Even when he was young, Jack Widagdo has always known he didn’t want an average life.

Originally from Bali, Indonesia, Jack came to Australia as a child and went to school in Perth. Once he graduated, he packed his bags and left Western Australia, ready to start the journey of his life. After some time moving around, from Towoomba to Brisbane, he settled in Sydney, and decided it was time to get an education.  

The promise of a life filled with adventure led him to look into options for studying international hotel management.

Team Joyride – Celebrating the opening of Mandapa. a Ritz Carlton Reserve in 2014

“My typical Asian parents always wanted to me to be in either medicine, law, or finance. My heart told me there was something bigger and more interesting to pursue: becoming an hotelier.

There was another hotel school in Sydney that I considered, however I had heard a lot of good references about the BMIHMS brand. Studying in Blue Mountains was the best choice I made.

I have always wanted to be a hotel GM, I just did not know how, when, or which path I would take before reaching that point.” – Jack Widagdo

Jack moved to the Leura campus, to begin a Bachelor of Business in International Hotel Management. Living and working alongside the other students in the simulated hotel, Jack thrived and excelled in his studies, eventually winning commendations, a place on the Graduate Success List and 2012 Alumni of the Month.

“I graduated with Dux of the Year, it was something neither my parents or myself expected on graduation day. In the same way, all the awards I received in the following years, including the more recent ones 2017, 2019 (from Hyatt China) were unexpected.

I guess when you are focused on what you do, you don’t really think about awards. It’s just like how in hotels you don’t focus on getting a must-have great guest review. You focus instead on making their experience great, first of all.”

Since graduating in 2001, Jack has had a long and diverse career in hotels across Singapore, Thailand, China, Indonesia and Australia.

Like many working in the hotel industry, he started from the bottom and worked his way up.

“I had a relatively low-key start of many years in Sydney & Melbourne, starting from Food & Beverage front-liner & supervisory, Rooms Division (housekeeping, bell boy, front office, night audit / manager) before then making a mark in Sales & Marketing (Revenue Management).” 

It was in 2009 that his big break finally came along, with the re-branding of the old Ritz-Carlton Jimbaran to AYANA Resort and Spa. Jack was hired as the Regional Director of Revenue, reporting to the General Manager, and from then on his career went from strength to strength.

“It all went up hill from there on. I kept being in the right place at the right time, working for the right people. Various roles took me places to Thailand with Four Seasons, and island property in China with Kempinski, back to the Bali jungle in Ubud with Ritz-Carlton Reserve, then back to remote China with Alila (where I am now, Alila Anji). You see, it’s been a long journey but, if you’re persistent, you get there!”

Jack is now the General Manager of Alila Anji, which has been integrated into the Hyatt system. Alila Anji is a remote resort in regional China, located in a beautiful, natural setting.

“Seventy percent of our staff members are employed directly from the nearby villages and I enjoy working with them. It’s a pleasure to wake up in the morning with a majestic view of the lake, bamboo forests, mountains covered with white tea plantations, and fresh air from being 130 meters above sea level.”

This year, he won the General Manager of the Year Award for his great work in managing that resort, presented by Hyatt. Congratulations, Jack!

It’s the special quality of bringing out the best in his workers that brought him to the attention of management.

Jack (right) in a Traditional Balinese attire during a High Tea for Clients Appreciation Week

 “The craft of being an Alila hotelier is quite something. I enjoy seeing our team members implement new ideas through trial and error, on a daily basis. We don’t keep bad habits too long purely because of SOPs, or because things have been done the same way for some time.

I enjoy rotating my managers in each operational department every 3-6 months. Yes! A Front Office Manager has plenty of transferrable skills to spend time in the Food & Beverage Manager’s seat, and vice versa. I love pushing their limits, even if they have not thought about their own strengths!”

Over the course of a long career, you certainly learn a few things about how to run hotels well, and how to stay in the hotel game as the world changes around you.

What have been some of his successes and challenges over the years?

“Staying this long in a hotel career is certainly one of my biggest successes. It’s a challenge in itself to constantly battle your inner craving to switch industry, or run your own business.

