PEOPLE WHO INSPIRED ME: Viceroy's Bill Walshe

Viceroy CEO Bill Walshe is a source of inspiration for many in the hotel industry, but in a recent interview with Hotelier Middle East, we found out who has spurred him to success. 

1. Gerald Lawless
I think the person in my career who’s had the most profoundly positive effect on me is Gerald Lawless, president and CEO, Jumeirah Group, and I’ll often find myself thinking ‘now what would Gerald do’.

Coming to Dubai at that time, with a brand like Jumeirah, its commitment to quality, the culture of the organisation in as much as it cared for its colleagues and that urgency, but appropriate level of urgency, for expansion and growth, I think is reflected in what I do today.

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2. Dermod Dwyer
He’s my mother’s cousin. When I was growing up Dermod was president of the Irish Hotels Federation. He’s now chairman of the National Convention Centre in Dublin and he’s a real hospitality entrepreneur. He’s another of my go to people — Dermod from a very young age has been a massive influence on me.

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3. Reto Wittwer
The president and ceo of Kempinski— what Reto taught me was the importance of constantly and positively engaging with everybody around you. Reto can talk to the president of a country and then turn and talk to the waiter who’s serving both of them lunch and either one of them will feel like the most important person in the room.

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4. Danny Meyer
He founded and launched the Union Square Hospitality Group; he’s probably the most prolific restaurateur in the US. My favourite business book of all time is called Setting The Table and it’s something Danny wrote about 15 years ago — I read it every year once a year. He’s a hero I’ve never met.

5. Watch this space! 

I want to keep this fifth position vacant for somebody who's still going to inspire me to the same degree that these four have. I'm always looking for the next [inspiration].