of curiosity I decided to attend and that is where I came into contact with Sandra McCallum. She was (still is!) the New Zealand representative for IED Moda Lab which is one of the most prestigious fashion schools in Italy. After speaking with Sandra, I came to realise that I would be able to complete a Masters in Fashion Marketing Management without previously having studied fashion! I couldn’t believe it! I never thought it could be possible. It was a 1 year course with an internship included which sounded like the perfect package, as for me at that stage in my life, it was essential that I did some kind of work experience. Within a space of 4 months and numerous meetings with Sandra, we decided on the course that would best suit me. Sandra was even kind enough to help me get a few Italian lessons in with a contact she had although unfortunately I did not have as many as I would have preferred. Finally, in March 2005, I packed up my life in precious little New Zealand and set off to complete a Masters in Fashion Marketing Management in Milan, Italy! It was truly a dream coming true… and it had only just begun! Milan, for me, the fashion capital of the world. Not the picturesque
city that I had imagined but obviously has something if every true
luxury brand in the world has a presence here. I arrived at IED
Moda Lab. In the summer it’s beautiful with a fountain as
soon as you enter, very calming. I was kindly welcomed by Stephano
Crivelli and Gianluca Brusatore, who said ‘ Bav Tailor…ahhh
we’ve been expecting you’.. it was really a warm welcome
for me in a strange city where I did not know a soul and spoke about
5% Italian if that! My colleagues were all international students from France, Russia, India, Italy and myself from London. It was a fantastic class, we were like a family and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the time we spent together. The majority of our teachers spoke English so around 60% of the classes were conducted in English including course material and slide shows while the rest of the 40% of the classes were conducted with a translator Thomaso. He was great! Part of the group. We did have a few problems with delayed course material in English but every school has administration problems. It was frustrating for us at first but the longer we soaked up the Italian culture and way of life, we came to realise that it wasn’t a problem with the school, it’s just the Italian way of life, so laid back and disorganised but get the job done in the end! That’s the first thing you need to learn about Italy so learn it well! Teachers… with all the administration problems we may have had, I have to honestly say that the teachers truly made up for it. In all my 28 years of studying, I’ve never had such interesting and inspiring teachers with so much real life experience. All our teachers were actual professionals, managers, consultants, CEOs of companies who gave us knowledge that no text book could ever provide. They provided us with a deep insight of the fashion industry including companies such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Hermes, Calvin Klein, Ungaro, Paul Smith, Saatchi & Saatchi, the list goes on…. We covered a range of modules which covered a wide spectrum of fashion including marketing of luxury goods, fashion brand management, fashion communication, import/export, fashion pipeline, technology of materials, buying, product management, visual merchandising, history of fashion, website management and many more all extremely useful. The Language… Italian. There was a point where I wanted to rip my ears out as for me the language barrier was the biggest downfall. I remember sitting in class one day at lunch time, crying my eyes out as I just didn’t know how I was ever going to learn the language. I had this mental block. The school did provide Italian lessons but unfortunately they were towards the end of the course as our timetable was jam packed 9am to 6pm, 5 days a week. We did not need it while we were at school but towards the end every single member of staff kept reminding us that it was essential for us to speak some Italian in order to gain an internship in Italy. At one point I was ready to move back to London to complete my internship. I remember sitting in the office and the person responsible of internship telling me that the only barrier stopping me getting a really good internship is my lack of Italian! Ahh! The Internship. After some kind of miracle, I was lucky enough to be offered an internship with a small Italian luxury fashion house dealing with 2 lines, Haute Couture and Prêt-a Porter for women. I completed a 4 month internship as a marketing assistant including preparing the launch of the website, organising photo shoots for a campaign, casting models, preparing press material. I was very lucky to have a boss that wanted to learn English so I slowly overcame my fear and began speaking Italian. Suddenly all the Italian that I had been studying just started flowing out naturally. It’s so strange when you are trying to learn a language because you think that all the studying is for nothing when you have a fear of speaking but then one day it all just clicks into place. Overall summary. Despite the administration and language problems, I can honestly say that I was thrilled with my