Ennismore

• Spearheading the launch of Asia’s first Mama Shelter, the renowned Paris-born lifestyle brand known for its bold design, community-driven spaces, and playful approach to hospitality.
• Overseeing all pre-opening phases, including recruitment, operations, branding, and commercial strategy, to ensure a seamless opening and a guest experience that fully reflects the brand’s creative and energetic identity.

General Manager

Shangri-La Group

Award-winning luxury hotel - the Shangri-La Group’s first hotel property - with 792 guest rooms in 3 distinct wings; 127 off-site serviced apartments and 55 condominium residences; 8 dining outlets, 14 function rooms for events up to 1,200 guests.

• Managed entire hotel operations, leading a team of over 900 employees to drive elevated performance and guest satisfaction.
• Earned top ranking as the leading customer service provider in Singapore’s Best Customer Service survey by The Straits Times and Statista for 2023/2024 and 2024/2025.
• Recognized as the No. 1 hotel in Singapore by Condé Nast Traveller’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards (UK), and named Best Business Hotel in Singapore in the 2024 Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Awards and one of Tatler Best Hotels Asia for 2024.
• Origin Bar secured the No. 32 spot in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024.

Hotel Manager

Apple

Apple Orchard Road (2019-2022); Apple Marina Bay Sands (2022-2023)
Global Flagship stores with 500 employees across both stores.

• Oversaw the delivery of fiscal and CSAT goals across multiple channels, including Sales, Service, B2B and Education via the popular Today at Apple program.
• Successfully delivered multiple Apple product launches and collaborated in global pilot programs.
• Rolled out new leadership coaching model and approach.
• Important contributor to the openings of Apple Jewel Changi Airport and Apple Marina Bay Sands, and to the expansion of Apple Orchard Road.
• Effectively led teams through the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic, including managing store closure and reopening, and upskilling staff to enhance support for online retail operations.

Store Leader

• Key partner in the delivery of the extensive renovation of the property’s 503-guest room Tower Wing.
• Developed and led the implementation of a hotel-wide Family Experience and Wellness initiative, in line with the company’s strategic vision to enhance its reputation as a leading family-friendly destination.
• Established and chaired the hotel’s CSR Committee, tasked with building partnerships with various local community service organizations.
• Oversaw other Shangri-La properties’ General Management as and when required.

The Peninsula Hotels

Hong Kong’s most iconic luxury hotel and The Peninsula Hotels group's flagship property with 297 guest rooms; 10 dining outlets; 80-tenant retail arcade and office tower.

• Responsible for ensuring unparalleled service and customer experiences, leading a team of over 900 employees.
• Headed the final phase of complete guest room renovation and development of new conference centre and Bridal Salon.
• Coordinated the Hotel's 85th Anniversary celebrations, which included a 12-month calendar of special events and culminated in final birthday gala for 2,000 guests.

Resident Manager

One&Only Resorts

Leading luxury resort with 162 guest suites and 1 private villa, all with 24-hour butler service; 4 dining outlets; Gary Player-designed 9-hole golf course; wellness and recreational facilities.

• Spearheaded all resort operations, leading a team of 600 employees to deliver exceptional customer experiences.
• Developed and opened cutting-edge grill concept to replace former contemporary French restaurant by Michelin-starred Chef Alain Ducasse.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Opening
118 guest rooms; 11 dining outlets, 6 function rooms for events up to 1,100 guests and off-site catering functions for up to 600 guests.

• Opened and managed one of the largest Food and Beverage operations of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, leading a team of 270 employees.
• On Task Force at Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt), supported operations in the absence of a Director of Food and Beverage.

Director of Food and Beverage; Assistant Director of Food and Beverage (Pre-opening)

365 guest rooms, 72 long-stay suites and 59 private condominium residences with 510 employees.
9 dining outlets, 6 function rooms for events up to 1,000 guests and off-site catering functions for up to 1,200 guests.

Assistant Director of Food and Beverage

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.

366 guest rooms; 2 dining outlets, premium Club Lounge, 6 function rooms for events up to 1,200 guests.

• Hosted The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company 2004 International Food and Beverage and Purchasing Convention.
• On Task Force at The Ritz-Carlton Resort Laguna Niguel (California, USA), assisted Banquet department and opened 170-seat Californian restaurant.