Big successes also come from turning over smaller successes consistently. Each small progress, such as; seeing each assignments finishes, converting lagging properties into award winning hotel, having happy employees, satisfying owners financially, engaging communities, returning guests. Each small success makes a successful hotel. This is an endless circle, it starts with strong leadership, then happy employees.”

Jack certainly runs hotels well, because everywhere he works, he seems to win an award! So, what’s his secret? Does he have for young hoteliers who might want to follow his footsteps?

“Enjoy the process and don’t rush for the Managers title. Take time to learn instead from great & inspiring Managers and Directors. If you enjoy the adventure that different roles, different brands, various locations can offer, then you’ll enjoy the hard work.

Evolve in your roles often enough that you are not a city-hotelier, resort-hotelier, chain-hotelier, nor pre-opening specialist… but a true hotelier, however many keys the property has.

Put your heart, mind and soul into even your smallest acts. If you’re a waiter, be the best waiter! This is the secret of success. You will learn from both great bosses and not so great ones. Be helpful and fair. Travel comfortably & un-comfortably often. Attend events, even if you have to travel, to network & learn industry trends. Read books. Stay connected. Your reputation will build over time.”

What do Oprah Winfrey, Jackson Pollock, Christian Dior and Richard Branson all have in common (aside from being super famous)? They all had important mentors guiding their pathway to success!

While it’s a popular assumption that successful people work their way to the top on their own initiative, the reality is often quite a different story. Many of the world’s most successful people had mentors for years. Everyone needs a little lift to get ahead, and that’s the same in hotels as any other field.

In today’s competitive hotel industry it’s becoming increasingly essential to have a mentor if you want to progress to the top. This is true across the board, but it’s particularly true when it comes to women in leadership positions.

A mentor can be that extra source of support, advice and confidence you need to make the leap from ‘doing well’ to ‘being amazing.’

If you want a successful career in the hotel industry, here are 4 essential reasons you need a mentor.

1. Benefit from life-changing advice from someone in the know

It’s not a mentor’s role to tell you what to do. Instead, they’re there to help you tease out your strengths, work on your weaknesses, challenge you, and help you identify different choices. They’re also there to help you think long term, develop some career goals and plan for the future.

A mentor is someone typically a few steps ahead of you in your career. Listen to what they have to say, and learn from their mistakes and their successes!

Whatever you’re dealing with, chances are they’ve been there already. This transfer of knowledge can completely change your approach to your role. Having more senior advice can do far more than teach you how to work more effectively: it’s about being able to see the bigger picture.

“The mentoring relationship benefited me with starting my first job outside of university. Kristian and I met every 4-6 weeks and he would help with any questions or guidance in where I wanted to take my next career move.

It was an open space where you could discuss work problems and Kristian was able to relate to problems, and helped me to learn how to address the situation in a professional way. He was a sounding board outside of work to help strategize my thoughts without any ulterior motives.” – Laura Wiersma (2018, BA of Business in International Hotel and Resort Management, mentoree in the Alumni Mentoring Program)

2. You can do anything when your mentor believes in you

Kristian Nicholls has been mentoring Laura Wiersma through the BMIHMS Alumni Mentoring program for over a year. Here’s what Kristian has to say about Laura:

“Laura is a very confident, mature and capable individual. She provided me with insight into the opportunities and challenges of commencing a hotel career today, particularly when you are from a different country. She also has a great perspective on customer focus and team dynamics. Laura is definitely a star on the rise, watch out!” – Kristian Nicholls (BMIHMS Alumni, General Manager, Bidding, at BESydney, Mentor)

Imagine you’ve just graduated from your Bachelor of Business in International Hotel and Resort Management.

You’re a little shy, and perhaps not exactly sure of your strengths and skills quite yet. Then, imagine having someone in the industry such as Kristian, giving you positive reinforcement as in the statement above, as you move through your first job. There’s nothing more powerful than having someone you admire believing in you!

3. Mentors can open a door to key networks and opportunities

“You can never stop learning, and it is a given friendship that comes along with the program. Being able to connect with BMIHMS Alumni is a great asset, that can only help make those connections for the future.” – Laura Wiersma

Mentoring involves two people who share values and a passion for their work, who want to have a mutually beneficial relationship. Mentors choose to help out as a way of ‘paying it forward’ within their industry, and that’s a generous gesture. So, Mentors, as well as advice and confidence, can offer you their networks, potential job opportunities, or chances at internal promotion you wouldn’t otherwise be able to access. With all the years of experience they have, they can also help you to understand company culture, or individuals within a company from an inside perspective. They can coach you for interviews, or put in a recommendation.  

