Jeanette has extensive experience in maximising business and operational performance in single site and multi-site leisure spa operations.
She spent 14 years at Inter-Continental Hotels where she led the UK&I spa operation, two years at Chardon Management (latterly Interstate) where she led spa division and undertook a full rebrand of the function, and nine years at McDonald Hotels where she was responsible for 24 spas and 18 health clubs.
Jeanette has successfully delivered 11 multi-million pound spa & health club new builds and refurbishments for clients including Andrew Brownsword Hotels (two projects), Macdonald Hotels (seven projects), and Intercontinental Hotels Group (two projects).
What’s your career highlight to date?
On one hand it could be starting my career with IHG as a single site Spa & Health Club Manager, progressing over time to a Regional Manager position before finally becoming Head of UK Operations being responsible for the operation and profitability of 49 Spas and Health Clubs.
Or a more recent highlight has been setting up my own Spa & Leisure Consultancy company which has thrived over the last 7 years despite the challenges we all experienced in the pandemic.
However, my ongoing career highlight really is still being able to work in an industry that I love and remain passionate about. In a job that is both varied and exciting, that not only ensures ongoing personal growth but also enables me to develop, support and cultivate new talent.
When did you fall in love with hospitality?
Inspired initially by the people I have worked with and the people I worked for.
By nature, I love sport and I am competitive, I have a real desire for continuous improvement in whatever capacity. ‘How can we do that better’ is a mantra I live by.
However, the Hotel GM I worked for in my first management position truly inspired me and helped me ‘fall in love’ with the industry. By his constant desire to want to better and enhance the customer experience in everything that he did. He encouraged me to constantly ‘think out of the box’ and made me want to be the best ambassador I could possibly be for the industry.
What one item do you never travel without?
Running shoes – ‘Healthy Body Healthy Mind’