Prescription for success

Englishman Daniel Aylmer's family wanted him to study medicine. As the first son of the family, he labored through pharmacology in Scotland for six months, before he decided to quit.

Aylmer started his career in the hotel industry at the Sheraton in Brussels, Belgium, 18 years ago. "My mom was heartbroken," says the 37-year-old general manager of The Westin Beijing Chaoyang. "But she accepted the fact I was not going to be a doctor."

After the stint in Brussels, the rebellious youth studied hotel management in Switzerland, before working at Sheraton in the US and Westin in Indonesia, before moving on to the Sheraton in Nanjing, China, in 2000. He later worked in Sanya and Suzhou, and came to Beijing in October 2007.

Many people may think 37 is a rather younger age for a general manager of a first class five-star hotel. But when Aylmer became GM at Suzhou Sheraton Hotel, he was just 32. "I thought that was young," he says. "The average age for GMs is early 40s and 50s. But we tend to have younger GMs in Beijing."

He most cherishes receiving former US President George Bush and his family during the Beijing Olympics in the summer of 2008.

"They arrived late, and wanted Peking duck," Aylmer recalls. "They were a very nice family. The father (President Bush Senior) was such a humble man."

Both Bush Senior and Junior always had Chinese food during their stay. In fact, the hotel's Chinese restaurant later named one Cantonese-style fried noodles "Bush noodles", because everybody wanted to taste it after President Bush had it the previous evening.

Aylmer considers receiving the Bush family the greatest experience of his career. "We discussed it for almost a year," he says. "On the first day there was a lot of stress. But once he (President Bush) settled down, we adapted."

They had good photo-taking sessions too. "President Bush said to me: 'Make sure we pay the bill.' And I replied: 'Don't worry, I know where you live'."

They got plenty of media coverage, which was great for a hotel that had opened only in June, 2008. "Since then the market has been good, and we've had a lot of media support," he says. "Receiving Bush sent a signal to the market that we're ready to accommodate everybody."

According to the hotel's marketing department, it has done really well in the past year. But Aylmer's aim is "to be the best in Beijing.

"My biggest assets are the people," he says. "I have a very young team, with most in their early 30s."

The hotel has been receiving celebrities and high-level delegations, has hosted government forums, and enjoys a strong relationship with the embassies, says Aylmer.

"We did a lot of research. We know what celebrities expect," he says. "Today's society is really stressful. We try to make the hotel a place to relax and unwind, so as to get ready for the next day's work."

Aylmer admits that he didn't fall in love with Beijing when he first came here seven years ago. But it has changed so fast, he says. "I love the feel, the soul and heart of Beijing. I love it because it's spread out. There are so many new shopping malls, and hotels. Nobody could pass Tian'anmen Square without a 'wow'."

Each stop in China has left its stamp on him. Nanjing was his first stop and Suzhou was very laidback. Sanya is the future leisure destination of China. "I could live in Suzhou. I could visit Sanya, But I hope I stay a long time in Beijing," he says.

A word he used often when talking to China Daily was "adapt".

"It's very important to learn, respect and adjust," he says. "After 10 years, I am still learning. For example, the art of dining. Building relationship over dinner is like a ballet. You need to know who enters the room first, and who toasts first."

There is certainly the factor of cultural differences. "In the West, we say 'business is not personal'," he says. "But over here, business is very personal.

"China has 3,000 years of culture, the Westerners have a lot to learn from the Chinese, and vice versa."

As to the future, he says after completing five years in Beijing, he'd love to do another place in South China, and maybe later go to Southeast Asia.

"I'm a Beijinger now." And like a Beijinger, he avoids visiting the very crowded Tian'anmen Square and Great Wall during the National Day holidays. His favorite foods are Cantonese dim sum at the hotel restaurant, and spicy Sichuan dishes. He goes for a foot massage once a week, visits the parks, amuses himself at the Silk Market, and loves the Panjiayuan antique market.

Aylmer sets aside at least one day every week to stay with his wife, whom he met in Indonesia and married 10 years ago, and their 3-year-old son, Josh.

"When I look at him, listen to what he says, and hug him, no matter what has happened during the day, I cannot help but smile."

Ye Jun

(China Daily 05/30/2009 page8)