FOR OVER 15 years Philippe Frugère has travelled the world, working and managing five-star hotels in various destinations.
He had been based in Switzerland, North Africa, USA, Mauritius, Maldives and Oman, where in most of the properties he said he had worked alongside some Filipino colleagues and staff—experiences that made him confident and keen in accepting a new post in the Philippines, as new general manager of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino. The French hotelier assumed the role in June this year.
“I have worked with Filipinos from across the globe and I trust in this country’s culture. I am (also) convinced that the Waterfront is an exceptional product,” he said, adding that the competence of the staff will push them forward in to achieving their targets, which among others includes new promotions for their dining outlets and renovations of their banquet facilities.
A native of southern France, Philippe shared that at a young age he was inspired by his hometown’s strong tourism and throng of festivities. He said, “I was exposed to casinos, conventions and events, and right from the beginning, I knew that I always wanted to be part of such exciting industry. I graduated from a hospitality school in France and started my career immediately right after.”
Over the course of his career, Philippe had been part of renowned hotel properties such as the InterContinental Hotels Group and Kerzner International’s One & Only Resorts. Prior to joining Waterfront, he was general manager in Sun Hotels & Resorts, a chain of luxury hotels in Maldives.
To thrive in this industry, Philippe advised, it requires not only knowledge and experience, but also communication skills and sociability—two traits that the amicable hotelier himself, who also happens to be a leisure golfer, possesses as well.
While he is all set to bring in a new kind of global flare to the Waterfront, he is likewise looking forward to exploring what the locality and his new home has in store for him.
“Cebu is a nice city that is developing in all aspects. I find Cebuanos to be very friendly and progressive,” Philippe said, “(And) after hearing about the beautiful beaches and seaside here, I definitely want to visit it during my free time. In my previous assignment, I was in an island in the Indian Ocean—(this time) it would be nice to see what the Philippines also has to offer.”