13 May 2014
Andrew Gibson focuses on spa strategies for FRHI brands Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel
BY Helen Andrews
The new vice president of spa and wellness at Fairmont Raffles Hotels International (FRHI), Andrew Gibson – formerly group director of spa at Mandarin Oriental – has revealed spa development strategies for the private company’s three chains – Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel.
In an exclusive interview for Spa Business Q2 2014, Gibson explained that FRHI – owned by Doha-based Qatari Investment Authority and Saudi-based Kingdom Holding Company – will provide him with an opportunity to “play with some ideas that Mandarin Oriental might not have been so receptive to because it already had a very good tried and tested formula.”
FRHI is undergoing a period of reorganisation – regionalising its business instead of running the brands as separate entities – to help streamline the corporation for future growth possibilities.
“Regionalisation reduces those overheads and also adds accountability. Plus, there’s an understanding of cultural nuances. Our head of the Middle East was born in the region, speaks Arabic and can go to Mecca. Imagine trying to have that kind of insight being based in Toronto [the headquarters of Fairmont],” said Gibson.
FRHI’s brand vice-presidents will work closely with these regional vice presidents to make sure the spas uphold the individual hotel chains’ brand values.
“Raffles is about bespoke, boutique luxury and its goal is to provide ‘an oasis for the well-travelled’,” Gibson said. “Translate all of those standards into spa and that means each facility will be custom-built for a particular location and will offer everything that affluent, well-travelled guests demand, such as seamless service, space and privacy,” Gibson continued.
The main challenge for spas, according to Gibson, is getting the finer points right for each hotel. “If people want privacy, do we get rid of banks of treadmills in the fitness centre so others can’t see what you’re doing?" he said. "If people want luxury, do we choose the best products in that particular market instead of having a set product house?”
Since starting his job at FRHI on 14 January – taking over from his friend Ann McCall Wilson who has set up her own spa consultancy – Gibson admits his time is not solely dedicated to branding.
“There’s no ‘first thing’ to work on as I’ve jumped feet first into the deep end of the pool,” he said.
The main difference between Gibson’s role at Mandarin Oriental and FRHI is that the latter company is: “much more strategic and focused on motivating teams to perform,” he said.
One of these strategies includes the possibility of making all FRHI spas in-house, rather than bringing in a third party operator. “I won’t give a definitive answer, but what I will say is: why would you want to outsource a spa if you have the expertise in-house?” he adds.
Content with his decision, Gibson said he was very happy at Mandarin Oriental, but “having been at FRHI for only a short while, I know I’ve made the right move.”
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