But, remember, networks, information and job contacts have to be offered – you can’t go hassling your mentor to get you a job, or you’ll find yourself quickly without a mentor again!

4. Be a super-star employee with less stress

Research published in 2016 by Dr Sam Kim of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, analysed the emotional and psychological impact of mentorship on workers in the hotel industry.

The study found that mentoring helps less experienced employees to adapt to their organisation, and cope better with work-related stress.

Mentorship, or ‘role modelling,’ the researchers explain, can give employees greater confidence in solving problems and improve their overall performance. Their improved performance and confidence also helped them to manage role-related conflicts.

Not only were they more effective in their roles, they experienced less work-related stress. Who doesn’t want that!

A mentor is essential, but it can’t be just anyone!

If you’re at the beginning of your career in hotels, a mentor can help you with advice, build your confidence, give you access to their networks and ultimately will help you to adjust better to your workload, and with less stress.

The final question, is how get find one?

Fern Kanter is executive vice president and managing director of CHMWarnick, a leading hotel management company. With over 35 years of experience in the hotel industry, she’s taken on many mentees during her career.

She recently told Today’s Hotelier Magazine, “The relationship begins when you connect with a person. It begins organically, and it begins with helping.”

When you’re already in the industry, the best mentor for you will be someone who you already know professionally, someone that you respect and admire. See if you can’t pinpoint who that is, and begin working with them, or offering assistance in some way.

If you’re still studying hotel management, however, you may have the opportunity join a mentoring program through your school or college.

About The BMIHMS Alumni Mentoring Program

Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School started the Alumni Mentoring program five years ago, to help graduates get a head start in the world. This voluntary program links graduating students and older alumni together, so that the whole BMIHMS student community can work together and help each other.

Since then, hundreds of graduates have participated in the program, and many successful mentoring partnerships have developed.

Laura Wiersma (graduated 2018) and Kristian Nicholls (graduated 1993) are one example of these successful partnerships.

When Laura graduated last year, she knew she wanted a little help and guidance to get her career started out in the ‘real world.’ BMIHMS put her into contact with Kristian, who was (and still is!) General Manager, Bidding, at ‘BESydney’.

“Finishing university was a great accomplishment, however I was unsure in what direction I wanted to take my career. In this case, I was starting on a six month maternity cover and was not sure what would happen afterwards.” – Laura Wiersma

“I was very fortunate to benefit from two strong mentors early in my career who gave me guidance, insight and confidence. I am a strong advocate of mentoring and was keen to be involved as an alumni.” – Kristian Nicholls

Laura and Kristian continued to meet up regularly over the next year, sharing stories and insights. The relationship became incredibly rewarding for both of them. Kristian was able to help Laura to adapt to her first industry position, at a really vital time in her career.

She’s now doing really well in her position, and she’s headed for a bright career in hotel management!

At the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School, we are proud of our Alumni. Our former students have gone on to do amazing things in the industry, and Chris Franzen is no exception. 

Last year, Hyatt announced his appointment as the General Manager of Grand Hyatt Mumbai Hotel & Residences, and Vice President, Western India. In this role, Chris oversees 10 different Hyatt hotels across the region. 

Originally from the Swiss village of Zermatt, Chris comes from a long line of hoteliers. He’s been passionate about hospitality all his life. 

“I was raised and went to school in the Swiss Alpine village of Zermatt, at the foot of the famed mount Matterhorn. With only 5,500 permanent inhabitants in the car-free village, there are over 125 hotels in operation! I am also a third-generation hotelier, with my grandfather and father also having been in the trade.

I completed my Bachelor of Business in Hospitality in 1999 and before that I completed my Chef Apprenticeship and got my Sommelier degree. I am married to Rachel, an Australian national, and we have two kids, Ashley (13) and Lex (10) who were both born in Dubai.”

Before his appointment with Grand Hyatt Mumbai, Chris worked for more than six years as the General Manager of the luxurious Hyatt Doha Hotel and Villas in Qatar. During his time there, his hotel team was selected for the Donald N. Pritzker Award for Hotel Team of the Year, and he was selected for the Jay A. Pritzker Award for Leadership.  

