What are the Group's brands and their positioning?
Kurt Ritter - Unlike many of our competitors, we only have a small portfolio of brands, each with a clear positioning. That's important to us: you can't sell a brand you can't explain! Our top-of-the-range brand is Radisson Blu. The brand combines Scandinavian heritage with contemporary design and innovative service concepts. We have also launched the lifestyle brand Hotel Missoni, in collaboration with the famous Italian fashion house. In the mid-market, we offer Park Inn by Radisson, a young and dynamic brand with excellent value for money, a stress-free atmosphere, colourful rooms and personalised service. We also offer the Country Inns brand, which we are currently redefining.
You have opted for a strategy of not owning the establishments you manage. What are the advantages of this asset-light business model?
K. R. - We don't actually own any of our hotels, where we 'simply' act as the operator. We believe that this is the best way for owners and operators to concentrate fully on their core business and to work as professionally as possible.
What territories are you focusing on today?
K. R. - Our natural markets remain Western Europe and, of course, Scandinavia, where our success story began with the opening of the world's first design hotel in 1960, the Radisson Blu Hotel Copenhagen. We have also extended our network to the Middle East. For the future, emerging markets such as Africa and Russia/CIS are the focus of our attention. These are markets full of opportunities, with enormous natural resources, increasingly stable economic and political systems, strong growth and a real lack of supply from internationally recognised chains. Rezidor is already emerging as a leader in these two regions. Our portfolio in Russia/CIS includes 36 hotels in operation and 27 under development. In Africa, we already have 36 hotels in operation and under development.
What is the pace of development?
K. R. - We are one of the fastest growing groups in the hotel industry. Even during the crisis, when many of our competitors preferred to consolidate their operations, we chose instead to accelerate. Today, we operate or are developing more than 400 hotels in 62 countries.
Rezidor is also known for its entrepreneurial spirit, summed up by the slogan "Yes, I can! What does this expression mean?
K. R. - It's much more than a slogan, it's the heart of our philosophy; I'd even say it's the blood that runs through our veins. "Yes, I can" sums up our attitude towards our customers and business partners, as we seek the best possible solution to any situation.
Express biography
64 years old
Training
Ecole supérieure de commerce du canton de Vaud and Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne.
1976
General Manager of the SAS Hotel, Luleà (Sweden), then of the SAS Hotel, Kuwait.
1984
Vice-President of SAS International Hotels (SIH) for the Middle East.
1989
CEO of SIH, renamed.
