Q. Please tell us about yourself and your role as Vice President, Brand and Operations of Lifestyle Hotels, MHR.

I have over a decade of experience in managerial positions within the hospitality industry and held various positions in Operations, Revenue and Finance in North Africa, Europe and Asia.

After obtaining my bachelor and master’s degree in hospitality management at the Institut Vatel in Paris, I joined the industry and specialised in the lifestyle segment. I was previously a part of Louvres Hotels Group in Europe, then joined Gaw Capital Group in Asia, where I was responsible for the development, pre-opening & management of their lifestyle hotels in Beijing, Hong Kong, Yangon & Singapore.
 
In my current role as Vice President, Brand and Operations, Lifestyle Hotels, I am responsible to lead and drive our M Social and Lifestyle properties. My duties include operations, brand awareness, talent cultivation and business development to further elevate and grow the Group's lifestyle hotels and their reputation by working closely with our corporate leaders and Lifestyle hotels’ General Managers to ensure excellence in our overall brand standard, quality, and guest experience journey.

Q. M Social was first launched in Singapore in 2016. How has the M Social brand evolved since then?
 
M Social lifted the curtains on our first property in Singapore in 2016.  The brand has since evolved, making its mark in more cities and weaving its footprints in five physical locations, including Suzhou, Auckland, New York, and Paris with more to come. It also has a virtual hotel, M Social Decentraland, the world’s first hotel to enter the metaverse world where explorers coexist in physical and virtual lives to discover the virtual reality of Decentraland as we move towards an immersive and interactive future.
 
Q. What makes M Social stand out from other hotels? What is special about the brand and its hotels?

We live in an era defined by our ability to connect, interact and share – ideas, information, inspiration, and ideologies. A time when physical borders are becoming insignificant, and diversity and differences are celebrated.

At M Social, we champion experimentation, innovation and are always looking around us to identify the interesting and exciting. We believe in the power of collaboration as an explosive force for good; one people, one planet. We provide the stage, you come as yourself and make it yours.

The M Social Brand is about gathering independent spirits around creativity, experiences, connections, and exciting possibilities. The Sociability aspect of the brand sits at the heart of everything we do; creativity is our life blood and we are bold, brave, unpredictable, energetic, and joyful. With a passionate can-do attitude, we are unafraid of change and trying new things. We like to do things differently.

We represent today’s global community – a vibrant mix of cultures, people, and ideas. We believe in the power of community and shared ideas, and actively aim to bring different people together, for work, rest, and play.

Q. Each of the M Social hotels has its own unique design and style while staying true to the M Social lifestyle concept. How is each hotel conceptualised and what is consistent throughout the five hotels?

Each M Social property carries a strong and meaningful cultural influence of the city where they are located. Our guests will enjoy a fresh and authentic experience when they choose M Social.

By blending both contemporary and traditional architecture, the M Social Hotels capture the richness of lifestyles and celebrate diversity. We provide contemporary, informal and inviting spaces for those who live locally, as well as a vibrant social base for travellers.

The consistent aspects across all the M Social hotels are the Brand DNA & Pillars delivered by our team members:

• Creativity: Creativity is our life blood. For us, creativity isn’t just about art – it’s about ideas, business and technology.
• Sociability: We believe in the power of community and shared ideas, and actively aim to bring different people together, for work, rest, and play.
• Experimentation: We avoid the well-trodden path and instead embrace experimentation.
• Playful: We’re open-minded, enthusiastic, and imaginative. We want to see what happens when different things come together in exciting new ways.
• Inclusive: We want people to feel relaxed and welcomed whenever they are with us – Hospitality at its warmest and most personal. We care about people and the planet. We actively encourage connections, be they virtual or real.
• Innovative/Avant-Garde: We don’t stand still. We embrace the possibilities that new technologies and ideologies bring.

Q. What are the future plans for M Social?

M Social is exploring to set foot in more cities with strong characters and to build up a community that share our diverse stories with authenticity, open minds and giving hearts.