How Great Leaders Build Other Leaders in Hospitality (Career Reflections & Lessons from Former Starwood CEO Frits van Paasschen)
📝 Frits van Paasschen, at age 46, joined Starwood as CEO, bringing a diverse background from consulting, Disney, and Nike. His first hospitality experience was at age 9 in Innsbruck at a B&B, which he recalls as the epitome of genuine hospitality. Van Paasschen values hospitality's spectrum, encompassing creativity, real estate analytics, technology, and human aspects. He emphasizes the importance of mentorship, having learned from various leaders such as Bob Dvorak's analytical communication, Bo Boyd's congenial style, and Tom Clark's brand and marketing intuition. Frits now focuses on mentoring, being a conscientious board member, and contributing to social and environmental responsibility. He advises approaching career opportunities for growth and capability expansion, leading him from strategic planning at Nike to CEO of Coors and fostering potential in others at Starwood.
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