course, the content, but most of all the teachers. If there is one piece of advice I can give you is to learn the language beforehand. It will make your lives a lot easier, as moving away from everything and everyone that is familiar to you is hard work. Adapting to a new city, culture and way of life can be very daunting at times. It all depends on how bad you want to achieve your dream. Obviously it is difficult, if you don’t put the effort in, no one and nothing is going to be handed to you on a plate. I came to Milan to achieve a dream, I worked hard and it paid off… I now have a Masters in Fashion Marketing Management of which I received a 100% as my overall grade. My life at present. Thanks to IED Moda Lab I was offered a job at Valextra in Via Manzoni, where I have been working for the last 9 months. Valextra is a historic Italian luxury leather accessories company established in 1937. Each piece is crafted by the hands of the most finest Italian artisans. It is for those understated connoisseurs of Italian luxury. I work in the Visual Department and I love my job. So far I have travelled to New York, Dallas, Tokyo and London. My job involves setting up new Valextra Boutiques and visually merchandising existing stores. I am at present involved in the ordering of merchandise for all our stores worldwide therefore making sure that the buyers have the correct mix of product for their stores. This experience will allow me to have a direct relationship with our clients and allow me to make sure that all boutiques are running at their best. It also gives me more of an insight and input into our Valextra products and their functionality, allowing me to give feedback for new season collections. At present, Valextra is globally expanding. In the next 6 months we will be opening boutiques in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Moscow and Dubai, therefore there will be a great deal for me to learn and see… its all just the beginning of a new an exciting adventure! My life is in Milan, a city which I have now come to love. Every day on my way to work as my tram passes the Duomo (cathedral), sends tingles down my spine as I know this is where I want to be, I am living my dream. I have been very blessed in meeting some very special people who have supported me through my journey and without them I would not be as happy and content as I am now. From the bottom of my heart thank you to the IED Moda Lab, the staff and teachers. My dear and very special friends Mario, Martina, Fabio and M.D Gianmaria. Finally, Sandra… without your guidance and support I would not be where I am now… Grazie mille.
2007 has been quite a year for Karaka teenager Alex Schultz. Not only has he swapped life on the family farm for an apartment in Turin, Italy, but he’s also learning a new language and embarked on the first step of an exciting new career. A student of Car Design at Istituto Europeo di Design (IED), Alex
is now thriving in the homeland of some of the world’s most
desirable cars. “It’s where, Fiat Group, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Pininfarina
and Bertone began. By studying here you get exposure to a lot of
car companies and a lot of employers. If you studied car design
in New Zealand you wouldn’t get the boss of Ferrari coming
in to look at your work!” “After the three years you will be good at designing and have a good qualification – but most importantly of all you will have a lot of contacts. There are so many different design schools around the world and a lot of people are studying. If you want a career in the industry it’s vital to have the right contacts and stand out from the rest.” And when it comes to contacts IED is certainly at the top of the table. “In the first year of the course you are just laying the foundations and learning subjects such as sketching, illustration, ergonomics, material technology and technical drawing. But in the second and third years car manufacturers actually give you projects. Third year and Masters students get their projects shown at the Geneva Auto Show, which is the biggest car show in the world.” Alex knows this first hand – he attended the show in March
and says it was one of the highlights of his European experience
so far. IED was the only school in the world to model their students’ creations there in 2007 – an undisputable indication that the school is viewed as the crème de le crème by the industry. Both its tutors and students boast a host of international awards in car design. IED students, for example, recently scooped first and second place in a prestigious Ferrari competition. Paramount to the school’s success is the fact that all its tutors actually hold top-ranking, creative positions within the field. Tutoring is just a sideline – a way for them to give back to the industry and ensure that graduates are entering the profession equipped with the skills and knowledge required in today’s design environment. For Alex, IED is a far cry from the classrooms of Strathallan College
where he attended high school until the age of 16. He left after
GCSE level 1, intent on developing his creative flair by spending
a year studying visual arts at the Manukau Institute of Technology
(MIT). “Once I decided to do the course I worked for a year to save
