Welcome to our New Year Edition

Very best wishes for a happy and successful year ahead from the Profile team, in London, Paris, Shanghai and New York! I, for one, am very optimistic about 2011 based on the feedback we’ve been receiving from our friends all over the globe.

An eminent hotelier looks to his youngest daughter to carry on his legacy. David and Kate Levin spoke to Leader’s Gina McAdam about the transition to a new generation.

Innovating Essentials - MPS Puri

From Mauritius to Manila, Manvinder Puri, CEO of Nira Hotels & Resorts, is creating luxury boutique havens in exotic locations, each aiming to convey a natural approach to hospitality.

A Career Peak - Ian Graham

Ian Graham spent almost half his life in the world of corporate hotels, including regional roles in Sheraton ITT & Bass Hotels & Resorts. A chartered accountant, he was unafraid to chart new territory when he set up his own business, Hotel Solutions Partnership, eight years ago.

The Good Manager - Neil Kirby

Neil Kirby travelled up to London to talk about his life, his book, and his very own hotel. He bares all to Leader’s Gina McAdam.

Being Magnificent - Ronen Nissenbaum

As the Senior Executive Vice President of Operations at Marina Bay Sands, Ronen Nissenbaum plays an active role in a premier destination that has set new benchmarks and created waves in the hospitality sector. The industry veteran tells Leader how Marina Bay Sands has achieved so much in such a short time.

Like Minds - Will Smith & Anthony Demetre

Since opening their dramatic Parissien brasserie in London’s Covent Garden three months ago, all manner of cognoscenti have heaped praises on front-of-house/chef partners Will Smith and Anthony Demetre. They spoke to Gina McAdam and Jayne Lintern before showtime.

At Ease - Michael Shepherd

The popular GM of the iconic London Hilton on Park Lane is inspired by sunsets in the Mediterranean and keeps a stack of unread books marked ‘promise’ by his bed.

Oxford Brookes Bacchus Mentoring - Judie Gannon

Dr Judie Gannon is the programme co-ordinator for the Bacchus Mentoring programme in the Department of Hospitality Leisure and Tourism Management at Oxford Brookes University. Dr Gannon explains how it all started, and reveals how the programme helps final year undergraduates ease into their future careers.

Academy of Food & Wine Service - Sophie Brown

Sophie Roberts-Brown, Executive Director of The Academy of Food and Wine Service, is set on elevating the image of front of house personnel. The time is ripe, the Academy knows it, and all eyes are on the new year.

The Pursuit of Perfect - Tal Ben-Shahar

Here’s what Philippe Leboeuf, GM of Mandarin Oriental Paris, scheduled to open in 2011, recommended we read. Leader dipped in.