I have worked in many areas of hotels and many types of hotels – business, leisure, budget, 4-star – this has definitely informed how I do my job as a general manager. I have been at Accor for 30 years; I started my career as a management trainee on an apprenticeship and had the chance to grow. Working for a variety of hotels gave me a broad overview of guest and colleague requirements, plus different cultures and an overview of many situations.

I am still progressing my career. My supervisors and CEOs gave me the opportunity to learn – and most importantly – to learn from my mistakes; that gave me a helping hand. I also had the chance to participate in IHMP – the international hotel management programme in Paris. We were an international group of 20 to 24 people and it was interesting to study with so many cultures.

It is quite a long programme and they trained us in mathematics, asset management, HR, communications, presentation; it lasted a year and we stayed several weeks on campus. We worked together as a group, practising for real life – it was a very competitive environment! It was also difficult to study in a classroom again for the first time in 20 years.

To someone who is newly in the sector, be open and curious, no two days will be the same; with dedication you can achieve anything. It is the best industry for working with and for people, and you can be in the city, the country, the world…

And to someone who is looking for work, consider hospitality and Accor especially. The industry is changing and there is endless opportunity to grow in this company. Accor is one of the leading companies, let’s grow together and we can give you a helping hand. There is a culture of encouraging people and learning from your mistakes is a good thing to do. The attitude is try and test ideas, and if it’s an error, at least never repeat it – but you are allowed to make mistakes, it’s fantastic!