money, which was lucky as it can be very expensive living in Europe!” “I really love living in Italy. I love having new experiences, meeting new people and learning about a different culture. It’s a completely different social life over here. Italians love to stay out late and drink at bars and clubs. It’s a lot of fun. We also have quite a few breaks so I have had the opportunity to travel round Europe a bit which has been amazing “The course is great too. It’s a lot of fun and it doesn’t end up costing much more than studying in NZ. I am basically doing a three year OE as well as gaining an education!” During his first year at IED Alex studied in the international class which was delivered in English. However second and third year classes are all held in Italian, so a reasonable command of the language is vital. “I studied Italian for a while before I left New Zealand and also for a bit in Italy, but in the end it got too expensive. I think the best way to pick up the language is to live with Italians, which is what I’ve done. That way you get to make a lot of Italian friends and improve your language skills at the same time.” “The competition is really stiff out there. The way you get a job is to have the big bosses from the car companies look at your projects and be impressed by them. That’s how you get noticed. “If you are lucky in the second or third year you might get an internship with a car company, but it’s vital that your work stands out. Often, even after students graduate and get a job, for the first couple of months they work unpaid until they prove themselves. Once I graduate I’ll stay in Italy and wait to see if I get any calls or offers. By then I’ll have a lot of contacts and be a better Designer. The best case scenario would be to get an internship and start working. I’ll have to stay in Europe for a few years and build up a reputation. If I don’t get an internship I’ll have to think about doing another course or come back to New Zealand and try and get a job – but that’s the worst case scenario! “I’m not too focussed on any particular car company. I’ll be happy if anyone wants me! I think if you chose one company you can get a bit one-track minded and set yourself up for failure. I am keeping an open mind about who I’d like to work for.” Eventually though Alex harbours dreams of returning to his family and life in New Zealand. “Home is home – it’s the lifestyle I grew up with. One day I’d hope to be based back here. But realistically, there’s not much of a car industry in New Zealand. The closest work would probably be Australia or Japan. Mind you, maybe one day when I’ve really established myself in the industry, I’ll be able to work at home via the internet.” Until then Alex is living the kind of exotic, fairy-tale-like existence that most of us only dream about…
Most young women are interested in fashion – and Peta Johnston is no different. But what sets the North Shore 20 year old apart is the fact that she’s taken her passion one step further than most of her Kiwi counterparts. Peta has moved halfway across the world to study Fashion Marketing and Communications at the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED). Based in Barcelona, Spain she’s living what must surely be every fashionista’s fantasy. Not only is she learning about fashion from some of Europe’s top industry names, but she’s travelling all over the continent attending high-profile fashion events and working with some of the best in the business. “The lecturers at IED are amazing,” says Peta. “They are really supportive and helpful, and better still, they are all currently working within the fashion industry. This opens the door to a lot of opportunities for the students. For example one of our event management professors recently took 11 of us to Lisbon to an art, music and fashion festival that his company was organising. We worked for him for the duration of the festival and it was the best four-day trip I’ve ever had! We got to work with designers and art directors and went back stage at the fashion shows. We worked all day and partied all night. I think I slept for about five hours over the entire time! We had so much fun and learned so much – I don’t think you would get the opportunity to do that kind of thing if you were studying at a normal university.” Peta began her studies at IED last November and has just begun her second year of the three-year course. Already she’s gained a broad insight into areas such as fashion history, fashion trends, textiles, computing, marketing, journalism, communications and event management. “It’s a lot of hard work but I love it. I have about
20-25 hours of class each week and probably spend about the same
time again doing homework - and even more at exam times. So it’s
quite intense and time management is essential.” “Barcelona is so vibrant and lively; everyone is there to have a good time! It’s also very well organised, relatively safe and very clean. The sun is always shining and the lifestyle is great. There are bars, restaurants, clubs and quaint cafes ready to be discovered all over the city. Barcelona always has something going on, be it festivals or Bob Sinclair playing just down the road!” Peta spent her first year living in halls of residence, although
