Prior to joining Boston East India, James was a group
marketing head and then a partner with Casa Boutique Hotels and General Manager
at Casa Colvale in Goa. Under James’ leadership, Casa Colvale rose from
obscurity to become one of the top vacation resorts and spas in India and the
aspirational Goa destination for India’s celebrities and industrialists.
He started his career with The Appco Group, the world’s
leading direct sales and marketing company with more than eight hundred
locations in twenty-five countries on five continents. At the company, he
pioneered loyalty card marketing for the hospitality industry and headed a
group with over six hundred sales staff in eleven offices across the United
Kingdom. He also worked for the company in France and as the Marketing Head for
India.
A graduate of Harrow School in London, James studied law
at the University of London. He is fluent in English and French and is
certified under the Hilton Garden Inn University General Manager Program and
has received a certificate of recognition in operations from Hilton Worldwide.
After living in India for nearly a decade, James moved to
the United States in October 2013 to handle his responsibilities out of the
company’s headquarters in the Boston area.
Hear what James has to say about his role with Boston
East India Hotels and his background in the hotel industry:
Describe your job in five words or less.
Unpredictable, exhilarating, unconventional, fast-paced
and entertaining
How long have you worked in hospitality?
I spent the first twelve years of my career working in
marketing for a large London based company. I crossed over into hospitality in
2007 while living in India when I got the opportunity to become marketing head
for Casa Boutique Hotels, a group of luxury boutique hotels in Goa. I was
fortunate to head up some beautiful properties during my time in Goa, including
Casa Colvale, which became one of the most highly rated lifestyle hotels in
India under my tenure. Hospitality has been in my blood for a lot longer, my
family own and manage a small hotel and golf course in the Loire Valley, one of
the most scenic areas of France, a couple of hours drive from Paris.
What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
The toughest part of my job is controlling my enthusiasm
for all the incredible opportunities to purchase gorgeous hotels in stunning
locations here in the United States and globally. If we had unlimited capital I
would be buying hotels every week, but I have to be patient and pick the
opportunities that will give us the greatest potential for delivering fantastic
investor returns and the best experience for our guests.
What is the best part of working for Boston East India
Hotels?
Working with such an accomplished and experienced team of
hospitality professionals is a real privilege and gives me the confidence and
motivation to keep pushing every day to grow the company. The travel and
excitement of doing hotel deals in fascinating places all over the globe is a
big plus too!
What are the short-term goals for your job?
Short term, I want to keep our projects, conversion and
operations teams incredibly busy over the next twelve months by closing six
more hotel deals. We have a very strong pipeline of projects in the U.S., U.K.
and South Asia which will quickly translate into a great portfolio of lifestyle
hotels for such a young company.
What are the long-term goals for your job?
My long term goal is to help build the world’s best
portfolio of lifestyle hotels under the Troca Hotel’s flag. I believe that with
the team we have built over the last couple of years we have an opportunity to
compete with and outperform the larger brands in the lifestyle segment and
develop a world class brand.
You made a big move to the United States to join Boston
East India Hotels. What is your favorite thing so far about living in the
United States?
The best part of moving to the United States is there is so
much to see and do. After ten years of living in India, the long winter in
Boston was very exciting for my kids who had never seen snow before and we made
the most of the fantastic skiing in New England. We are now looking forward to
an equally fun summer with so many interesting places to visit.
Who is a Troca Traveler to you?
A Troca Traveler is someone who knows what they like and
need to ensure a luxurious stay in exciting locations around the world without
the need for endless marble bathrooms and cookie cutter experiences that most
luxury brands offer today. The Troca Traveler wants an authentic experience and
prefers to be surprised by a unique aspect of our hotels or by our people going
above and beyond their expectations, rather than knowing what they will get
before they walk through the door.
Do you remember the first time you spent the night in a
hotel? How old were you and where was it?
My earliest hotel memory is at a small beautiful ski
hotel called Les Roches Fleuries. We would stay every year and I felt like I
grew up with some of the fantastic staff.
What is your favorite place to travel to?
I spent a lot of time backpacking and traveling around Southern
and Eastern Africa and I can’t wait to take my kids on extended trips to that
fascinating part of the world.
What is your most surefire travel tip?
Be safe but not too safe when it comes to exploring the
world. There are too many incredible experiences that can be missed if you
stick to the beaten track.
