For 8 years Mark McWhinnie has been Senior Vice President of Development & Shared Services & Director of Sands Cotai Central where it's said that you will find Asia's most incredible choice of hotels, world-class shopping, sensational entertainment and dining. I asked Mark for an insight into both this extraordinary property and a little about his career path, and here's what he said….
How did your career in hospitality evolve?
My father was an airline pilot and as a youngster I was fortunate enough to be able to travel frequently. As a result, I guess I got the "travel bug" quite early on and became fascinated by the hospitality industry.
After graduating with a business degree, I started working for a hotel and I suppose have never really looked back. I enjoyed 24 years with Starwood, living and working in a number of countries particularly in Asia but also in the Pacific region. The last eight years however, have been a pure adrenalin rush with the development, opening and on-going operation of The Venetian Macao and then Sands Cotai Central.
Macao is a unique destination – how would you describe it to someone who has never been before?
Geographically it is a very small place but very easy to get to and while it used to be known principally for its casinos, Macao has much more to offer as a destination.
A former Portuguese colony, Macao was administered by Portugal from the mid 16th century until late 1999, when it was the last remaining European colony in Asia. "The Historic Centre of Macao", with over 20 ancient monuments, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2005. It stands today as a living testimony to the assimilation and co-existence of eastern and western cultures over a unique chapter in history.
Outside of the historic and architectural elements and points of interest, Macao and particularly Cotai Strip, is a great leisure destination.
Our integrated resorts alone stage numerous musical and sporting events every year, have over 100 restaurants and food outlets offering a wide variety of international and local cuisines. We have 600 retail shops and over 9,000 rooms and suites from which to choose between The Venetian Macao; The Plaza Macao featuring Four Seasons; and Sands Cotai Central, featuring Conrad, Sheraton and Holiday Inn hotels.
What are some of the specific challenges in leading such a complex property as the Sands Cotai Central?
It is not only complex but also large, with a total area of just over 12 million square feet. We have over 8,000 employees and the place is busy! We run very high occupancies with close to 5,800 rooms and suites.
When you add to the mix over 27,000 square metres of Casino space, 4 ballrooms, 2 spas and 3 health clubs – plus being a place where you can meet your favourite DreamWorks characters from Shrek and Kung Fu Panda to the Madagascar gang – you can start to imagine how diverse the facilities are, and therefore how varied the challenges can be.
The building hosts an average of 45,000 visitors per day to the Sands Cotai Central alone. So one of the challenges is making sure we are working together as a team across all the major departments and everyone is kept appropriately informed about what is happening and what they should be focussed on. Another challenge in an operation of this size is personalising the guest experience. Having said that, guest feedback indicates our efforts are paying dividends.
As part of Sands Cotai Central, the Conrad Macao was recently recognised as Asia's Leading Green Hotel and China's Best Green Hotel – what lessons have you learned in achieving such a great accomplishment?
It was great to have the Conrad Macao recognised in this way. Equally we drive sustainability initiatives across all our assets as part of our corporate Eco 360 Sustainability program. We achieved all the goals we set ourselves in 2013 and if I have learnt one thing it is that a lot of our people are very passionate about sustainability and are willing to dedicate time to what they see as an important initiative.
Being the operator of almost one third of hotel rooms in Macao, sustainable tourism initiatives are something we take very seriously. Furthermore, one of our company's key initiatives is to serve the community through working with local charities and supporting disaster relief response efforts for major events, like earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and typhoons.
Sands China has an extensive track record of green initiatives across the five properties. We have installed water-saving shower heads and energy-saving LED lights; participated in Global Earth Hour twice a month during 2013 rather than once a year; installed recycling bins in offices to recycle paper, plastic and metal; implemented various measures to encourage team members to save electricity, water, paper and food; and have a dedicated environmental issues department that works continually to decrease Sands China's carbon footprint.
What puts a smile on your face at work?
Team members enjoying themselves with a smile on their faces. If I see this I know the work environment is healthy, that they are working together and the customer experience will be equally great.
Timothy Millett's training roles have seen him deliver programs across Australia, Asia, Europe, Africa and America ensuring cultural sensitivity as well as a broad base of experience in lecturing, teaching and training.
A graduate of the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland, his hospitality career spans management and director positions in Front Office, Guest Relations, Public Relations, Food & Beverage and Training with organisations including the Regent of Melbourne, The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and Mövenpick Gastronomy. He was also a founding staff member of the internationally renowned Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School in Australia.
Tim is currently the Director of Training and Development at iperform, an organisation that specialises in Sales and Service, Leadership and Effective Personal Organisation programs.