this year she is flatting with some Swedish friends. Peta admits it was vital in the early stages to make friends with fellow English speakers. “I had a few Spanish lessons when I first arrived in Barcelona but basically I knew nothing! It would have been a lot easier if I had had at least an intermediate level of Spanish before I arrived because it’s quite stressful not being able to speak the language in a new place. Luckily you pick it up quite quickly and by having Spanish friends you seem to learn the language without even realising it. I definitely plan to start lessons again soon though – you can’t live in Spain and not speak Spanish. Besides, it will benefit me in the long run, not just in Spain but also in South America, where fashion is really taking off.” Peta says a good level of Spanish is vital to secure local internships during the summer breaks. Internships are a popular way for students to gain relevant work experience and establish useful industry contacts. For many, an internship can provide the lucky break they need to launch a successful fashion career. “I could get an internship with Levis or Adidas in Barcelona as I have friends who work there or I could do an internship in the UK in the summer. I must admit though it’s very tempting to come home and see family and friends during my holidays!” As much as she loves Europe, New Zealand remains close to her heart. Born in Wellington, Peta moved up to Auckland at the age of nine. Her high school years were spent at Rangitoto College where she successfully completed seventh form. “Throughout my school years I was always interested in fashion
– not in designing or making clothes, but definitely in wearing
them and keeping up with new trends. I’ve always been a big
magazine buyer.” “I got top of business in seventh form. I was involved in
the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme where you get into a
group of people and create a business and market it and do a business
plan. We sold a bunch of products at Aotea Square and did really
well.” “Up until then I had no idea what I wanted to do. IED was a great way to combine my interest in business and my passion for fashion. There was nothing in New Zealand that offered the combination that I wanted.” And once she seized the opportunity a whole new world opened before her. “I love New Zealand but I’m not sure that I’ll come back here and live for a long, long time. There’s a whole world out there to experience and I want to spend a decent amount of time getting to know different places and people and cultures. “As far as my long-term career goals go I’m not exactly sure yet what I’ll end up doing. Just because I’m studying fashion marketing and communications doesn’t mean I can only work in that industry. The skills can be transferred to other areas. I’m sure over the next 18 months things will become clearer for me. I am really keen to do a post graduate course in New York at the Parsons School of Design so I’ll see how that goes.” In the meantime Peta is making the most of every chance that presents itself and undoubtedly having the time of her life. “Sometimes I have to pinch myself that I’m living in Europe. I would not want to be anywhere else right now. Some people think it’s so hard and so big to do what I’m doing, but it’s not – it’s pretty easy. You just jump on a plane and you’re here. Anything is possible!”
No matter what type of day you are having always remember to SMILE! This sterling advice comes from Prana Resorts and Spa General Manager
Simon Illingworth. And it’s advice that has served him well
– in the five years since graduating from SHMS, Simon’s
hospitality career has progressed beyond the realms of most people’s
imaginations. Clearly a man with an entrepreneurial bent, Simon soon noticed a gap in the market and launched Beyond First Class – a highly successful, multifaceted service provider for top-end hospitality establishments. The company does everything from putting together travel packages for VIP guests and celebrities to luxury event management and elite recruitment services. “I noticed that New Zealand was lacking a quality service provider for the top end luxury boutique properties so I started up Beyond First Class in 2002,” says Simon. Marketed as providing ‘exceptional service to exceptional people’, Beyond First Class can arrange a private jet to take you for champagne and strawberries on a mountain top or you can sail round the Bay of Islands on a luxury yacht and have someone to peel your grapes and paint your toenails. For many of the world’s rich and famous, it’s the first number they’d call after booking their first class flights for their holiday Down Under. While Beyond First Class is still going strong, Simon has somehow
