Damir Raab

Ready to conquer the next winter season in one of the Alps Ski Resorts in Oesterreich, Switzerland or France. 

Hospitality Executive

Senior business leader skilled at driving global profits and expanding in diverse territories

Award-winning international hotelier, Austrian born and educated with enhanced hospitality industry education in Switzerland, USA, and UK. Direct and improve diverse hospitality operations throughout multiple geographic regions and spearhead international business expansion throughout Europe, Americas, Middle East, and Asia. Manage hotel branding activities and enhance existing brand development plans. Leverage advanced expertise in the food & beverage industry to drive customer experiences and exceed profit objectives. Effectively deliver high-caliber innovation to deficient business operations and position high-profile companies as preeminent industry leaders. Demonstrate advanced proficiency and fluency in various languages to drive global collaboration and strengthen multicultural relationships. Maintain high levels of customer satisfaction and sustain positive employee survey scores. 

Highlights of Expertise

Career Experience

Radisson Collection Yangtze, Shanghai, China 

Rebranding of the iconic 530 rooms hotel in the heart of CBD HongQiao

General Manager (June 2021 – August 2022) 

• Re-branding and de-flagging from Marriott Group while repositioning business strategy towards luxury hotel brand 
• Major Hotel Renovation planning 
• Benchmarking with newly opened Radisson Collection Hotels (Nanjing, Wuxi, Hyland SH) 
• Pandemic and Business recovery crisis management 

Raffles Shenzhen, Guangdong, China 

Managing a high-profile ultra-luxury hotel day-to-day operation within the 72-story building, leading the Shenzhen luxury hotel market 

Mission General Manager (August 2020 – May 2021) 

• Covid-19 strategy alignment and business recovery: positioned as leading ultra-luxury hotel in Shenzhen market
• 2020 achieved 79% of full year budget, and Q4 achieved 114.5% of revenue budget 
• Hotel was honored 8 high-end awards 
• Certified National 5-Leave Green Hotel and LEED Silver Label 
• YunJing Cantonese Restaurant honored as Black Perl Restaurant (aiming for Micheline Star Restaurant the year after) 
• Exclusive cooperation and partnerships with various luxury brands 
• High-end award-winning health club and spa 
• YTD (end May) both revenue and GOP 30% over budget, STR RGI 175 

Pullman Guangzhou Baiyun, Guangzhou, China (Up-scale) 

On-boarding date postponement due to COVID-19 safety impact 

General Manager, Area General Manager Pullman brand South China (Feb. 2020 planned starting date) 

• Working from home in Beijing awaiting green light to on-board due to SOE airport authorities’ internal policies impacted by COVID-19
• South China AGM for operation of several Pullman hotels 

Sabbatical Leave (Jan. 2019 – Jul. 2020) 

• Taking a break to pursue higher education by completing Master’s in International Business at UOC, UK. 
• Confined to 18 months post-resignation agreement restraining to work for competition due to HNA policy on competitions and trade conflict of interest 

Tangla Hotels & Resorts, Beijing, China (upper up-scale)

Manage and optimize business operations for extensive hospitality business spanning multiple regions with prominent locations throughout China.

Vice President (2014 to 2018) 

Consistently boosted business revenue and engaged with senior leadership to roll out innovative improvement plans and drive high-volume profits. Executed year-over-year fiscal assessments and charted revenue trends to ensure regular growth. Serve as acting COO for NH China in support of CEO and contributed to first Tangla Hotel development outside China.

• As Regional General Manager responsible for the operation and targets of 5 hotels. 
• Achieved formal recognition for driving revenue by 24% in 2015 and 17% in 2016.
• Distinguished with Fortune 500 Chairman Award in 2015 and Top 100 Hospitality Leader Award for Greater China in 2017 from World Hotel Association.
• Integrated complex new KPI dashboard and integrated cluster F&B committee to drive F&B revenue.
• Effectively exceeded revenue and NOP budget by 10% in 2015 and drove 2016 GOP by 16% with subsequent year improvement by 10%. 
• Achieved delivery of revenue growth by 10% YOY and improved GOP by 13% YOY (2015 – 2018). 
• Collaborated closely with elite team to implement new tools and systems and execute projects with Landor and HNA Committee.
• Contributed to operations integration of NH Hotels Group and Red Lion Group post-acquisition. 
• Representing owning company (owner representative) as well as bridging between NH JV and NH Headquarters in Spain. 

