Cream of the Crop This is a monthly column introducing professionals who represent the best in their respective industries Life on the road proves perfect training for hotel GM by Alex Chan Early character-building experience is ideal preparation for business challenges Travelling the world and experiencing other cultures first hand is top of many people's to-do lists. Few, though, would contemplate doing it on a budget of US$5 a day or be prepared to suffer a bout of malaria along the way. Yet for Peter Pollmeier, general manager of InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong, that was all part of the adventure during his own trip and he would not trade those experiences for anything. Aged 21, Mr Pollmeier decided to take a year off from his job as a waiter in order to see all of Africa. He scraped together his savings and set off on a journey which gave him not only a range of cultural experiences, but also taught him about surviving "on the edge". During the trip, he contracted malaria and had to be hospitalised. "However, it was all worth it," he says. "The experience really changed me because I saw and learned so many things." Years later, Mr Pollmeier was appointed general manager of a hotel in China and soon realised that if he was to make a success of the job, he would have to adapt quickly to the completely unfamiliar surroundings. "Without the Africa trip, I would never have been able to adjust to China. The standard of living, especially when I was first asked to work there 15 years ago, was quite low," he says. But knowing what it took to get through tough situations, he had the inner strength and self-confidence to face the challenge. Great team work is the strongest drive towards excellence Adventurous spirit Accepting new challenges and the attendant uncertainties is something Mr Pollmeier now takes in his stride. "In life you can either choose to settle into a comfortable lifestyle and work towards retirement, or you can get out and do something totally different. I really wanted to do something different," he says. This pattern of behaviour began when, as a 20-year-old, he left home in Germany and decided, almost on a whim, to emigrate to South Africa. He spent 11 years there in various jobs which included owning a successful restaurant and catering business. Even so, he sold up and moved on to Australia where he became resident manager at the Sheraton Hotel. After four years, though, he sensed things were getting too comfortable, so he jumped at the chance of a job offer in China. "I had a great life and a great job in Australia, but I still chose the uncertainty and amazing challenge of starting a new life in China," he says. The post he accepted was as general manager of the Holiday Inn in Chongqing and he has since held a similar position at hotels in six other cities. In each location he sets himself a clear business-related goal and, once that has been accomplished, he feels the urge to move on. The average stay has been about three years, but as he gets older, he is feeling the need to be a bit more settled. "My wife hopes this is my last move, but who knows?" An occasional spot of golf can make life very different Notable success Reflecting on his achievements, Mr Pollmeier is most proud of his involvement in the changes which have taken place in China. He feels that he has not just been a witness to the rapid transformation, but has also contributed to the process through his work. Every time he goes back to one of the hotels he managed, he gets a great welcome and has a real sense of pride. "To spend three years in a hotel and be remembered 10 years later is a great reward, especially as the general manager can't always please everyone," he says. Mr Pollmeier credits much of his success to his father who instilled good old-fashioned values in the family. He taught them that hard work, honesty and respect for others were vital, and that these principles should never be forgotten. In career terms, Mr Pollmeier has gone much further than he ever expected. "I started in the kitchen; my first job was cleaning the floors and peeling vegetables," he recalls. "Back then, I never thought I would be general manager, I just knew I wanted to be in the hotel business." Perhaps not surprisingly, travel is still one of his passions and he makes a special effort to keep in touch with friends and colleagues he has met along the way. He still dreams occasionally of taking another trip like the one through Africa in the old days. His wife, though, is not so keen. "She is a five-star backpacker, who expects a hot shower in the evening and a comfortable bed at the end of the day," he explains. Milestones 2005 - Appointed general manager of InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong 1990 - Joined Holiday Inn as general manager in Chongqing and later transferred as GM to other leading hotels in Kunming, Xiamen, Beijing, Shenyang and Shenzhen 1987 - Became resident manager of Sheraton Hotel in Australia 1983 - Deputy general manager for a hotel chain in Mauritius and South Africa Taken from Career Times 24 February 2006 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]