Newly appointed general manager of Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta, Harald Fitzek has been working for top properties all over the world – from Europe, to Africa and Asia. Joining the historical hotel will mark the first time he’s positioned in Southeast Asia, something that he claims as a longtime dream. We sit down with the experienced leader and talk about his career and vision.
Q: Can you summarise your journey so far in the hospitality industry?
A: My career actually started in gastronomy. From kitchen apprenticeship, I moved between award-winning establishments around Munich for a couple of years, before decided to get more knowledge about customers, hospitality, catering and banqueting. I joined Kempinski in 1996, then left Germany for the first time working as an executive chef in Gozo, an island in Malta. From there I moved around from Moscow, to Kiev and London, before finally posted as general manager for the first time in Germany again. Not long after that, I was offered the great opportunity to move back to Russia to open two hotels for the Winter Olympics 2014 in Sochi. After the Olympics, I continued my international journey to Cairo, then went back to Russia for the third time. Fate brought me back to Kempinski, this time taking me to China where I spent the last six and a half years. Now, another opportunity is taking me further southeast to Jakarta where I am right now.
Q: Your career has taken you all around the world – from Europe, to Africa and then Asia. Can you tell us what’s the biggest difference between working in each region?
A: Germans are very organised, very strict in the way they they work, and I tried to do the same going to my new job in Malta. However, I realised after a couple of weeks that I’m working with a different culture – I’m not working with German people, I’m working with Maltese people.
Respecting culture does not mean I need to neglect my personal values, or the quality of my work. For me in hospitality, it’s always about having satisfied customers. Depending on the level, the customer you have, and what their expectations are, we simply have to ideally exceed them. Everywhere in the industry is the same – but cultures and people are different. So my mentality is always coming into the job to try to understand that.
Q: Most of your journey was spent in Russia. What is the hospitality industry like over there?
A: Yes, I spent more than six years in Russia, across three different periods and positions there. The first one was right after the resort life in Malta – from a small island, having the opportunity to move to a capital city. Just like that, I fell in love with Moscow. It’s an amazing city, where you can find access to very, very high level products, quality, and innovation of people and the restaurants. Somehow Russia always pulls me back. The people are very open and hospitable – very, very kind. I met my wife and found family there.
Q: Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta marks the first time that you’re working in Southeast Asia. What is it from the property, as well as the region, that attracts you the most?
A: I think what attracts me to the region is definitely the climate. I like it warm, exactly like when I was working in Malta, where the weather is easy to predict. Having the chance to work in this area was always kind of a dream for me. I’m very lucky to be here, serving with a simple hotel in a very historical location. We have an amazing history, and combined with Kempinski’s values, Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group, I think we have a unique possibility to really meet the hospitality market in Jakarta, which made it very desirable to be here for me.
Q: Do you have any advice for budding hoteliers trying to make it in this industry?
A: I think you have to love your job. For every industry is similar, but I personally think if you love what you do, and you have a vision of what you want to achieve, then you will reach it.
Asia Dreams Volume 48
Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta
Jalan M.H. Thamrin
Jakarta 10310, Indonesia
T: (+62) 2123583800
E: info.jakarta@kempinski.com
W: kempinski.com/hotel-indonesia
IG: @hotelindonesia_kempinski