Crowne Plaza Zhongguancun, Beijing, China 

Improved and led all business operations for extensive hotel operation with 300 rooms and 390 employees.

General Manager (2011 to 2014)

Personally developed and mentored extensive teams of professionals to facilitate 12 external promotions and 21 internal promotions. Coordinated efforts to acquire new staff members and served as Hualuxe Brand SOP committee member.

• Boosted GOP from 20% to 39.5% from 2010 to 2014. 
• Earned 38 domestic and international awards within recent three years and directed Beijing Olympic Charity Walk that raised over $55K for “IHG Shelter In A Storm fund”. 
• Achieved formal recognition as a mentor and assessor for revolutionizing existing business and training processes. 
• Served as the Beijing and Tianjin cluster hotels champion on GM level for all F&B projects, initiatives, and programs.
• IHG Corporate Office F&B Board member roll out initiatives and F&B strategies for over 500 hotels and 9 brands in Greater China. 

Crowne Plaza Suzhou, China (luxury) 

Executed hotel development activities for high-profile hotel operation servicing 402 rooms with over 500 employees. 

General Manager (2009 to 2010)

Headed organization of 10 charity events and coordinated new event development. Spearheaded development of first-ever Heart of House standard implemented as global benchmark.

• Formally recognized with 2010 Jiangsu Tourism Board Star-Rating honorary committee member and executed special projects as part of IHG Greater China F&B Board.
• Implemented quality planning system and served as leader development of Career Insight Assessment Center.
• Successfully opened the flagship hotel in 2009 and led the Suzhou market by beating competition with an RGI of 220 amongst all luxury and upscale hotel brands.
• Honorable IHG Shanghai Corporate office F&B Board Member chaired by IHG GC COO.

Additional Experience

Executive Assistant Manager, Director F&B (2002 to 2009)  §  Holiday Inn Central Plaza, Beijing, China

Director, F&B (1998 to 2001)  §  Harbour Plaza Kunming, China 

Associate General Manager (1997 to 1998) §  CCA Chang An Club Beijing, China

Taskforce GM (1997) §  CCA Kowloon Club, Hong Kong 

Multi-Unit Manager (1995 to 1997) §  Sheraton Hotel Tianjin, China 

Restaurants Manager (1993 to 1995) §  Moevenpick Resort Hotel Beijing, China 

MMT (1988 to 1993) §  Moevenpick Radisson Resort Ouchy Lausanne, Switzerland 

Front Office (1987 – 1988) §  Holiday Inn Danbury, Connecticut, USA

Maitre d’Hotel (1986 – 1988) §  Moevenpick Hotel Geneva, Switzerland 

Taskforce F&B (1989) §  Moevenpick Cairo Heliopolis, Egypt

Education & Credentials

Master of Business Administration - University of Cumbria, United Kingdom 

Professional Development

• Harvard Courses, Tangla China 
• E-Cornell Courses, IHG China 
• Management Training, Movenpick International Hotels, Lausanne, Switzerland
• L’Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland, Summer Leadership Course
• International Hotel Management College, Bad Gleichenberg

Languages: Fluent: German, French, English, Mandarin Chinese | Basic: Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Slovene

Nationality: Austria, Europe (EU) 

Interests / Hobby:  Languages, Culture, Traveling, Nature, Reading, Sports, Meditation 

Voluntarily Work: 

• Founder and chairman of Mövenpick International Hotels pioneering CSR hotel initiatives, establishing “La Moutte Verte” environmental protection committee representing Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Switzerland in par with Nestle, Swissair and Graubünden Tourism Bureau (1991 – 1993)

• IHG Founder and Chairman for 10 years consecutive of “IHG Cluster Cooking Competition – Cuisine for A Cause” annual events with hundreds of participants, from clients, sponsors, government officials, hotel talents and professional judges, sponsoring one newly built school for “Project Hope” every single year (2004 – 2014) 

• IHG Charity Great Wall Walk raising funds for underprivileged children from the US “Last Wish” to attend the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics (2008). 

