People are the heart of hospitality
Hospitality is a people business and it matters because it has heart. Heart of Hospitality celebrates the moments and lives of people who make this industry so special – our Heartists®, the world of hospitality and beyond, curated by Accor.
Those who work in the industry do so for many reasons, most commonly because they simply like people. They care about the craft, the experience and the service because it matters. It matters to our guests and therefore it matters to us.
Hospitality is the epitome of diversity, bringing together people from all backgrounds, from all walks of life, from all over the world. It is an industry full of passionate, creative and talented people some of whom have worked in the industry their entire life, others who fell into the sector and fell in love with it. Whatever their background, their stories are connected by their talent, love and care for what they do.
Here we celebrate their work, their stories, their heart.
Heart of Hospitality Stories & Podcast
- Dumitru Bucsa4. December 2023Dumitru Bucsa
Executive Chef, Novotel Bucharest City Centre - Romania
- Nino Ridlington4. December 2023Nino Ridlington
Talent & Culture Manager, Novotel & ibis London Greenwich - United Kingdom
- Sven Pinedo4. December 2023Sven Pinedo
Operational Manager, Mercure Den Haag Central, The Netherlands
- Ajay Bhikharie27. November 2023Ajay Bhikharie
Chef, Novotel Rotterdam Brainpark - The Netherlands
- Lusica Stefan22. November 2023Lusica Stefan
Restaurant Manager, Pullman Bucharest World Trade Centre - Romania
- Marco Pugliese9. November 2023Marco Pugliese
Receptionist, ibis Milano Centro - Italy
- Sam Gancarek9. November 2023Sam Gancarek
Assistant General Manager, ibis Berlin Hauptbahnhof - Germany
- Frank Lips17. October 2023Frank Lips
Operations Manager, Novotel Amsterdam City - The Netherlands
- Maria Przybylska5. October 2023Maria Przybylska
Gastronomy Manager, Mercure Poznań Centrum - Poland
- Janusz Wędzicha27. September 2023Janusz Wędzicha
Guest Experience Specialist, Mercure Kraków Stare Miasto - Poland
- Gabriel Baldez27. September 2023Gabriel Baldez
Reservations Manager, ibis London City - United Kingdom
- Emese Pagony26. September 2023Emese Pagony
Pastry Chef, Novotel Budapest City - Hungary
- Corina Matei20. September 2023Corina Matei
Cluster Sales Manager, Novotel Bucharest City Centre & Mercure Bucharest Unirii - Romania
- Kristina Matulevičienė20. September 2023Kristina Matulevičienė
Deputy General Manager, Novotel Warszawa Centrum - Poland
- Gayatri Marsiglia5. September 2023Gayatri Marsiglia
Front Office Team Leader, Novotel London Bridge - United Kingdom
It’s not a job, it’s a way of life, it is in our DNA.
Vanessa van der Vaart, General Manager at Novotel Den Haag City Centre
People who work in hospitality are custodians of experiences – we are the host of moments that matter and creator of future memories. We take this responsibility to heart and treat it with care because it matters.
The Heart of Hospitality Podcast is hosted by Duncan O’Rourke, CEO Northern Europe at Accor, a globally renowned hotelier with stories from around the world thanks to his career in hospitality. Seduced by the glamour of the hotels, restaurants and travel at a young age, Duncan studied hospitality management in Switzerland before travelling the globe, each role taking him to a new country, a new experience and new people, each sharing his passion, talent and heart.
In this series, Duncan shares his stories and speaks with people from across the industry, some well-known, others known just to the guests they serve. Listen to the podcast as he gives voice to the people who are the true heart of hospitality.
CEO Accor Northern Europe & Host Heart of Hospitality Podcast