found time to dip his finger into another unique hospitality pie. “Prana Resorts is a small luxury boutique wellness chain offering guests exceptional service and products. Specialist treatments and packages are available to allow guests time to rejuvenate and reconnect with their body, mind and spirit and those who stay with us are treated to a true cultural experience. “I have been involved with Prana from its conception. It has been an incredible experience to build a chain from scratch. While there were some criteria that were pre-decided, I have pretty much had free reign to develop a unique concept. It has been great to be involved with all aspects of the chain right from the beginning – budgets, business plans, marketing, human resources, operations, food and beverage, spa, housekeeping and hotel design.” Currently Prana has a resort in Koh Samui, Thailand and eight vacation club apartments in Phuket. But never one to rest on his laurels, Simon has firm plans to take this novel concept to the rest of the world. “From here I want to build Prana Resorts and Spa into a unique, successful boutique and ecological hotel chain internationally. New properties will open in Malaysia, India and Turkey in 2008/2009. Prana will also be the first international resort chain to be completely vegetarian and I plan to take our concept restaurant ‘Amala’ (which means ‘pure’) and build an independent restaurant chain globally. I also aim for Prana to become listed on the stock exchange.” Many would think such drive and creative foresight must stem from a life-long desire to forge a future in hospitality. However for Simon, this wasn’t entirely the case. In fact his ambition after finishing high school in Whangarei was to train to be a school teacher. After gaining a degree from Auckland University and completing Teacher’s College, he began teaching science, maths and physical education in private secondary schools around the country. It was an exciting and fruitful time for him – he was named New Zealand Science Teacher of the Year in 2001 and also earned the honour of attending NASA’s Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. “There have always been two passions in my life – teaching and hospitality. Hospitality has always been in the family. My grandfather was the General Manager (South Pacific) for the South Pacific Chain. While I was at university I worked in bars and restaurants to earn extra pocket money. I really enjoyed teaching. I had some incredible experiences and met some very talented students – but after six years I decided to try my other passion.” Never one to do things by halves, Simon decided if he was going to pursue a career in the hospitality industry, he wanted to learn from the best. “I did quite a bit of research on different courses and chose
to travel to Switzerland due to its quality, the thorough course
material and lecturers with strong European industry experience.
After all, Switzerland is the home of hospitality.” “I had an amazing time studying at SHMS. I met fantastic people from all over the world and had great teachers and mentors. Amongst the things I remember the most are the wine familiarisation trip to France, the four hours of Demo Kitchen on Friday afternoons and the 6am starts for the service class! Then there were the many nights I spent partying at The Grotto, the incredible food and the beautiful Montreux Palace with its ballroom, enormous fireplaces and incredible views…” During his time there he also won the Swiss Hotel Management Project for the semester for ‘Ecological Hotels – The Future of the Hotel Industry.’ Without a doubt the foundations laid at SHMS have opened the doors to an incredible, dynamic career for Simon. In fact for Simon it has become far more than a career – it has become a lifestyle. “The hotel industry is not always an easy profession to work in. You must ensure that your integrity is beyond repute at all times and you must look after your health. The unusual hours and long shifts can be hard on your body.” But if you are passionate about your work, the rewards are rich. “Although I have a full plate for the near future, I have several long-term plans career-wise. I’m looking forward to travelling to new locations, being immersed in different communities and learning new languages and ways of life. “I’m also looking forward to returning to SHMS and employing lots of fantastic graduates,” he adds with a grin!
Johnathan Hsu could have gone anywhere to study hospitality. One of the top four students in his year at Macleans College, the world was pretty much his oyster. It’s little wonder then, that as an ambitious teen, he opted
to head to Switzerland, the undisputed world-leader in the hospitality
industry. Last year he did a four month stint working in a restaurant on the shores of Lake Geneva, and currently he’s in a six-month role at the Sheraton Taipei Hotel. These opportunities are thanks to the structure of the SHMS course which follows each 18 week block with a relevant internship. According to Johnathan, it’s the perfect way to hone the skills you’ve learnt while studying on the campus. “In each internship you follow the theory of what you learnt during the previous semester - so at the end of the course you graduate with broad knowledge and extensive industry experience. I opted to remain in Switzerland for my first internship in order to improve my French and learn more about the Swiss culture. SHMS lined me up a job in quite a small restaurant which was great because it meant I could get a very diverse range of experience. I got to work in the bar, the kitchen and also do table service. I worked really hard – often from 10am one day until 3am the next! But it was a lot of fun.” The job allowed Johnathan to put into practice everything he had learnt in semester one, which focused on all aspects of the kitchen and food and beverage service. It also gave him a life experience most of us only dream about. “I had quite an amazing