Svein Arild Mevold blant Topp 20 i europeisk reiseliv

De europeiske HSMAI-prisene ble utdelt i Amsterdam tirsdag kveld, med topp stemning, dansende gjester, utsøkt underholdning, mat, drikke og, men ikke minst, prisvinnere i verdensklasse – og nå er  Top 20 vinnerlisten offisielt sluppet. Der finner vi Norges egen Svein Arild Mevold, administrerende direktør i Scandic Hotels Norge.

Det ble i år lansert nye kriterier, som gir rom for anerkjennelse av det samlede spekteret av kommersielle ledere i hele bransjen, som går hånd i hånd med HSMAIs øvrige initiativer, Winning for Customers – The Service Pledge og The HSMAI Day.

Topp 20-listen kommer i år  til å «leve» året gjennom, og HSMAI-medlemmer og bransjefolk vil få flere anledninger til å møte flere av lederne på listen, under HSMAI-dagene, som arrangeres rundt om i Europa i løpet av høsten, hvor de enkelte av Top 20-lederne har sin base, inkludert Oslo og London i september, der de vil være invitert til å dele av sine rikholdige erfaringer som ledere, både de vellykkede og de mindre vellykkede.

– Stolt og ydmyk

– Dette er en liste det er all grunn til å være stolt og ydmyk over å få være en del av. Tusen takk til juryen, for at dere fant plass til meg blant så mange dyktige reiselivsfolk i Europa, som hver dag er til inspirasjon i mitt eget arbeid. Vi arbeider med mennesker, for mennesker, og dette gir et ordentlig energi-kick for videre utvikling av Scandic og meg selv, sier han i et uttalelse til HSMAI.

I nominasjonen av Svein Arild Mevold heter det – ordrett gjengitt – blant annet at:

Head of Scandic Hotels Norway, Svein Arild Steen-Mevold, has lead the company successfully through the largest expansion in the Norwegian hotel history. While most large-scale change processes involve uncertainty and a dip in results, Steen-Mevold has secured better employee satisfaction and stronger financial results every year.

In addition, Steen-Mevold has taken the position as a thought leader, working to strengthen the position of the entire Norwegian hotel industry. He started out as a chef apprentice and has worked his way to the top, making him a great source of inspiration for both chefs and hotel managers across the industry. He is committed to leading the way in an industry which is rapidly changing, and he is involved in building the local communities where Scandic is present. He sits on the board of NHO (Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise, the main representative organisation for Norwegian employers) as the first ever board member representing the travel industry and he is Chairman of the Board of the Norwegian Travel Forum. He also plays an active part in industry discussions in the media, and featured in 212 articles in 2017.

In January 2018, Steen-Mevold won the prize Pathfinder of the Year at the Norwegian HSMAI awards, and Manager of the Year at Grand Travel Awards. The juries highlight his ability to create one of the largest and fastest growing hotel companies in Norway in less than four years, a development few believed was possible a couple of years back. They also point to his ability to create a great workplace for all employees, benefitting customers every day.

In 2014, Scandic Hotels acquired the Norwegian hotel chain Rica Hotels. After the acquisition, Scandic’s coverage increased from 19 to 84 hotels in Norway, becoming the second largest hotel chain in the country. Steen-Mevold was faced with the challenge of integrating the Rica and Scandic cultures in a way that would build trust and satisfaction among customers and employees.

Steen-Mevold’s approach to employee communication illustrates why he has succeeded so well as country manager. He practiced openness and closeness with his employees. He balanced motivational, honest and frequent communication, and was never afraid to talk about challenges with his team. In addition, he encouraged feedback from employees in all change processes, and regarded every success at the result of a team effort. This leadership approach nurtured employees’ trust and faith in management, and created a culture where employees are proud of their workplace and strive to create great customer experiences every day.

The annual employee survey, “VOICE”, shows a strong faith in Scandic’s leadership team. Throughout the change process, this has increased every year. The number of employees who have responded to the survey has also increased year by year, to 96 percent participation in 2017. In addition, the financial results have been impressive, and both revenue and adjusted EBITDA have increased every year, thanks to increasingly streamlined operations.

Steen-Mevold has all along focused on developing the best of Rica and of Scandic; namely people and breakfast, to offer guests the best experience. Rica had for years been renowned for Norway’s best breakfast. Scandic has succeeded in preserving and developing Norway’s ultimate breakfast, and Opinion’s annual brand survey shows that in 2016 and 2017 the Norwegian people consider Scandic to be Norway’s #1 breakfast hotel. In 2017 Scandic won the unofficial Norwegian breakfast championship.

Og her er det bare å istemme – og gratulere!

Nye kriterier

De nye kriteriene er, ordrett gjengitt:

The HSMAI Region Europe Awards 2017 will recognize the people deserving to be awarded for their great work in Hospitality, travel, and tourism this year. Join us to celebrate the Europe’s Top 20 Extraordinary minds and contributors to the industry of Commercial & Revenue Optimization Leaders.

– Reiselivsbransjen trenger kreative tenkere og innovatører. De som er nominert til denne listen, har også gitt uvurderlige bidrag til bransjen som sådan, ikke utelukkende til egne virksomheter, sier Ingunn Hofseth, administrerende direktør i HSMAI Region Europe.

Du finner hele Top 20-listen, og øvrige vinnere, på denne siden.

Topp underholdning

Kveldens underholdning ble besørget av Alejandro Fuentes og Needmusic, som i høyeste grad bidro til den gode stemningen. Førstnevnte skulle det ikke være nødvendig å presentere nærmere, men ikke alle kjenner norske Needmusic, et management for DJs, musikalske konsepter og studioproduksjoner, som designer konsepter og show basert på kundens behov – bestående av produsenter, musikere, DJs og Art Directors, med et stort nasjonalt og internasjonalt nettverk.

Sammen fikk de mange av festdeltagerne ut på dansegulvet.

Toppfoto: Administrerende direktør Svein Arild Steen-Mevold i Scandic Hotels Norge. Foto fra NHO Reiseliv.