A Leader to Admire
A notable figure in the island’s hospitality industry, Sylvain Pasdeloup has been with Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort since pre-opening. The youngest general manager at that time, Sylvain has a wealth of experience in the industry. Celebrating over a decade of residency at the resort, we met up with him again to see how he manoeuvred the most testing times in the tourism industry.
Q: You’ve been with Accor Group for well over a decade now. How is it working with one of the most prestigious hotel groups in the world, and what sets the group apart from its competitors?
A: I have been with Accor for 15 years now. Accor has properties in over 100 countries and has been in operation for 50 years. In total, Accor has over 5,300 properties spread around the globe, serving more than 600,000 guests daily. What is amazing about this brand is the creativity to always expand, growing our network by over 20 percent in the past two years.
Q: What drove you to pursue a career in hospitality?
A: Well, like every other hotelier, my passion was driving me in this direction. But what makes this job interesting is the challenges that we face daily. Being a hotelier, the challenges that come up are very diverse. We also get to see new talents growing year after year. For me personally, these things keep me excited every day at work.
Q: Given your credentials and strong track record in the hospitality industry, what are your thoughts on the evolution of the luxury market in Bali over the last few years?
A: I am very optimistic about the industry in the years to come, especially in Bali, and Indonesia in general. First of all, after the pandemic, nobody knew that businesses would bounce back so quickly; we saw a significant increase in tourism on this island in a very short time. Moving forward, we can see that the taste and preferences of our clients are evolving together with the industry. Lifestyle and luxury are now the two markets that our clients are asking for. So, I am highly optimistic that Bali and Indonesia are heading in the right direction with this segment.
Q: What does Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort have in place to offer guests a unique experience that will ensure a competitive edge?
A: Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort is a beautiful luxury resort located in front of the beach in Nusa Dua. We pride ourselves in welcoming our customers year after year by linking French finesse with Balinese culture.
Q: Sofitel Nusa Dua Bali Beach Resort is one of the leading hotels that was involved in the much-anticipated G20 Summit. How did you prepare for the event and make sure that everything went well?
A: We revamped the entire resort progressively from the low-demand period in 2020 until mid-2022. The main goal was to have a brand new look at the resort once we could welcome guests again. The timing happened to be perfectly suited to the G20 series of events. We refurbished all the rooms, refurnished the ballrooms, added several meeting rooms, gave a new look to the restaurants and VIP lounge. We also worked closely with the Indonesian government, police and military to ensure the maximum safety and comfort of our G20 guests.
Q: Can you tell us what it takes to become a general manager, and a good one at that?
A: To become a good general manager, if I may say, you need to have a lot of discipline and determination. What is really important in our job is to understand the culture and to work well with different cultures, and this is one of the factors for success in working well with your team, the owners and the clients.
Q: What have been your favourite experiences in the hotel industry?
A: Working in this field, we are very privileged to experience great things through the years. At Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort, we are aiming to be net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and we have implemented this in all departments in our resort. Finally, something which is close to my heart is the development of our Heartists, this is what we call the talent that works for Accor. Seeing them grow from supervisor or manager to become general manager in the future is showing opportunities that the brand is giving to people who join us.
Q: As a very busy professional, how do you maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life?
A: I am a strong believer in having a work-life balance. I believe if you want to focus on your job and on your challenges and achievements, you need to be healthy and to be fully rested. We promote a work-life balance for our Heartists in order for them to be able to grow in their careers and focus on their goals.
Q: What does the future hold for you? What are your dreams and aspirations?
A: To be honest, I am not sure what the future holds for me. I have many dreams, and of course many aspirations. I have been very privileged in Accor because every time I want to move forward with my career, this brand has always presented me with different opportunities and challenges. I do believe the future will be very interesting, and I love working with this company and in this industry.
Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort
