The CEO Magazine Asia - 10.2018

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1

Preferred Hotels & Resorts turns

50 in 2018. How are you celebrating?

We’re celebrating our legacy of ‘Inspiring

Travel for 50 Years’ while putting in place

exciting innovations to drive our success into

the next five decades. We’re committed to

taking what we do to the next level, with a

focus on consumer desires and experiences.

2

How is the hotel industry adapting

to shifting social trends?

The popularity of residential stays

continues to grow with travellers globally,

regardless of their reason for travel. This

prominent shift in mindset is a reason why

residence rentals, such as Airbnb, have

become so widespread. Our customer base is

looking for a residential experience with the

features, comfort and safety of a luxury hotel.

Our Preferred Residences collection offers

70-plus properties that combine the space,

privacy and flexibility of a home with the

luxuries and convenience of a hotel stay.

3

How do you deliver a hotel

experience like no other?

Our brand is special because of the

independent nature of our hotels: no two

hotels are alike, and all deliver a unique guest

experience with authenticity and a sense of

local culture.

4

What is your go-to motivator?

Focus and prioritisation. When I pull

back, prioritise and focus, this leads

to a great sense of accomplishment of the

truly meaningful things.

5

What is one thing you do every day?

I take a lap around the office to say hello

to our team and thank them for their

Two-colour gold, malachite, lapis work. They’re the ones driving the business.

lazuli and diamond necklace and

ring by Chaumet, Paris.

with MICHELLE

WOODLEY

President of Preferred

Hotels & Resorts

theceomagazine.com | 137

Based in Milan, 28-year-old Yujia Hu has turned his passion for sneakers

into an edible art form. A sushi chef by day, Yujia draws on his culinary skill

to create intricate replicas of iconic sneaker models, including Kyrie 2s, Nike

Air Jordans, Yeezy 350s, and Vans. Each ‘Shoeshi’ miniature, constructed

from raw fish, seaweed, and rice, takes around 30 minutes to make; while

they are entirely edible, they are best consumed via Instagram, where they

can be found under Yujia’s handle @theonigiriart.

5

Take a bite

On 11 October, Sotheby’s commemorates 50 years in

Paris with an auction celebrating the French jewellery

tradition. The event also marks the return of jewellery sales in

the city. Jewels belonging to feted French ballerina Zizi

Jeanmaire, and her partner, choreographer Roland Petit, will feature,

including Art Deco pieces dating back to the 1910s, and a diamond

and sapphire ring encapsulating the essence of mid-century style.

Pieces from Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boivin, Boucheron, and

M. Gérard will appear alongside the jewel in the crown: a

Chaumet ring set with a 12.84-carat Kashmir sapphire,

once belonging to a family of French nobility.

PARISIAN

SPARKLE