time. I found accommodation in a dormitory and in order to get by in my daily life I had to use my French a lot. At first that was quite nerve-wracking but I became a lot more confident by the end of my time there.” Although classes at SHMS are taught in English, it is compulsory for students to learn either German or French. Johnathan elected French because he has a passion for French cuisine. Also, the Caux Campus where he is based is located in a French-speaking part of the country. Right now however Johnathan will not be speaking much French. Based at the Sheraton Taipei Hotel, he’ll be working on his Mandarin as he gains hands-on experience in front office and housekeeping – two areas which were covered in semester three of his course. “Although I am Taiwanese, my family moved to New Zealand when I was six. I have only been back to Taiwan twice since then, each time for just a week. I feel like I know Switzerland better than I know Taiwan! My Mandarin is not that great, which worries me a bit, but hopefully it will improve quickly.” While at the Sheraton, Johnathan is looking forward to spending
precious time with his family as well as furthering his career. After completing this internship, Johnathan will return to Switzerland for his next semester which will cover managerial skills. It sounds like an enticing place to return to. “It’s quite a spectacular campus. The building was a palace a few centuries ago. Then it became a five star hotel and now a school. It’s set very high in the mountains, in fact some days we’re higher than the clouds. You look across to the Swiss Alps and down on Lake Geneva. It’s pretty amazing!” The facilities sound equally impressive. “Because it used to be a hotel, it’s all there for
us. On campus there’s a buffet café, a sit-down casual
dining room and a formal French restaurant. These are not only training
areas but also fully-functioning restaurants for students, staff
and visitors. There is also an enormous kitchen which is divided
into different areas including a production kitchen, a pastry section
and a cold kitchen, and there is a lobby and reception area. The
rooms are just like hotel rooms which is great when we are studying
housekeeping.” “It was hard at first because I didn’t know anyone.
But there are other new students from all over the world and we
are all in the same situation, so it doesn’t take long to
make friends and feel comfortable. Staff at the school give you
lots of help and advice and the tutors are very good. They have
all been involved in the hospitality industry for a long time and
have an enormous amount of experience.” “I would love to be a waiter. I love holding plates. In the first year we were trained in the formal French restaurant. There are so many skills to learn there. The service is very detailed and the tutors are very strict. I loved it! When you complete the formal silver service training you feel like you have a really unique skill. Not many people can do it.” But Johnathan is not limiting himself to a future in front of house. “The great thing about this course is that it’s very broad. There are so many different departments in the hotel industry that you can touch on so it’s very interesting throughout your career. If you get tired of working in one specific area, there are lots of different options and areas to move into. “I think hospitality is a fascinating industry. Personally I am not interested in an office job or sitting at a desk. In this field you get to walk around, meet guests, handle complaints…it’s very interesting.” By February 2009, Johnathan will have completed his Bachelor Degree. But his studies won’t stop there. He has his sights set on going on to complete a Masters degree in Hospitality Management. “The opportunity is here and I’m still quite young so I want to go for it. By the time I am 23 I will have a Masters Degree - I think that will help me a lot in my future.”
State Sales Manager on premise for De Bortoli Wines, Queensland, Australia Stephen Oates’ stellar career in Australia’s booming hospitality industry began over a decade ago in the classrooms of HIM, Hotel Institute Montreaux. Now State Sales Manager on premise for De Bortoli Wines, Stephen says he owes a large part of his success to his studies and experiences in Switzerland. “Many things stand out about my time at HIM,” he says. “Studying there helped to teach me about discipline and organisation – and the fascinating and diverse cultural mix proved to be great experience for the hospitality industry.” Stephen also says the combination of American management philosophies and European food and service principles he was taught there have served him well during his career. Since graduating he has held a number of dynamic roles within both the hotel and wine industries in Queensland Australia. “I graduated from HIM in 1994 with a Higher Diploma in Hotel
Management with Honours. After returning to Australia I landed a
job as the Food & Beverage Services Manager for the Pan Pacific
