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Florent Humeau

Leah C. Salterio

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1722934859807DSC00287.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Red Planet Hotels CEO Florent Humeau</div>For 17 years now, the French chief executive officer of Red Planet Hotels in the Philippines, Florent Humeau, has resided everywhere except his native France. He has stayed primarily in Asia, where he successfully worked in the hospitality industry.Having been out of France for nearly two decades, Humeau admitted he no longer has his first home. &quot;I never lived in France again,&quot; Humeau told ABS-CBN News. &quot;I&#x27;m not planning to go back. So Philippines is my home now.&quot;&quot;I don&#x27;t view this as an advantage or disadvantage, but rather as an opportunity,&quot; he added. &quot;Being away from my country has allowed me to immerse myself in new cultures, lifestyles, and cuisines.&quot;Growing up in France, Humeau initially dreamed of becoming a chef: &quot;While my career has taken a slightly different path within the hospitality industry, my passion for cooking remains strong.&quot;&quot;Since the age of six, I would cook and set up restaurants at home for my parents. Cooking has always been a love of mine and it continues to be a significant part of my life,&quot; he shared. Balancing work and family time is a priority for Humeau, who is married to an Indonesian whom he met in Seychelles, and with three children who need his attention equally. His three kids are interestingly born in different parts of Asia because of his travels and work -- Phuket and Bangkok in Thailand, and Jakarta in Indonesia. &quot;When you&#x27;re at the helm of a company, it&#x27;s not always possible to discuss challenges with your team,&quot; he said. &quot;That&#x27;s why advice from my wife, my children, and friends is invaluable for successfully leading a company. They offer essential perspectives and support that help guide my decisions.&quot;<div>From lab to hospitality</div>Humeau initially studied science and biology until his first year of university, when he aimed for a career in a laboratory.&quot;However, I soon realized it wasn&#x27;t the right fit for me, so I pivoted to hospitality,&quot; he admitted. &quot;This shift meant starting two years behind to master the fundamentals before pursuing a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management.&quot;&quot;Although I could have continued on to a master&#x27;s degree, I chose to prioritize hands-on experience. That decision led me to Shanghai [China], where I began working with the Accor group,&quot; he added. During the pandemic, the hospitality industry was among the hardest hit globally. Hotel staff couldn&#x27;t come to work as they opted to stay home to protect their families. That was one of the major challenges hotels faced and there was a significant shortage of manpower.&quot;Like many hotels, we accommodated quarantine groups,&quot; recalled Humeau. &quot;Our team operated with very limited staffing, managing high guest volumes and multitasking extensively.&quot; &quot;Thanks to their dedication, we were able to keep our hotels open and pass through that very difficult time.&quot;<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1722934999894Mr. Florent with the Director of Hotel Operations Mr. Ram Millan on the right, Hotel Manager Mr. Razon Mateo and Team.JPG" style="width:3000px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Humeau (center) with his team in the Philippines</div><div>Red Planet Hotels</div>Red Planet Hotels started 12 years ago, according to Humeau, with the first branch in the Philippines located in Angeles, Pampanga. To date, Red Planet Hotels has made Manila as its headquarters. &quot;It was previously based in Bangkok to support our operations across Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines,&quot; said Humeau. &quot;Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we had to close our hotels in Japan and Indonesia. We subsequently shifted our focus back to our core business in the Philippines.&quot;Red Planet Hotels recently opened its flagship hotel in the Philippines at Bonifacio Global City which boasts 245 rooms.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1722934948113BGC The Fort - Facade.jpg" style="width:3000px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Red Planet Hotels&#x27; BGC branch</div>&quot;Our team consists of approximately 200 direct employees, supplemented by an equal number of third-party staff,&quot; Humeau offered. &quot;In the hospitality industry, every day is active for both my team and me, as our commitment to serving guests means we never truly have a time off.&quot;Our hotels maintain an average occupancy rate of 75% daily, with no day being less busy than the other.&quot;When Humeau took over operations in the Philippines, he said &quot;performance was subdued and projections were not promising.&quot; &quot;However, thanks to the diligent efforts of our sales and revenue teams and our hotels teams, we managed to elevate our performance to near pre-pandemic levels and even exceeded them in some properties,&quot; he said. &quot;The true strength of Red Planet lies in our resilient team members, who consistently overcome challenges with determination and innovation.&quot;Red Planet Hotels operates 10 hotels in Manila, with branches in Pampanga, Davao, Cagayan De Oro, and Cebu.Their hotels in Poblacion (Makati), Binondo, and Mabini (Manila) attract a lot of European backpackers.&quot;New opportunities continue to arise in emerging areas with high potential for our brand,&quot; said Humeau. &quot;We are also working on expanding outside Manila such as Visayas and Mindanao.&quot;Working for Red Planet Hotels is &quot;truly fulfilling&quot; for Humeau. &quot;Between Red Planet, my family and my passions, there isn&#x27;t room to do much else,&quot; he asserted.

For 17 years now, the French chief executive officer of Red Planet Hotels in the Philippines, Florent Humeau, has resided everywhere except his native France.

For 17 years now, the French chief executive officer of Red Planet Hotels in the Philippines, Florent Humeau, has resided everywhere except his native France.

This French hotelier calls the Philippines his second home

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This French hotelier calls the Philippines his second home

Leah C. Salterio

Published August 07, 2024 09:00 AM PHT

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