Frits Van Paasschen, CEO of Starwood Group, has a habit of morning jogging, he regard running as a persistent theme in his life. His management style is closely related to running. In his eye, business is to set a goal and conquer barrier, as long-distance running, challenging the limit every time.
Opportunity arise from running
he is a professional manager without hospitality management background, Starwood is his first job in hospitality industry, he didn't experience 9.11 and SARS, which is very painful for hotel industry. He is very acute, which attribute to his persistence of running, running is a necessary part of his life.
Running become an important opportunity for Mr. Paasschen to engage in hospitality industry. On an investment conference sponsored by New York University in June, 2007, Starwood organize an event of "run with first", inviting property developers, insiders and Mr. Paasschen to run 5.1 miles through central park. Frits Van Paasschen is too fast though he remind himself to be slow and left other people behind.
Different from other hotel managers, Frits Van Paasschen is very amiable, he like to be called the name directly, and seldom to wear the tie on formal occasion. He grow up in a Holland immigration family, Frits Van Paasschen began to work as a newsboy for Seattle Daily.
What I learn is to work hard, to be friendly and to be a good listener, he says. To earn university tuition, he worked for landscape architect and his father's office. His major is economy and biology, he find his first job in Boston, and then back to the university and study MBA for further education in Harvard Business School, and know his wife there.
Confronting Global Financial Crisis
Frits Van Paasschen has an experience of at least 12 marathon race, he is persistent and meticulous. He keep silent at most time but very vigorous and resolute.
In 2005, Frits Van Paasschen left NIKE and was appointed CEO of Coors Light, the beer famous for fresh and cool taste. At that time, the company face the reduction of market share, he reverse the tide, increasing the profit and enlarging the market share. He created a bottle label which will show the temperature of beer, when the bottle is cool, the label will turn blue, it is an effective way to show its cool feature.
Frits Van Paasschen think one cannot expect magic in hospitality industry, but to make long-term decision. To emphasize Starwood is a global brand like Coca Cola and Pepsi, he employ prior global marketing director of NIKE to be the chief brand officer of Starwood, which make a few seniors of Starwood unsatisfied.
Current economic situation make people terrified, but not me, he says, what we do is to fucus on select property and cooperate with proprietors to open new hotels. When his private plane land on Beijing International Airport, he begin his conference and visiting immediately. He go around Beijing and inspect hotels, meeting with area directors, hotel staff and property owners. When the owners complain the current economic situation, he convince them to confront the situation positively. He then go to Sanya to sign the agreement on managing the first St. Regis Resorts in China.
Seize the opportunity, never say die
2008 is the first duration for Mr. Paasschen in Starwood, Starwood open 84 hotels globally, breaking the highest record of newly opened hotels, in 2009, 80-90 hotels are expected to open. Frits Van Paasschen will witness the opening of 1000th hotel. He convince people to seize today's opportunity, recession is the good chance for investment in hospitality industry. Seize the opportunity will get reward in the future.
Confronting the crisis, Frits Van Paasschen never give up. Though he seldom say no to the people, he initiate cost-cutting in the past few months, which make some staff quit the job. It is very cruel, but as a leader, I have to make such decision, Frits Van Paasschen told us right after a conference. To Frits Van Paasschen, it is just a beginning in hotel industry, we believe Starwood will develop faster under the leadership of Frits Van Paasschen..
