Emirates Man, Lifestyle

Mattheos Georgiou has been doing a lot of reflecting lately. Recently promoted to Head of Operations for One&Only, SIRO, and Rare Finds around the world, Georgiou has chalked up 30 years in the industry. A Greek national born and raised in Germany, the charming hotelier started as a bellman in an airport hotel in Germany aged 18.

“I think that experience was very valuable, it kept me on my toes,” he says with a smile. “I deal with so many people every day from journalists to politicians to maids. I like to listen and observe body language. The moment someone walks up to me, I know how to act, what to say, what not to say, and how to read the room.” Georgiou, 48, has had to rely on his people skills more than ever in recent months. Along with the rest of the hospitality industry, Georgiou and his colleagues working in UAE hotels and at Kerzner HQ – parent company of the One&Only, SIRO, Rare Finds and Atlantis brands – have been rocked by the Iran conflict. “The situation has affected them undeniably,” he says of hotel staff at One&Only Royal Mirage, One&Only The Palm, One&Only One Za’abeel and Bab Al Shams. “They’re worried about safety and job security.” Soon after the conflict began on 28 February, Kerzner’s leadership recognised the need to communicate regularly with their team and set up town hall meetings where staff could air their concerns and ask questions of both hotel managers and executives. “We want them to feel comfortable and reassured,” says Georgiou. “As leaders, we need to be present in the front row.”

Fifty per cent of the Kerzner portfolio, which includes 14 One&Only resorts, sits outside the UAE, a fact that Georgiou believes has benefited the company’s central office in Dubai. “In the US and Europe, the conflict appears at number three or four on the news feed,” he explains. “For the resorts outside of Dubai it was business as usual. We had to show up for those resorts and I think that helped us stay sane. We focused on the job, kept ourselves busy and almost forgot about the crisis here.”

TAKE A BREATH
Declining tourism numbers across Dubai have, of course, been deeply concerning for the hotel and restaurant industries but Georgiou has tried to find a positive. “In the hotel business we’re always running, running, running. The conflict gave us an opportunity to take a breath and recalibrate, to see what is working and what is not working.” The conflict reminded Georgiou of his time spent working in Japan when an accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011 caused huge disruption and worry. “When you get humbled by what’s happening in the world it can make you readjust your priorities in life,” he explains. “This is my job, this is my work and, yes, I want the CEO title but not at the cost of my wellbeing or my family or my values. I have really appreciated the time to reflect on what is important.”

And for Georgiou, what is important is people. Since his beginnings as a teenage bellman, Georgiou has thrived on interacting with guests. “I’m not working directly in a hotel anymore, but I love that I can dive into it whenever I want,” he says. “Whenever I get that craving, I’ll go and work out of a hotel lobby, get the smell of croissants in the morning, and watch guests checking in and checking out.”

In his 30-year career, Georgiou has always aimed to instil authenticity in the teams who serve hotel guests. “I believe high-end travellers value authentic service more than professional service,” he says. “For example, if a waiter serves my coffee with heart, I don’t mind if it’s served from the wrong side. For me, showing pride and sincerity is more important than etiquette. You can have the best addresses on your CV, but that doesn’t matter if you can’t convince me that you have the right attitude. Hospitality is unique – it’s a beautiful business.”

BUSINESS CLASS
Mattheos Georgiou travels for work 10 days per month and has picked up good habits along the way.

• “For a three-day trip I bring a Loewe weekend bag and a Rimowa carry-on case. I have one compartment with shoes, underwear, socks and gym wear. The other side has two suits and two shirts, so that gives me three different outfits on a three-day business trip.”

• “For a short flight I prefer to travel in a suit – my favourite is by Giorgio Armani. To pack it, I close the jacket and fold it into three pieces; the trousers I fold in half. The moment I check in to the hotel, I give my suits and shirts to the hotel for pressing. Clothes should come back in 30 minutes. The laundry is a good sign of whether a hotel is on top of its game.”

• “For formal shoes, I like Santoni and Magnanni. Loro Piana loafers are good to travel with because you can put them together in one shoe bag and they don’t take up much space.”

• “For grooming, I use the serum and SPF 50 by Bioderma. If I’m on a long flight, I use their face cleanser, and it feels like I’ve taken a shower.” • “I pack my own food for flights: whole fruits, carrots, 50g of walnuts, and dark chocolate. I bring turmeric powder and mix it with hot water. I arrive at the other end feeling sharp and ready to go.”

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Images: Supplied