For the British hotelier Sir Rocco Forte, business is often a family affair.
He has been one of the driving forces behind the new Rocco Forte Hotel Abu Dhabi, which opens in the capital today as the company's first property in the Middle East. But for the past 15 years, Sir Rocco, who is chairman and chief executive of his company, has also been working closely with his younger sister, Olga Polizzi, the design director for the business.
Here, they discuss what it's like to work together.
q&a
q What are some advantages of having family members nearby while expanding a business?
a Sir Rocco: It can be a complete disaster. It can be very successful. In our case, it works very well, as we get on very well. We have, basically, the same outlook and view of things. We have our clear strengths and skills, which are complementary, and so it's rather good. It's very good having a member of the family who you can trust implicitly working alongside you because you're not afraid of sharing any thoughts or views, however premature they might be.
a Olga: It's true. We've never had a row. I've sometimes had to zip it, but we get on. And I know who's boss at the end of the day - there has to be one boss. But I sort of fight my corner.
q How so?
a Olga: He looks at what I'm doing but lets me get on with it. I'm obviously involved in the rest of what's going on in the company, so I understand both the business side and the design side. Often with designers, they just want to spend, spend, spend and they don't realise at the end of the day you've got to make a return. So I'm always very, very careful how we spend the money and look at budgets very carefully.
q What kind of employee sentiment have you tried to foster within the company?
a Sir Rocco: It has a sense of a family business. I think people who've joined us from other companies say that it's a very different type of business [with] a different feel than those companies they've worked for.
a Olga: Because we really care. Our names are on the business. We care really passionately that people have a good time, they're well looked after. The thing that annoys us most is that if that doesn't happen. We're not a great amorphous mass. We're really part of the business, and we look at everything in detail.
q Has there been any argument where one of you famously won over the other?
a Sir Rocco: No. I tend to look at the practicality and make sure everything is functional and comfortable. I think [this] is very important, so when I criticise, it's more on that basis than on decor. But if I don't feel quite comfortable with [a design] then I'll say it.
a Olga: Yes, I was thinking of how you can do things 20 different ways - and 20 different ways work. We always do a prototype room, in all our hotels, and then Rocco and anyone else involved comes and has a look. Initially, I always get slightly annoyed, but then it's quite good to have someone saying something to you, and then you look at it again and think, 'perhaps it should be a little bit more glamorous'. I tend to pare down quite a lot.
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