Oliver Horn’s Post

Proud to be a part of this team! In 2023, the IHG team in Thailand supported over 13,000 lives across the country, contributed over 6,800 volunteering hours and partnered with over 50 community partners. Together, we want to make a difference and drive positive change. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gVKNNwmR #IHGJourneytoTomorrow #TrueHospitalityForGood #LifeAtIHG #RoomToMakeADifference #SEAcommunityreport

This happened earlier this week, but I only realised this morning what could have happened … Last Wednesday, I am at the beach, together with the beach cleaners and security in pretty wild weather … suddenly the cleaning ladies from the building next door start to scream and point at a swimmer who is out at sea, seemingly in distress … our security guard runs to get safety equipment and gets into the water to rescue the guy … I have seen many stories where the rescuer drowns so I go in after him (…) and within a minute, we are joined by our security manager - but the ocean was so “angry” - it kept “spitting” all of us back to the beach … eventually we found a guy with a Jetski and got him to get to the swimmer … turns out he was out for a morning swim … in this weather … local rescue arrives with a serious boat, tries to convince the guy to come out - again no luck … not sure if he actually made it home. This morning, coming back from budget presentations in Bangkok, I was at the beach again and the ocean is still “angry” - and I start to comprehend how badly wrong this could all have gone. Makes me wonder about the stupidity of some people who think it’s a good idea to swim in the ocean in this weather but more than that, it makes me marvel at our two security guys who jumped right in to save the guy - far far beyond the line of duty. The swimmer would make me think that humanity is doomed - the two guys risking their lives give me some hope …

Today, we officially reopened the beach wing of InterContinental Hua Hin Resort after an extensive 3-month renovation. We managed something that is rare in hotel openings and renovations: we opened ahead of time! My coach, Michaela Smith recently pointed out to me that I don‘t value things that have not achieved through hard work or borderline madness (not her words, I added that …) and she is right - so I value today like crazy. Of course it could not have been done without the help of a team that lived up to the challenge - some of them insane enough to work for me for a second or third time - and while I am exhausted, I am also happy to add opening number seven to my work achievements.

🌟 HIRING ALERT: Personal Assistant to the General Manager 🌟 Recent graduates with a flair for hospitality, this is your chance to jump-start your career! At InterContinental Hua Hin Resort, we are seeking a dynamic individual to join us as the Personal Assistant to the General Manager. This role promises a blend of strategic insight, traditional responsibilities, and a deep dive into data-driven decision-making. Here's the profile we're envisioning: 🚀 An independent thinker, constantly bringing fresh perspectives. 🤝 A true business partner for the GM and our dynamic resort team. 💡 A proactive individual, adept at forecasting challenges, analyzing data, and crafting informed solutions. 📊 A budding talent in developing captivating presentations and deriving insights from data. 🌐 An enthusiastic learner, keen on keeping pace with industry shifts and trends. Your role will not only be about strategy and partnership; it will also encompass traditional tasks such as booking trips, coordinating flights, and ensuring department heads adhere to deadlines. Qualifications: Demonstrated organizational and project management skills. Strong verbal and written communication abilities. Proficiency with modern tech tools, presentation software, and data analysis tools. A growing passion for hospitality and a zeal to drive our resort's vision forward. Fluency in the Thai language is a non-negotiable. This position, open to both expats and locals, is tailored for those at the beginning of their career journey, eager to gain comprehensive insights into the hospitality world. If analyzing data, making informed decisions, and playing a pivotal role in a leading resort excites you, let's talk. Together, we'll redefine hospitality benchmarks!

Question for the LinkedIn community - I just took a few days off for the first time since joining my current hotel and kept getting messages/questions from the team during this "vacation" that were neither urgent nor important enough to disturb the vacation. Unfortunately, they still arrived, effectively ruining the "rest and recovery" process ("thanks" to my inability to switch off ...). I know that I should not encourage behaviour like this by responding during vacation either - and this is the plan for next time, but I am wondering what practices you have in place to be a good role model, only to be disturbed when absolutely necessary and to create a great work-life balance in a seemingly "always on" world? Because, and this is the trick - if I do it, I am worried that my team will think I expect it of them ... I already had conversations with managers who told me proudly that they are available for their team 24/7 ... so - what do YOU do?

Wild guess - this is not from Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas … but I do wonder who would fall for this as well?

My coach Michaela Smith posted this here on LinkedIn and sent it out by e-mail. Today is May 1, so it's a public holiday in Thailand and I have time to do things I would not normally do on a workday, so I took a moment to read it. I am not ashamed to say that it made me very emotional - and I want to share it with others who need to read it. We are enough.

I am looking for an experienced Director of Sales & Marketing to join our team of hard workers, passionate cliff-jumpers and determined dreamers to make InterContinental Hua Hin Resort the number one resort in Hua Hin again. Our upcoming renovation will take care of the hardware, our brilliant team will take care of the guest experience - we need you to tell our story and fill our resort with guests - are you ready? Open to anyone who loves Sales and Marketing and who is courageous, determined, passionate, the right amount of stubborn and who has worked in comparable locations before. Send me a PM with your CV if you are ready to leave your imprint on this stunning resort! Oh and yes, the position is based in our office in central Bangkok - but the team and I will want to see you often - so you will spend quite some time with us in Hua Hin!