LA BAGNAIA ESTATE, Siena - Italy
05/2010 – 09/2010
Executive Director (interim)
Interim management for the pre-opening of a new 18 holes golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. within the Bagnaia Estate and for the reorganisation of two hotel properties within the resort, a 5 star hotel with 72 rooms/suites and a 4 star hotel with 24 rooms/suites, 3 restaurants, 4 bars, a 1.500sqm Spa with own hot thermal spring. Due to construction’s delays the project has been put on hold and my contract hasn’t been extended.
PALAZZO ARZAGA Hotel SPA & Golf Resort
Lake Garda - Italy
02/2003 – 03/2010
General Manager
Leading Small Hotels of the World
Started as a Commercial & Golf Director, working directly for the CEO/Owner of the estate (144 hectares) for the re-launch of the property, with a 5 * 84 rooms/suites hotel, and being responsible for all commercial activities which included marketing, branding & image, communications, innovations, F.I.T. and MICE sales, revenue management, revenue & cost budgeting and quality controls.
Beside the commercial activities I did also manage the golf operations consisting of one 18 hole course designed by Jack Nicklaus II and a 9 hole conceived by Gary Player and a Golf Academy.
From 2005 on I have been involved with the planning of the projects for the further development of the estate (residential units and golf course expansion) and was charged with the supervision of Room Division, F&B and SPA departments with full P&L responsibility. In 2008, I have been nominated General Manager and managed all company’s activities and becoming the owner’s representative.
My accomplishments were:
Re-organised the Sales & Marketing Department creating a new Marketing plan for the re-positioning of the property within the “5*Resorts” segment. Developed new strategies to optimise market penetration in EMEA countries and for North America. Re-designed the venue’s website (SEO based) and implemented channels distribution.
Re-organised the MICE department and developed strategies for the new market segment “Corporate Golf Events”.
Restructured the F&B department, improved and re-launched three outlets.
Developed Standard Operating Procedures for all departments according to LHW Quality Assurance Standards.
Affiliation of the property to The Leading Small Hotels of the World in 2004.
Arranged the co-branding of the SPA with CLARINS Paris (in 2004 it has been awarded with the Condè Nast Traveller Award as 2nd best Hotel Spa within the European Hotel SPAs and ranked 17th within the TOP 25 SPAS WORLDWIDE).
Restructured the Golf Department (incl. Greenkeeping) raising the standards of quality to an international golf resort level. In 2005 the facilities have been awarded with the World Travel Award as Italy’s Leading Golf Resort.
Developed new memberships models to attract new members, created a rates structure and programmes for pay&play clients, golf societies/groups/clinics, sponsored tournaments/corporate tournaments ( 350 members/ approx. 30.000 rounds per year).
In 2005 I was the co-founder of the Lake Garda Golf Courses Association, which joined 8 golf properties and 18 hotels around the lake area, with the purpose to promote the region as a golfing destination and acted since its foundation as the General Secretary.
The Association signed in 2008 an agreement with the European Seniors Tour and the Italian Golf Federation to host the Lake Garda Italian Seniors Open which took place from October 10 to 12, 2008.
Grévin et Cie., Plailly - France
08/2002 – 12/2002
General Manager (interim)
Interim management assignment for the acquisition of a Leisure/Theme park in Germany on behalf of the French Group. Due diligence, operational analyses, health & safety surveys, budgeting.
THE HUMMELBACHAUE GOLF CLUB
Neuss - Germany
03/96 – 07/2002
General Manager
A private, semi-private North American style, golf & social club located in the Düsseldorf/Köln area. The facilities consisted in a 18 hole par 72 championship golf course, a golf academy, shopping area, a public 9 hole par 34 course and the Golfodrome practice ground . The Club House comprised a Coffee Shop, a fine dining silver service Mediterranean Restaurant, and a Club-Lounge (400 seats in all). Responsibilities includes golf operations, course maintenance, sales & marketing, member and guest relations, F&B operations, accounting/budgeting and human resources.
My accomplishments were:
Re-launch of the property with recruiting, training and developing new department heads and staff
Setting up controlling instruments to ensure efficient expense and revenue management
Developing and implementing sales & marketing key strategies to generate revenue through increased rounds, memberships and merchandise sales, academy tuition programs, corporate and society groups programmes and corporate tournaments
Reduced the operating loss from nearly 1,2 Million to 150,000 German Marks after the second year and achieved operating results in the third year.
Increased Memberships to 750 members
Achieved an average of 14.000 rounds per year on the public course
Reached an average of 33.000 visitors/users per years on the Golfodrome practice ground
The Club has now one of the largest golf Academies in Germany, hosting and training the National Amateur Golf Team and is also an official training facility of the German Golf Federation (DGV) and of the PGA of Germany.
Areas of Expertise :
Operational planning
Concept development
Operation analyses
Pre-openings
Quality Assurance (Mystery Shopping)
Sport facilities planning (golf and water sports)
Worked for the following companies: Bellitalia Restaurants Ltd, Caccia GmbH, Frigo-Import GmbH, RCI, Duvenhof Golf Club, Golf+Sport GmbH & Co. KG
Re-launch of the 4* Atlantik Beach Hotel at Port Lucaya/Grand Bahama Island. A seaside resort with 100 condos(fractional ownership), 175 rooms/suites, 2 restaurants, 2 bars, shopping mall, water sport facilities (sailing, water-skiing, windsurfing, scuba diving) and an off site 18 hole golf course.
My accomplishments were:
Supervised the refurbishing of the property
Re-organised management structures, trained department heads, developed SOPs and training on the job policies and procedures
Developed new marketing strategies to increase sales from the European Market for the hotel and golf facility
ROCCA NETTUNO HOTEL & SPORTING CLUB Tropea/Calabria, Italy
07/88 - 01/90
Hotel Manager
Re-launch of a 4 stars seaside resort with 100 rooms and 200 bungalows (600 beds), 3 bars, 3 restaurants, night club, conference facilities up to 200 and banqueting up to 700. shopping mall, guests entertainment, 6 tennis courts, sailing, windsurfing, water-skiing, scuba diving. Responsibilities included resort maintenance (7,5acres), rooms division, F&B operations, sales, marketing, guest relations, budgeting and human resources.
My accomplishments were:
Recruited new department heads and developed SOPs setting particular attention in providing high standards of service to increase guest satisfaction and retention
Set up of controlling procedures to ensure efficient expenses and revenue management
Developed and implemented a Sales & Marketing plan for European distribution
