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What would you say are some of the
challenges for the business?
If you don’t evolve, you will be left behind as
a hotel owner. If you are sitting there with a
20- or 30-year-old hotel and you are not
reinventing yourself or you’re not investing capital
back into your product, then you’re going to
suffer. I think those are the challenges and that’s
where we can assist owners by providing them
access to the latest trends around the world in
how people are reinventing hotels, retrofitting
them and changing the way they operate.Describe your leadership style.
I like to treat people the way my mentors over
the years have treated me, and that’s by being
open and approachable. Historically, I’ve probably
been very hands-on; leading assignments and
being at the coalface. I lead by example. I enjoy
training and mentoring people as I go along,
but don’t like to micromanage. Instead, I like to
empower them and give them the opportunity
to step up. I encourage our people to think for
themselves and have a voice, and I love it when
they show initiative.Is there someone who inspired you?
The person who probably had the most impact
on my career was David Gibson. David was the
CEO of the Asia–Pacific business going back
10 years. He was a very capable leader but he
also had the common touch, both with team
members and clients. I admired the way he
managed the business. He gave me room to move
but was there when I needed him to provide
guidance. I was fortunate to be able to work
with him all those years ago.As a leader, what is one thing you should
never compromise on?
I think ethics is critical. We work in a lot of
emerging markets. There are practices that go
on that we just can never get involved with, so
it’s about remaining true to yourself and the
company. We are constantly voted one of the top
ethical companies in the world. One step wrong
in that regard and, in effect, it will finish your
career. Credibility and your personal brand are
things that allow no room for any compromise.What is your method for relaxing
or unwinding?
Spending time with my family. I find that
when I’m at work and travelling I am clearly
in work mode. But when I get back to my
family, I switch off from work. My family
are based in Brisbane so I commute to the
role here in Singapore. I enjoy being around
my children and doing the fatherly things.
I like taking them to school or watching
them play cricket or go horse riding – that’s
how I unwind.
I’m around the age where I’m working
most of the time, but when I’m with my
family I certainly have the ability to switch
off and be with them fully. I also enjoy
reading. I don’t read books; I tend to read the
newspapers from around the world, and keep
a close eye on what’s going on in a business
sense. And I also like skiing. I look forward
to taking the family to Queenstown. New
Zealand is a lovely part of the world and
we enjoy a week there every year.What will be the key focus areas for
JLL in the coming two to three years?
There are a number of emerging markets that
are showing some exciting opportunities. We
made the decision 12 months ago to focus
on Vietnam. We opened an office there and
we’re working hard to establish ourselves in
that market. Then there are other areas where
we will put our toe in the water too, such
as opening an office in Indonesia. We’re also
monitoring what’s happening in the
Philippines and Malaysia.
We’ll also put additional people in
China, specifically in investment sales,
complementing our advisory services. We’ve
had a team in advisory there for some time
and we are ramping up our efforts and
profile in China. With the government
limiting foreign capital heading overseas, we“As a global hotel investor, Gaw Capital has successfully
worked with JLL Hotels on many occasions. JLL Hotels is
one of the best agencies for the hotel industry, and I expect
to continue our successful collaboration for many years to
come.” – Kenny Gaw, President and Managing Principal,
Gaw Capital PartnersINSPIRE | Interview