Rob Dixon General Manager of the new Holiday Inn Sunderland
Describe your career path so far?
I began my hospitality career as a Sales Manager in 2005 in what was then the Holiday Inn Newcastle City. I joined the industry following a successful career in Telecoms, however I longed for an environment where I saw the impact of the work that I did, and I found that hotels and hospitality offer exactly that – there is no better feeling of job satisfaction than seeing a hotel busy with guests enjoying the facilities, seeing the teams within the hotel do what they do best, and that is to deliver exceptional guest service and creating amazing memories and experiences.
What has been your biggest challenges?
The last few years, since March 2020, have naturally been a challenge for everyone involved in hospitality, from venues to suppliers. Navigating the challenges that COVID-19 brought, both in terms of managing health and safety of guests and colleagues, to the financial stress of keeping a business afloat and viable during lockdown, to then coming out on the other side to a boom in demand that saw occupancies skyrocket and guest expectations heightened. Shortages in the supply chain, coupled with challenges in the labour market, meant using every tool in the arsenal to ensure the teams for whom I was responsible were able to deliver on our mission of always exceeding expectations for our guests and owners.
What do you hope to bring to your new role?
Having worked with six hotels within the Holiday Inn Brand previously, coupled with my local knowledge from being a North East local I believe this role was tailor made for me. My passion to enhance Sunderland, and the wider Northeast region, on the National and International stage to leisure visitors and businesses is a natural complement to the ambitious plans within Sunderland right now with the Sunniside Development led by Sunderland City Council.
What is the Holiday Inn’s greatest asset?
The greatest asset to any hotel is the teams of people who work within it, the people who are committed to delivering exceptional experiences to our guests at every opportunity, the people without whom a hotel is simply a building with bedrooms.
What are you currently working on?
With a new hotel comes challenges as we become familiar with the facility ourselves, bedding in and getting to know our guests and their expectations and requirements, taking feedback and actioning areas where improvements can be made.
In addition, I have a young team, some new to hospitality and some experienced but new to the brand, so the focus continues to be training, training, training.
Where do I hope the hotel will be in a year’s time?
I sincerely believe the hotel will be a major player in the City, and wider region, thanks to its incredible location and the quality of the facilities and services on offer. At IHG we have a measurement on how guests rank their experience at Holiday Inn hotels around the world, and I hope the hotel will achieve top ranking spots as my former hotels have.
Who are your Heroes and mentors?
I’ve been extremely lucky to have worked with some exceptional General Managers during my formative years in hospitality. My first GM, Devin Grosse was a huge influence on my career and a driving force on my ambition to become a General Manager myself. I worked with Vince Garrington and Ken Ellington and the late, and very much missed, Damon Roberts all of whom I aspired to emulate. Being appointed General Manager at Holiday Inn Sunderland, I am fortunate to work with Sean Brookes again, my COO at Madison Cairn with whom I have worked with previously, another legend in the industry and he has mentored me through this, my first major hotel opening, for which I will be eternally grateful.