Thierry Perrot says that he will be using his past management experience to guide him in his role Thierry Perrot says that he will be using his past management experience to guide him in his role

Thierry Perrot, area general manager for IHG’s Crowne Plaza and Staybridge Suites Abu Dhabi Yas Island, talks revenue, competition and being new in town

You have more than 30 years of experience in the industry – is it still daunting to begin work in a new property?
No, I don’t see it as daunting at all, it is an exciting time and I know exactly what is going on in the properties I move to before I go there. After 30 years, it doesn’t take long to identify what the key opportunities and challenges of a property are, as I know where to look and what questions to ask before I arrive. I know hotels; it’s the market that is new to me.

The immediate plan is to learn as much as possible about the current market in Abu Dhabi, study the trends and gain an understanding of its plans for the future. Long-term plans will involve developing and rolling out strategies to maximise revenue for the two properties in this market. Also, I will use my experience from my previous role at Cairo Citystars to deliver on contributing to the success of Yas Island as an iconic leisure destination.

How much pressure is there on a new GM to drive revenue in the hotel?
It depends on the pressure you put on yourself. If you are aware of what the key areas to both leverage and develop are and you are confident in the strategies and team you put in place, it takes a lot of the pressure off.

With the two great properties we have on such an exciting development like Yas Island, I know that the opportunity for us to thrive is there and I am confident that we will do so.

Going in to the busy season in Abu Dhabi, how do you plan to set your hotel apart from the competition?
We will continue doing what we have done in the past, and that is focusing on ensuring that our service delivery reflects the IHG standards, the expectations of guests, and that each and every one of our guests leaves both hotels with a positive and memorable experience.

We are in a unique situation in that we are two of seven hotels on Yas Island, all with very similar facilities, so it is the quality of our service and the people delivering that service that will shine through.