Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has recruited a team of Generation Y employees and entrepreneurs to closely collaborate with the hospitality firm’s executive team, mirroring AccorHotels’ creation last year of a “shadow executive committee” made up of young talents.
Looking to glean ideas on attracting millennial guests and talents, Mövenpick handpicked an ExCom–Y Committee comprising 10 millennials, six of whom hail from its hotels in Dubai, Pattaya, Karachi and Switzerland to represent areas including front office, digital content and strategy, sales, marketing, F&B, and brand and quality assurance.
The remaining four are young business leaders brought in from various locations across the globe. They include Jessica Houlgrave, who spent six years working for leading global financial institutions and is now researching the impact of technology on the art ecosystem as part of an Art Business Master’s degree at Sotheby’s Institute of Art.
Houlgrave is joined by entrepreneurs and business executives from countries including Germany, France and the US, proficient in disciplines such as technology, hospitality and pharmaceuticals.
“As we embark on an unprecedented growth phase, expanding our portfolio at a rapid rate, it’s paramount we seek input and insights from our colleagues, particularly our young talent, who possess an intimate understanding of Generation Y trends,” said Craig Cochrane, the company’s senior vice president human resources.
“As millennials become a more influential demographic and contribute significantly to our overall guest profile, it is imperative we incorporate their needs and wishes into our hospitality offering.”
Millennials represent around one-third of the global population and account for more than 30 per cent of Mövenpick’s total guests.
The ExCom–Y Committee will be called on around five times a year to attend and contribute to executive meetings in various geographical locations.
