RICHARD HATTER CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
where he combined a job as a bot- tle washer at the Pendragon Hotel with the position of waiter at Southsea’s Playboy Club and Casino. Born in the UK but raised in Singapore, Tanzania and Ghana, Hatter completed his under- graduate studies in hotel catering and institutional management at the University of Portsmouth. Having decided on a career in hotel management, Hatter took on man- agement positions with luxury hotel groups in the UK, Caribbean, Bahrain and Bangkok, including with Gulf Hotels and Dusit Thani Hotels and Resorts. As assistant manager at Treasure Isle Hotel in The British Virgin Islands, Hatter met Richard Branson by chance, when he was windsurfing past Branson’s Necker Island Resort.
A
s proof we all have to start somewhere, Hatter’s career in hospitality began in Southsea,
For 17 years, Hatter worked for Shangri-La Hotels & Club Resorts; the last four as director of development, where he was responsible for driving the repositioning of Shangri-La hotels in many of China’s second-tier cities, as well as in Singapore, Fiji, The Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong. According to Hatter, a key point in his career was in 2000 when he was invited by the owner of Shangri-La to manage one of the Kuak fam- ily’s private leisure clubs in Hong Kong, The Aberdeen Marina Club – one of the most prestigious private clubs in Hong Kong. Hatter introduced a family concept to the club, includ- ing a children’s play centre based
on a concept from his home town in Portsmouth, called Adventure Zone. It was a resounding success; membership grew and it led to him being offered a role as a director at Shangri-La.
LET’S GET PERSONAL RICHARD HATTER What are the biggest lessons that
you’ve taken from your corporate hotel career into your current role? Believe in yourself and don’t get drawn into ‘corporate hype’. You need to have a strong sense of who you are and what you can offer, because you can’t expect others to have it for you.
Do you have any advice for those entering the hotel industry? Every job you take will give invaluable experience in some way, so don’t worry that your first job is your only chance to set the path for your career and future. I’ve worked for both some horren- dous and some amazing bosses, who became mentors. As a college graduate entering the industry the key is to be a confident, passionate communicator.
Which hotels inspire you?
I remember walking into the lobby of the Sukhothai in Bangkok. I was invited for the grand opening in 1993 and my jaw literally dropped. It was authentic, haute style and architectural cool – both sophisticated yet informal and Thai-
How would you sum up your
approach to life? My parents sent my brothers and I to boarding schools in Africa and the UK, so we would learn to mix instead of going to a school where we knew eve-
What drives you? My wife and children, Aisha 19, Ashton 16, Maya 6 and Matthew 4. There’s no secret other than to be in love with the woman you’re sharing your life with.
inspired in every detail from the design to the food. It was cultural, spiritual and philosoph- ical and had a sense of place. I think the whole notion of gigan- tic, corporate hotel chains trying to manufacture cool, boutique, sub-brands is bogus. If you have to say you’re a cool hotel then you’re not.
Who do you admire in business?
The early Philippe Starck/Ian Schrager tie up radically altered the hotel landscape. I have a tremendous respect for anyone who has the courage and confidence to create and deliver unique interiors and open independent hotels with style and energy, because I know how unbelievably difficult that is to do.
ryone. We travelled in Asia, Africa and the Middle East and learned about dif- ferent cultures and different cuisine. As a result, my family 'looks differ- ent' because we 'think different'. I call it 'Discovery through real life' – start young, get out there and make mis- takes whilst living.
My approach is
'discovery through real life' – start young, get out there and make mistakes whilst living
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