• Key organizer of IHG Shelter in a Storm cluster olympic run. 

• Champion for JiangSu province IHG cluster charity event in 2010. 

• Raffles Shenzhen organized owning company “Parkland Foundation Charity Night 2020” with over 800 honorary guests and dignitaries (2020) raising millions for philanthropic purposes. 

• Accor Chairing Charity Committee for Cluster Hotels (2021) 

Recent Special Projects

• IHG Greater China F&B Board Member for 3 consecutive years (2011 – 2014)
• IHG Crowne Plaza Brand committee member (2011 – 2014)
• Tangla Brand Refresh and Innovation Projects team member (2015 – 2016)
• Tangla Pioneer First Overseas Tangla Opening in Brussels (2016)
• HNA Tangla F&B Board Member (2016 – 2018)
• HNA – Honorary Professor at various universities: Nan Kai Tianjin University, Harbin University, 

Changping University, ErWei University (2014 – 2018)

• Accor Raffles Butler and VIP Service P&P change (2020 – 2021)
• RHG Corporate Performance Management System Set-up (2022)
• RHG Pilot program for RHG APAC with Hotel Kit, PMI and OTA Onsight (2021 - 2022) 
• RHG Host-Hotel as National Emergency and Pandemic Recovery Center accommodating several medical 

groups during Shanghai’s 60 days lock down and war on Covid-19 (2022)

Education 

Master of Business Administration - University of Cumbria, United Kingdom 

Professional Development

• Harvard Courses, Tangla China 
• E-Cornell Courses, IHG China 
• Management Training, Movenpick International Hotels, Lausanne, Switzerland
• L’Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland, Summer Leadership Course
• International Hotel Management College, Bad Gleichenberg

Certification 

1981      Bachelor Certificate Hotelfachschule Bad Gleichenberg                                                Austria

1991 – 1993       MMT Movenpick Management Training Program                                            Switzerland

2000      Franklin Covery Co. “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”                             Hongkong

2006      E-Cornell “Executive Decision Making”                                                                               IHG US

2006      Compass 21 Assessor Workshop                                                                                          IHG China

2006      Train the Trainer Certification                                                                                               IHG China 

2007      1 Week TQM Masters Workshop by Ray Alcocer and Soo Hin                                      IHG APAC 

2007      RMH Central Revenue Management Course                                                                     IHG China 

2008      China Green Hotel 5 Star (Second Hotel in all of China)                                                 IHG China 

2009      Coaching Certification Program IHG Greater China                                                         IHG Singapore

2009      BMR Corporate Audit Team Member for IHG GC top 20 CTP Hotels                          IHG China

2011      IHG Long Service Award 10 years                                                                                         IHG China

2012      Career Insight Nr. 2 Potential Assessor Certification                                                       IHG China

2012      One Step Ahead “Crowne Plaza Brand Service Behavior”                                              IHG US 

2014      Career Insight No. 2 Potential Assessment Certification                                                IHG China 

2015      IDEAS Revenue Management System Workshop                                                             HNA China 

2015      Associate Professor “Second Institute of Foreign Languages in Beijing”                    

2015      Associate Professor “Tangla Hotel Management Institute (3 years)”                         HNA China 

2015      Industry Advisor “Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (3 years)” 

2015      Industy Advisor  “College of tourism and Service Management of Nankai Uniersity (2 years) 

2015      Visiting Professor “School of Economics and Management of Harbin University” 

2015      Senior Employment Advisor “Tianjin Foreign Studies University (5 years)” 

2016      Extracurricular Tutor “Sichuan International Studies University (5 years)” 

2016      Management Talent Award HNA                                                                                          HNA China 

2018      Professor for a Day “School of Hotel and Tourism Management 

The Hong Kong Polytech University”                                                                                   Hong Kong 

2020      Master of Business Administration – University of Cumbria                                         Great Britain