Ron Hilvert first arrived in the UAE in 1978, and has witnessed many changes. Ron Hilvert first arrived in the UAE in 1978, and has witnessed many changes.

The Academy conducts surveys every year asking why students chose to join the college, and the trends have gone exactly the way he expected. In the early years, the answers ranged from: ‘because it’s part of Jumeirah’, ‘because it’s in Dubai’, or ‘because it’s linked to Lausanne’. The most recent survey has put ‘academic reputation’ in second place. Hilvert says with pride: “That shows the direction of the college is absolutely correct. So that must be the obsession of whoever comes in here after me, so that when people think in five years’ time, ‘where am I going to study hospitality in the world?’ and when they think of Cornell and Lausanne, they will think of The Emirates Academy in the same breath. We’re not quite there yet, but we’re well on that path.”

He also advises in favour of growing the alumni association of EAHM, as well as developing and improving relationships with the hospitality industry — especially in the lead-up to Expo 2020.

Hilvert muses: “The Academy has to think, ‘ok we’re 20 in five years, is it possible to have our name associated with another college in another country, as Lausanne has done?’ For example, there would be a lot of logic in looking at colleges that are natural feeders to the Gulf — the Philippines, India, and the countries that bring us thousands and thousands of human resources.

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“Could we in some way get involved there at the roots? On the academic side, who knows — should we consider a tourism degree? Why not, it’s possible. Should we consider a degree in retail goods? Maybe. Should we consider a degree in event management? Maybe.

“But above all, I would hate it if — it won’t be my decision of course — the culture of this academy would go. Because that is the strength of this college.”

Hilvert is clearly passionate about what he has built; leaving is hard. The hotelier has the opportunity, again in collaboration with Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, to be the MD of a new hotel school — linked to 120 hotel rooms and 120 apartments in Manila, Philippines.

“That was an opportunity that I could not not consider. Because I was so transparent and advised Jumeirah many months ago that these negotiations were taking place, Jumeirah has been fantastic. It’s an exciting opportunity, the project is under construction. Because we are with Lausanne, it will be a sister school to this. So my relationship with EAHM will not change, and there’s a very strong chance that once we open there, the students from my new school will come here.

“From a personal point of view, it gives me a chance, on the basis that I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished here, to accomplish the same in Asia. A formal media launch is expected in March, at which time more information will be revealed.”

Now with nearly 50 years in the industry, Hilvert cannot recommend it enough. “Where else are you going to travel the world from the time you’re 18? In most industries, you have to work for a company for 10 years before you travel. I went to Lausanne at 18, lived in 15 countries, and travelled to 120 countries — which other industry can you do that in? Not many. And where do you meet people like in this industry?

“It’s been a fantastic journey. I’ve been truly privileged to have worked with Gerald Lawless — we’re the only two left of the original team — on the launch of what became Jumeirah, and particularly 15 years ago when I got the go-ahead to be the founding managing director of the Academy. It’s been an interesting journey, and I leave with a lot of sadness, but I also leave with tremendous satisfaction because I know that we’re now firmly established as one of the world’s leading free-standing hotel schools.”

Goodbye Ron Hilvert, and thank you.