INTERVIEW
MASSIMO IANNI LUXURY HOSPITALITY MAGAZINE SPEAKS WITH MASSIMO IANNI, FOUNDER OF MASSIMO & PARTNERS CONSULTANCY ALL ABOUT LUXURY HOTELS AND EXQUISITE DEVELOPMENTS HE HAS WORKED ON.
My career started when I was very young - I studied hospitality in Switzerland, and straight after the course ended I experienced a very intense and stimulating 15 year career with the Hyatt group. In 2000 when I turned 35, I decided that it was time for a change (I always think a significant life change should happen every 15 years!) and I had identified a clear niche in the market. I could see that developers were starting to embark on the creation of independent hotels. This was a very innovative approach back then (almost 25 years ago!) although now as we know, this is mainstream. I launched Massimo & Partners so that I could combine my corporate management skills and my creative abilities, and with my team I started to offer a turn-key service so that we would cover the full curation of a project from feasibility to actual start up. Since then we have collaborated on many unique projects with world-renowned architects and designers such as Phillipe Starck (Armani Hotel Dubai), Pierre Lissoni (Casa Fantini), David Chipperfield and Fosters in London. I now have taken on the role of guardian of the concepts that I create and execute. Each concept I develop is unique (I never work twice on the same project) and each has a very strong purpose and lifestyle component. Our expertise goes form
feasibility, to planning, team building and coordination, positioning, branding and marketing, all the way to staff selection, training and the actual opening. Talk us through the company aims. At Massimo & Partners our aim is to create unique experiences and rituals for the hospitality world at large. We are on a constant search for excellence, for sustainable and financially viable projects, very much rooted in their communities, that bring together creativity and execution skills. I love the theatrical component of hospitality and I believe that our role is to entertain and please our guests, giving them a strong purpose for visiting our hotels and properties. What has been your journey into the industry? What have been some of your best experiences? This is a journey of almost 40 years with over 35 new hotels launched. We also have future collaborations in the pipeline. My team between South America and Europe/ Middle East consists of 25 staff all with the unconditional passion to create and strive for the very best. Iconic projects we are working on currently include the Armani Hotels and resorts, The Faena Hotel Buenos Aires, The Blue Lagoon Retreat in Iceland and he Conservatorium in Amsterdam. We are very excited about our future plans which include a unique new project in Saudi that will revolution the sense of purpose for its future guests. Who inspires you? My surroundings inspire me. I am privilege to be on the road 80% of my time and people, places and culture are my greatest source of inspiration. Connecting images to memories, gives me in general my inspiration. I also read a lot and I stay on top of trends and industry news. What are some of the luxury hotels you have worked on?
Luxury Hospitality Magazine
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Armani Milan and Dubai Café Royal London Conservatorium Amsterdam Luthetia Paris Blues Lagoon Retreat Icelnd Park Hyatt Buenos Aires Fasano Hotel Rio de Janeiro Faena Buenos Aires Eolo Lodge, Patagonia Argentina Casa Fantini, Italy
What has been your favourite project and why? I consider all of them unique and great moments of creation and execution. Clearly having the privilege to be part of the opening of the tallest tower in the world in Dubai for the Armani Hotel, has been one of my career highlights. But memories of the opening of a lodge in Patagonia, for a glacier experience with a group of only 40 explorers per day, has been a unique encounter with nature and the challenges that such an isolated place generates. What are some of the key travel trends this year that you are seeing? Sustainable, purpose driven journeys. The reason for a trip is becoming more and more important, having to answer the following questions: what does this represent for me, how does this impact the planet and the communities, what will I take back home. Less vacations, with longer stays. More genuine, non-frill experiences. Connectivity should both form a technological point of view, but more and more, form a human point of view. The opportunity to be “active” and contribute in many ways. Edutainment - learn while being entertained. What are the plans for the future? At Massimo & Partners we are looking forward to continuing to push ourselves in creating and curating even more challenging projects. I am about to start a new venture in Japan, and I am fascinating by their culture and heritage. I am passionate about how I can bring a new dimension to an already very high quality and excellent hospitality offering, in one of the most refined and sophisticated country in the world. Future plans closer to home include working closely with my talented team, to keep on nourishing them and stimulate their passion for our amazing sector.
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At Massimo & Partners our aim is to create unique experiences and rituals for the hospitality world at large.
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Massimo, firstly it is lovely to speak with you! Talk us through the inspiration and idea behind the creation of Massimo & Partners?