Assistant Director of Food and Beverage; Director of Banquets

12 function rooms for events up to 600 guests and off-site catering functions for up to 1,500 guests.
Award-winning 107-seat French fine dining restaurant, 90-seat lounge and 32-seat all-day dining café.

Banquet Manager; Fountain Restaurant Manager; Swann Lounge & Cafe Manager

Acting Beverage Manager

244 guest rooms and 93 private condominium residences; 72-seat American restaurant, Chef’s Table and 82-seat lounge.

Park 75 Restaurant and Lounge Manager; Room Service Manager

376 guest rooms; 3 dining outlets, 11 function rooms for events up to 400 guests and off-site catering functions for up to 1,500 guests.

Assistant Chief Steward; Assistant Room Service Manager

Assistant Room Service Manager

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group

Food and Beverage Intern

With over 25 years in luxury hospitality and retail, I have built a career dedicated to crafting memorable guest experiences through strategic vision and hands-on leadership.

Passionate about excellence at every touchpoint, I am committed to driving guest satisfaction, operational success, and profitability.

Leading and inspiring diverse teams across cultures has been a defining highlight, as I believe great leadership unlocks potential, fosters collaboration, and delivers lasting impressions.

Scott Eddy’s words resonate deeply.

In hospitality, we often talk about guest experience, design, or sales and marketing strategies. But the real foundation has always been people.

I have learned time and again that when teams feel trusted, valued, and celebrated, everything else follows naturally: service becomes authentic, culture becomes magnetic, and loyalty becomes lasting.

Hospitality is not complicated. It is human.
And it deserves leaders who never forget that.

Anything less than valuing people is not leadership, it is just management.

#hospitality #leadership #people

Xavier Pougnard

General Manager | Luxury & Lifestyle Hospitality Leader | Former Apple Leader

I’m embarrassed.

Not embarrassed of who I am or what I do, but embarrassed that my job even exists in the way it does.

I’m embarrassed that in 2025 I still have to walk into hotels and train managers how to treat employees like human beings. Think about that. In an industry that prides itself on service, I still have to teach executives to listen to their staff, to reward talent, to respect people. This isn’t leadership, it’s babysitting. And the truth is, the reason turnover is destroying this industry is because leaders refuse to do the most basic thing: value their people.

I’m embarrassed that I have to sit across from boards and remind them that social media isn’t a distraction, it isn’t an afterthought, and it sure as heck isn’t something you pawn off to the intern. Social media is the storefront of your brand. It’s the first handshake with your guest. It’s where trust is built or lost. And in 2025, I still hear executives say things like “we don’t need TikTok” or “LinkedIn doesn’t matter.” Meanwhile, their competitors are cashing in because they actually understand attention is the supply chain.

I’m embarrassed that I still have to tell brands to be human when they communicate. You’d think by now that hospitality companies would understand nobody connects with stock photos, empty slogans, or robotic campaigns. People connect with people. They connect with your staff, with your culture, with your values. But instead, most brands are still hiding behind corporate noise, terrified to show the messy, real, human side that actually drives loyalty.

And here’s the real problem: none of this is complicated. None of this is groundbreaking. This is the most basic playbook for running a business that serves people. And yet the industry keeps failing.

Hospitality is supposed to be the most human business in the world. Travel is supposed to be about connection. But we’ve got leaders who treat their employees like disposable parts, leaders who dismiss the single biggest marketing tool in existence, and leaders who think a brand story is something you slap on a brochure.

I do this work because I love this industry. I want to see it thrive. But the fact that I even have a job doing this should be an embarrassment to every executive who has ignored the obvious for this long.

So let me be clear. If you run a travel brand and you’re still waiting for someone like me to tell you the obvious, you’re already behind. The brands that win in the next five years will be the ones that finally stop treating fundamentals like revelations and start acting like leaders.

Treat your employees like superstars. Take social media as seriously as you take your bottom line. Tell stories that actually mean something. And if you can’t do that, then step aside, because your guests, your employees, and your competition won’t wait for you to catch up.

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If you like the way I look at the world of hospitality, let’s chat: scott@mrscotteddy.com

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