Under his leadership, the Hyatt Doha Hotel and Villas became known for providing exceptional customer experience, as a luxury hotel and spa.

During this time, the hotel won a range of prestigious awards, including; the 2015 World Travel Awards Middle East (Qatar’s Leading Luxury Hotel Villa), the 2015 World Luxury Spa Awards (Best Luxury Hotel Spa Qatar), the 2014 Qatar Tourism Authority Hotels Quality Standards Award, the 2014 World Luxury Spa Awards (Best Luxury Hotel Spa Qatar), and the 2012 Business Traveller Awards Middle East (Best Business Hotel).

“I am very passionate about the perfect guest experience and ensuring we look after our colleagues: one does not go without the other. My biggest passion was always in the culinary sector, which meant I started as a Chef and then Sommelier before I went to hotel school.”

Over his career, Chris has worked across many different areas of the industry, from boutique hotels and restaurants to large international companies. 

“I bring with me over thirty years of experience; having worked in Europe, the US, Australia, Russia and the Middle East before joining in India. I have also worked for other global hotel operators and luxury boutique hotels over the years, that include: the Gourmet Restaurant Glashof in Zug, the Hilton Hotel in Zurich, Kofler & Kompanie in Germany, the luxury boutique hotel The Inn on Fifth in Naples, Florida, and the Hotel Kurrajong in Canberra, Australia.”

Chris’ diverse experience across hospitality means he can bring a holistic perspective to his General Manager role. He understands what makes for effective service in every aspect of the business, from the Kitchen to the Executive Office. Driven by his passion for the guest experience, he has won several awards, including the Business Excellence Award in 2017. 

Initially, Chris intended to go to hotel school in Switzerland. However, life had other things in store for him, and he ended up on the other side of the world. 

“First, I wanted to go to a Swiss hotel school, but they were not willing to extend credits for my experience and education. I, therefore, opted to go to a hotel school that did take my experience into account and at the same time offered excellent education! My biggest challenge at first definitely was the language barrier I had to overcome.”

As often happens in the industry, Chris worked his way up within Hyatt to his current position, moving across roles and locations as he progressed in his career. 

“I started my Hyatt career as Revenue Manager at the Hyatt Regency Dubai, followed by other appointments at the Grand Hyatt Muscat in Oman, the Park Hyatt Moscow in Russia, the Grand Hyatt Dubai in the UAE, and the Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel & Villas in Qatar.

In my current role, I am looking after ten hotels, ranging from select service to luxury and lifestyle brands. The hotels I am looking after are in such exotic destinations as Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Pune, Hampi, Raipur and Lucknow.” 

While loving the challenge and adventure of an international lifestyle, Chris very much enjoys his job. That’s an essential element of success in any field!

“I do enjoy my role very much as every day is different from the other. I also tremendously enjoyed our time in the Middle East; where I looked after Hyatt’s operations in Qatar and the Sultanate of Oman.”

The hotel industry is incredibly hands-on, and much can be learned through on-the-job experience. However, many hotels are looking for graduates from first-class higher education providers, when it comes to filling their senior positions. 

“I was in a unique position as I already had several years of experience before I went to Hotel School. It was therefore very easy to find a good job after graduation, as I had a degree and experience – something most graduates do not have. The school assisted me in finding work, by assuring I had a professional CV and cover letter, as well as linking me with contacts they already had in the field.”

With all of his training and experience, and the knowledge that has been passed to him from his father and grandfather, what makes a great hotelier?

“Passion for the guests. We do not need General Managers, we need Hoteliers! Hoteliers lead from the front and put the guest and employees into the centre of everything.

 There is no such thing as my favourite hotel. I travel so much and stayed in so many hotels that I could tell countless stories about why some hotels are good or better than others. But as long as the service is genuine and the hotel is clean, then it is a good hotel. 

 As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. It is the same with hotels.”

Does Chris have any advice for aspiring hoteliers and recent hotel school graduates?

“It is a lot of hard work. It is a lot of long hours. It is a lot of frustrations. But, hang in there. It can be more rewarding than any other job. If your ultimate goal is to become rich and retire young; then choose another career.”