Hotel Gold Coast and was later promoted to Food & Beverage Director.” Recently he took up the reins at De Bortoli Wines, Australia’s largest family-owned winery – and in recent times, one of Australia’s most successful. “My current role as Queensland Sales Manager concentrates on servicing and selling into the On Premise market which is restaurants, clubs, five-star hotels and resorts. I have a team of sales representatives that I manage. “I can see myself with this company for the next five to ten years. Being still a family company, but a large one, De Bortoli has a great culture, one often not found in many corporations.” Eventually though Stephen has his sights set on coming full-circle, inspiring and sharing his knowledge with industry newcomers - just as the tutors and staff at HIM did with him all those years ago. “Long-term I have aspirations to teach Hospitality Management as I enjoy training and have a lot of broad-based business and industry experience. I would really like to give something back.” Hospitality is an industry he is passionate about, and one that has given him an exciting and rewarding career. Others too can enjoy similar success, Stephen says, if they set their minds to it. “Studying at HIM is a wonderful and unique opportunity that can really transform your career. The most important thing is to make the most of it and take as much as you can from the experience. Be focussed, set yourself goals and have a plan for what you want to achieve while studying and for the first five years out of HIM. Make it simple and stick to it.” Take Stephen’s tried and tested advice and the world’s your oyster…
Nearly two decades in the hospitality industry has taken Swedish
hotelier Patrick Wennerland to all corners of the globe. Now he’s the Managing Director of myhotels, a luxury lifestyle boutique hotel group in London. In his four and half years with the company he has expanded the myhotels portfolio and significantly increased both rooms yield and profit. In June 2006, myhotels.com was awarded the best hotel/resort website by Travelmole. Not surprisingly the foundations for this stellar career were laid
in the country that leads the world in hospitality and service -
Switzerland. His HIM studies were also the launching pad for a challenging and dynamic future. After graduating, Patrik started his career as a food and beverage controller and purchaser at the Hotel Beau-Rivage in Geneva. He went on to work with Hyatt, ITT Sheraton and Cunard Hotels and Resorts, quickly climbing his way up the ranks. From 1993 to 1997 Patrik was the Regional Director for Choice Hotels International. During that time he was based in Australia, Singapore, Thailand and Europe. He was then appointed Vice President of Sales and Marketing Europe and Middle East for swissotel Management Ltd. Here he was instrumental in the development and implementation of the award-winning swissotel Global Account Management process and incentive scheme. He was also selected into the SAir Group of companies’ Management Development Pool, a two year programme for the employees of the 16 companies. His next position was based in Hilversum, the Netherlands, where he was appointed Vice President of Brand Marketing for Golden Tulip Worldwide. Here Patrik was responsible for all corporate sales and marketing programmes within the organisation. His regional responsibilities included development and franchise services in Scandinavia, UK and Ireland. Prior to coming to myhotels Patrik was the Vice President Sales and Marketing for the Park Plaza Hotels, Europe. His achievements there included leading the rejuvenation process of the Park Plaza logo and corporate identity worldwide. It won the prestigious award for best hotel graphics at the 2002 European Design Awards. He also opened the 300-room Victoria Park Plaza and the group’s first lifestyle property, Sherlock Holmes Hotel. With such extensive top-level industry experience under his belt, Patrik is how setting his sights on further career challenges and in the future plans to start up a new lifestyle hotel brand. If his track record is anything to go by, it will undoubtedly be a roaring success.
Romanian born Irina Iovan says some of the best years of her life were those she spent studying at SHMS. Not only did she have lots of fun, but her time at the world-renown hotel management school also set her firmly on the path to an exciting international hospitality career. “I will never forget the people I met, the friends I made and all the great experiences I had,” says Irina, who graduated in 2006 with a joint BA in Events and Hospitality Management. “As well, I recognise and appreciate the enormous value of
the quality courses I was taught at SHMS.” Since then she has worked as an E-booking Manager and a Yield Manager for a group of three hotels in Lyon, however she has just been snapped up by Villa Florentine again as their Front Office Manager. “The position of Front Office Manager brings many challenges. I want to concentrate on these for the time-being and eventually secure the same position for a larger organisation. Further down the track I’d like to become a Rooms Division Manager.” Irina is clearly on the road to a successful career, and she says it’s thanks in part to all she learned at SHMS. For others considering studying at the school her stance can be summed up in three short words. Go for it! “My advice to students is to enjoy and appreciate the environment
in which they study. The theory and the international experiences
gained at SHMS are essential in future professional life.” |
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