Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts creates Excom-Y, a dynamic team of Millennials who will mirror its Executive Committee
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has recruited a team of switched-on Generation Y employees and entrepreneurs to closely collaborate with the hospitality firm’s executive team as it looks to glean fresh ideas on how to attract Millennial guests and talent.
In a move that signals the Swiss hotel group’s progressive Human Resources strategy and commitment to meeting ever-changing guest demands, the company has hand-picked an ExCom–Y Committee – a team of 10 talented Millennials, six of whom are from across the company and the remaining four are young business leaders brought in from locations across the globe to provide a truly balanced and international perspective.

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. She is also a competitive sailor and a passionate global traveller.

“I am honoured to have been selected to take part in this ground-breaking initiative, which I believe sets Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts apart as a forward-thinking hospitality company that puts guest and talent needs first,” said Houlgrave.

“In the context of the ExCom–Y Committee it means analysing the Millennial mindset and lifestyle to help future-proof company strategy and I’m excited to be able to contribute my thoughts as part of this collaborative effort.”

Houlgrave is joined on the committee by a group of high-flying entrepreneurs and business executives from countries including Germany, France and the US, who are proficient in several disciplines such as technology, hospitality and pharmaceuticals.

They will work alongside a talented group of Mövenpick Millennials who have been selected from hotels in Dubai, Pattaya, Karachi and Switzerland. They too represent several nationalities and areas of expertise including front office, digital content and strategy, sales, marketing, F&B and brand and quality assurance.

The ExCom–Y Committee members all have one thing in common – they are all from Generation Y, broadly defined as those born in the 1980s and 1990s.

“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 VP 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.”

He added: “To be successful, we must listen to our team members and to our guests, and the ExCom–Y Committee is integral to our Human Resources and development strategies as we seek progressive methods to evolve our brand and meet future guest and talent demands.”

Millennials currently represent around one-third of the global population. This influential demographic is on-the-go and always connected, using mobile devices and digital platforms throughout their journeys and demanding immersive travel experiences that introduce them to new cultures and activities. They blend business trips into personal vacations more than other travellers and rely on online sources for information about their hotels or destinations.

Mövenpick has already had some success attracting Millennials who account for more than 30% of its guest total.

“We must not only recognise their needs as the customers of the future, but also as potential talent that we can engage and employ,” said Olivier Chavy, President and CEO, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

“At Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts we pride ourselves on recruiting a multi-cultural and multi-generational workforce and it has become very apparent that to truly reflect today’s global demographics, Millennials must be well-represented across our operations, from head office to individual hotels.”

Cochrane added: “The creation of the ExCom–Y Committee marks a significant step in this ongoing strategy and we are eager to work with them on a wide range of topics that are essential to our company’s evolution.”

The ExCom–Y Committee will be called on around five times a year to attend and contribute to executive meetings in various geographical locations.

“We look forward to gaining a new perspective, fresh ideas and a greater understanding of important Gen Y considerations,” concluded Cochrane.