backLéon Raaijmaakers
General Manager at Holiday Inn Gent Expo
For anyone wishing to pursue a career in the hospitality industry IHTTI is a fantastic starting point!
Mr. Léon Raaijmaakers is currently the General Manager at Holiday Inn Gent Expo, which is part of the InterContinental Hotels Group. He is also an Alumni of IHTTI.
After graduating with Honours from IHTTI Léon launched his career within InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in their hotel in Geneva. He later moved to the chain Renaissance Hotel & Resorts where he occupied different positions in different countries up to the level of Executive Assistant Manager. “Within Renaissance Hotel & Resorts, which later on became part of Marriott International, I experienced a wide range of activities, such as a pre-opening, opening and rebranding of some of their hotels in Europe. This was a period of gaining so much knowledge and skills as I was given and grasping every opportunity.”
Léon later re-joined the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) as Executive Assistant Manager at the American Hotel Amsterdam in order to broaden his experience further. “In that position, besides being the Assistant of the General Manager, I also was responsible for the Food & Beverage Department of this high volume hotel. After a year and a half, I became E.A.M. in charge of their Rooms Division Department. During this time I could experience the renovation and rebranding of this landmark hotel in Amsterdam. After the successful completion of the renovation, I was asked by my General Manager to manage the Sales & Marketing Department, which I did for a year. Thanks to the confidence my GM’s gave me, I was truly able to develop myself and get the big picture of overall hotel operations and enhancing my managerial skills of the business and at the same time grow the business in the hotels with the teams I had.”
In August 2002 Léon was transferred to another brand within the InterContinental Hotels Group at the Holiday Inn Brussels Airport in Belgium as Executive Assistant Manager. During this assignment he was asked twice to return to the Netherlands to manage on two occasions on an interim basis two different Crowne Plaza hotels in Amsterdam, which are also part of IHG. “These exciting assignments resulted in the appointment of my current role as General Manager at the Holiday Inn Gent Expo.”
According to Léon, IHTTI gave him the excellent foundation in a multi-cultural and encouraging environment to build up his career in the hospitality industry. “I have fond memories of the time I spent in Neuchâtel. For anyone wishing to pursue a career in the hospitality industry IHTTI is a fantastic starting point!”