INTERVIEW
Let’s catch up with Olivier Slaats
[F 2019] Associate Director Food & Beverage at Inter C ontinental Hotels Group (IHG®) Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Vietnam
1
What did you do after graduation? After my studies at HMSM, I joined the management trainee program at Rosewood Hotel Group. But a year later I decided to do a Master to focus more on strategic development, and to apply further topics that I learned doing my Bachelor’s Degree. I followed the Master in Global Hospita lity Business program at EHL (Lausanne, Switzerland), which was a unique experience as it provides a global overview of the hospitality industry. The first semester takes place at EHL, the second semester at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the last semester at the Conrad N. Hilton College at the University of Houston.
2
How did you end up in your current job? A good friend of mine shared a job opportu nity with me for an Assistant Director Food & Beverage position in Vietnam just for fun. When I looked at the details of the hotel and what kind of position was available, I immediately felt that it was a unique opportunity. So I decided to apply and after a couple weeks got accepted for the position. After several months of completing all visa require ments, I made my move from working at Van der Valk Eindhoven to joining IHG at the Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort. Quite a shift I can tell you, from Eindhoven to Danang!
3
What is the most important skill you’ve gained at HMSM? The most important skill that I’ve gained is how to work together with people from different cultures and create one vision that everyone believes in. To take the next step in hospitality, you
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fundament
must be able to understand different perspectives and think ahead in getting positive results whatever it may be. The hotel school puts extreme high focus on group assignments, which means that a team-player attitude together with an open-minded approach towards new aspects is crucial.
4
Why did you choose for a career in the hospitality industry? I chose for a career in the hospitality industry because this business offers you the opportunity to go to so many different places around the world. I love to travel, see interesting new things and love to meet people from different cultures. Very important also, I love excellent food and drinks which attracted me to my current job!
5
What is your best memory of your study at HMSM? One of the best moments was the day when everyone came back to Maastricht after the first internship. Everyone shared their experiences abroad, and we had many gatherings together to celebrate our achieve ments. Very joyful time and it felt wonderful to be back in Maastricht!
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How is your connection to your peer alumni? I am still in touch a lot with the group of peers from my stream. I joined the international stream during the program, which was a wonderful group of people from so many different countries. We’re still in touch, which shows how strong the HMSM program is in creating friendships for life!
