People are the heart of hospitality
Hospitality is a people business. Heart of Hospitality celebrates the moments and lives of people who make hospitality so special.
Think of your last holiday, the special birthday meal with friends, the business trip where the deal finally got done. Every day, around the world, people come to hospitality venues to celebrate, to dream, to escape, to work, to play, to spend time with loved ones, to laugh and to love. What an industry to be a part of; to be the person responsible for these precious moments and the memories that follow.
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.
Hospitality is a people first business full of people people who chat, and connect, and use their talent and creativity to create special moments and tiny touches that matter to their guests, that matter to each of us.
Here we celebrate their work, their stories and their heart.
Heart of Hospitality Podcast & Stories
- 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
- Ashley Staggs31. August 2023Ashley Staggs
Maintenance Manager, Novotel London Waterloo - United Kingdom
- Manvir Singh Dalal31. August 2023Manvir Singh Dalal
Executive Chef, Novotel London Greenwich - United Kingdom
- Skip Waslander31. August 2023Skip Waslander
Receptionist, Novotel den Haag City Centre - The Netherlands
- Aneta Lewandowska30. August 2023Aneta Lewandowska
General Manager, Sofitel Warsaw Victoria - Poland
- Zbigniew Brząkała11. July 2023Zbigniew Brząkała
Guest Experience Manager, Rezydent Sopot MGallery Hotel Collection - Poland
- Christian Köntopp4. July 2023Christian Köntopp
General Manager, Novotel Munich Airport - Germany
- Agnieszka Kalinowska29. June 2023Agnieszka Kalinowska
Senior Manager Media Relations & PR Poland & Eastern Europe - Poland
- Olivier Rouma19. June 2023Olivier Rouma
General Manager, ibis Styles Liège Guillemain - Belgium
- Michał Kopciński12. June 2023Michał Kopciński
Executive Chef, ibis Styles Krakow Centrum - Poland
Hospitality is possibly the most glamourous job in the world.
MPS Puri
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
