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Hotel General Managers from across Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean are participating in Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management’s (CNI’s) General Managers Program (GMP) in Singapore. At the opening reception and dinner on Monday, the General Managers spoke out about why they chose to attend the GMP and what they hoped to gain from it.
The General Managers Program (GMP) is designed for hotel General Managers, Resident Managers and Executive Assistant Managers of full service hotels. Participants in this 10-day (July 21 to 31) residential program concentrate on strategic hospitality management issues, enhancing their skills and working collaboratively to produce new solutions to the challenges they face.
Bastian Germer, General Manager, of The New Majestic Hotel, Singapore said “I have been eyeing the Cornell GMP course for a while, but distance and time prohibited me from going to Ithaca to take part in the course. Once I learned that CNI was offering the course in Singapore, I immediately enrolled as it is easier to do it here”.
“I attended the Professional Development Program (PDP) last year and thought that the course was really good. Upon receiving the marketing brochures for the PDP and GMP courses this year, I chose to attend the GMP. Next year I will send two of my managers to participate in CNI courses,” remarked Rhyz O. Buac, General Manager, Maribago Bluewater Resort, Cebu, Philippines.
A participant from Dubai, Christoph G. Ganster, who is the Hotel Manager of the Raffles Dubai, said “I chose the GMP because it is a superior training program for senior managers in day to day practices. It prepares you for the next step and exposes you to industry best practices. What you learn here is not just theory – it is real and can be transferred directly to the work place. We learn applied knowledge through case studies and real-life problems shared by the participants”.
This is the third time that Cornell’s famed General Managers Program is been offered in Singapore. It was largely put together by Dr. Russell Arthur Smith, Vice Dean CNI and the GMP Program Director. “The sessions are structured such that participants get a different perspective on hotel management issues. General Managers are usually so involved in day-to day operations that it is difficult for them to broaden their view point. The GMP offers participants the opportunity to re-focus and re-think everyday challenges. Exposure to global trends through interactions with our international faculty and diverse participant group, transforms these General Managers from decision makers into strategic thinkers.”
Professor Neo Boon Siong, one of the faculty members for the GMP said “Asia is one of the fastest growing hospitality markets in the world. There is an enormous need for qualified leadership. There was no reputable, high quality program for senior management in Asia. The fact that Asians General Managers were traveling to Cornell for the GMP made it obvious that we had to bring the program to Singapore.”
“Participants come to the GMP to learn about the latest trends and approaches to leadership.” says Boon Siong. He added “Most General Managers in Asia have come up through the ranks and may not have been exposed to leadership thought. I hope that by participating in the GMP they will have a chance to network, to refresh their thinking and to feel re-energized by the course content”.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
