MANY Shanghai hotels are managed by Germans who are veterans in hospitality trade. Three of them were interviewed recently by Shanghai Daily to talk about their past experiences, impression of the city, and the German factor in hotel management.

How long have you been working in hospitality?

Sven Isberg: I started working in the hospitality industry 36 years ago.

Benjamin Zahn: I have been working in the hospitality industry since 1997 and I got my first job in the town I was born — Heidelberg in Germany. After doing some “holiday” jobs in the food and beverage industry during my school years, I went into the sector right after I graduated from high school.

Rüdiger Hollweg: I began my career in October 1977 with an internship in food and beverage, followed by ap­prenticeship in hotel management at Kempinski Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Munich, Germany.

Have you traveled to other over­seas destinations? If yes, how does Shanghai compare?

Sven Isberg: Yes, I have worked in four continents — Asia, Europe, North America and Australia. Shanghai is an amazing city and I truly enjoy being here. Shanghai is charming and full of energy. It is now a well-developed metropolis.

Benjamin Zahn: Yes, I love travelling in Asia and I’m interested in their cul­tures. Shanghai is certainly a heartbeat and very vibrant city in Asia when it comes to hospitality. That is one of the main reasons I came here. Shanghai has a multi-cultural lifestyle and is challenging at the same time for a hote­lier. I am glad I can be part of this.

Rüdiger Hollweg: I have traveled to many countries around the world for professional reasons or for vacations. Shanghai is a gigantic city with large outskirts, many skyscrapers and a young heart on the side of Pudong and some interesting architecture on the side of Puxi. But the most impressive are the cultural elements that make Shanghai the Pearl of the East, like the former French Concession area, shiku­men (stone-gate) lane houses and, of course, the Bund along the Huangpu River.

I see parallels between Shanghai and New York City. The latter has older, more historical skyscrapers, the China­town, the Little Italy, Soho or Tribeca. Both cities have fashionable restaurants and clubs ... they are comparable in many ways.

How long have you worked in Shanghai?

Sven Isberg: I started in March this year at The Langham Shanghai, Xintiandi in the capacity of the hotel managing director. Before this ap­pointment, I was general manager of The Langham, Shenzhen and I worked there for five years from pre-opening.

Benjamin Zahn: Since April 2014, I have been in Shanghai for nearly two and a half years. However, China is not new to me. This country has an amazing culture. I worked in Beijing before — from 2008 to 2012.

Rüdiger Hollweg: I have been working in China since January 2014 when I was named general manager of our property in Sanya Haitang Bay and I joined Grand Kempinski Shanghai in May this year.

Could you describe the develop­ment of Shanghai’s hospitality industry during your time here?

Sven Isberg: Though I have been in Shanghai for only six months, I am not new to China as my previous postings allowed me to work in this country for 17 years. My observation is that Shanghai is a dynamic met­ropolitan city after over two decades of steadfast growth and full-scale infrastructure development. The city is thriving in all aspects. The hospi­tality industry is no exception. It has boomed and will further flourish, not only because foreign visitors are at­tracted to the city but more domestic travelers are flocking to the city as well. As the Chinese middle class is growing exponentially, we are pretty sure that they will make a significant contribution to Shanghai’s hospitality industry.

Benjamin Zahn: During my time here, a significant amount of new rooms was supplied to the market. Competi­tion is getting more and more intense with great new products. But I like challenges and this is not a problem for me. Apart from a lot of new hotels and hospitality brands entering the market, the amount of new F&B con­cepts developed here in a short time is pretty impressive.

Rüdiger Hollweg: The new Disney Resort should help us to develop more leisure business for weekends and Chinese holidays, which have been in the past holes for our occupancy, as we usually cater mainly for business­men and conference business.

What are the qualities a German like you want to bring to China?

Sven Isberg: As much as I am very hesitant to generalize characteristics by nationality, it could be discipline. I believe this is the major trait of Germans in general and they have demonstrated it well when they work here in China.

I am from Hamburg, Germany. I am business-oriented, fair, respectful and straightforward in my management style. Having said that, different in­dividuals have different management styles, and it also happens to Germans.

Benjamin Zahn: Without sounding too arrogant and being a down-to-earth German, I think I can contribute to the hospitality industry in this beautiful country. This means I will not only en­sure the hotel meets the international standards our guests expect and stays innovative in services, but also assist my Chinese staff to grow and fulfill their career dreams by actively sharing my experiences. I place an emphasis on punctuality, perfectionism, discipline, eye for details, dedication and passion for the job.

Rüdiger Hollweg: I think we Germans are very reliable and hardworking people, creative and work with a plan and a long-term strategy.

Do you think being German makes you well suited to the hospitality industry?

Sven Isberg: I must say it is the apprenticeship which is part of Germany’s dual education system that gave me a solid foundation to work in the hospitality industry. Without the apprenticeship, it is almost impos­sible to find a job in Germany. There are hundreds of recognized trades in Germany that require apprenticeship. They include almost every profession from banker, dispensing optician to plumber or even builder.

The dual system means that appren­tices spend 75 percent of their time in companies and the rest at schools. Depending on the profession, they may work three to four days a week in a company and spend one or two days at a vocational school (Beruf­sschule). This is usually the case for craftspeople.

Other professions may require more theoretical learning and their work/school time has a 12- to 18-week inter­val. Vocational schools have been part of the German education system since the 19th century. I am a beneficiary of the German apprenticeship system. It gave me confidence and skills to start a career in the hospitality industry.

Benjamin Zahn: I think it is prob­ably our dedication and willingness to sacrifice a lot at workplace that explains why a lot of Germans work in the hospitality industry. For me, I love serving people, creating memorable experiences, and doing something special for guests. This keeps me going every single day. The customer service industry also requires a lot of German attributes such as discipline, straightforwardness, honesty with re­spect, dedication, and perfectionism. That’s probably why you find so many Germans work in this industry.

Rüdiger Hollweg: It is the ability to understand and adapt to differ­ent cultures, to be accepted for our values like honesty and straight­forwardness. It is also our ability to easily pick up the language, our sensitivity and understanding in dealing with team members of many nationalities, and our persistence to achieve long-term goals.