From Dream to Reality: Benjamin Ferry's Hospitality Career Journey

The Spark of Inspiration

I’d always wanted to work in hospitality since I was 10 years old.  We had an amazing family holiday in Thailand that year and I remember just being blown away by the hotel that my parents took us to.  My very first job in hotels was with IHG!

Fast forward almost two decades and I’m now Director of Commercial for IHG in our Australasia and the Pacific division. As a role, it’s all about how we unlock the potential that exists in our teams and commercial leaders at each property.  Performance ultimately comes down to numbers, but my focus is really on the individuals that get us there.

The job not only spans 44 hotels and several brands, but also a lot of diverse cultures and ways of working too. I’ve learnt to be mindful of different cultural nuances, differing markets, and how we can we drive success across the region through tailoring key initiatives.

Embracing Unexpected Opportunities

When I look back over my career, I’m always amazed at how far I’ve come, and at the sometimes-unexpected twists and turns. Many of the opportunities I’ve been given have come from keeping my transferable skills sharp and being ready to try something new.  A case in point came in 2008 when the Revenue Manager at our hotel moved on to another opportunity, and I - as a self-professed nerd around things like Microsoft Excel and Systems - was seen as a good candidate to manage things during the change. This ultimately led me towards the world of revenue management.

Cultural Insights and Learnings

In 2014, another great opportunity arose - this time, to move over to InterContinental Fiji.  So, I left Sydney and went to live and work on this beautiful beach in the middle of the South Pacific; literally, the definition of paradise.  It was a tough gig, but someone had to do it!

After two years in Fiji, I moved to a role as Area Director of Revenue for Tokyo, based at the iconic ANA InterContinental.  I found it a culture shock going from an island in the middle of nowhere to one of the biggest and busiest cities in the world, but the skills that I picked up in Fiji around communication really served me well and helped me gel with the incredible team there.

In 2017, I took up a role in the Middle East at the InterContinental Abu Dhabi.  Not only is it incredibly cosmopolitan there, but everything just moves at a pace that I don't think is replicated in many other markets.  This brought extra challenges but also helped me expand the skills that I could deploy in terms of making an impact to the business.

It also continued to give me a good understanding of what's important to different cultures, which I’ve been able to bring with me back to Australia for subsequent roles.  Things like having respect for when Ramadan is on, being mindful of team members that are fasting, and even going out to celebrate with them when they break their fast at a team Iftar.  It’s all about how we can bring that culture back to our own home and make everybody richer for it.

Adaptability and Growth

Jumping forward to April 2020, I planned to go back to InterContinental Fiji to live and work in paradise once again as the Area Director of Sales and Marketing, but of course, Covid hit, and I ended up back in Australia.

I sometimes think about what it takes to be successful, and so often it comes down to being willing to throw yourself in at the deep end and seize opportunities when they arise. That’s the pattern I see when I look back on the shape of my career, which in many ways has been a very squiggly one.  Was I always 100% qualified to do that role on day one?  No, maybe not, but at each new turn, I always stepped into roles with a confidence and boldness that carried me through those first uncertain weeks to a point where I was on the right track.

That confidence was born from knowing the leaders at IHG always had my back.  I think IHG is a place which really gives you the support and the encouragement to pivot and progress, and the business has certainly helped me to grow throughout my career.  Here, it’s as much about hiring for attitude and personality as it is for the resume.  I see plenty of people out there who say, “I won't even apply for the role because I don't think I'm capable,” to which I always would tell them, you don’t know unless you try - you have to back yourself!  And even if you don't get the job, you're going to get some great feedback from the interview process which will help you develop for future roles.

I haven’t been immune to that feeling of imposter syndrome, though, especially when it has come to stepping into completely new roles, but at every stage I have found external validation from IHG leadership and been given the tools I need to upskill and progress.  I’d say one of my proudest moments to come out of all this was being awarded the Commercial Leader of the Year for the region in 2022 - and then suddenly you don’t feel like an imposter anymore!

I’ve spoken about leadership and how that has positively impacted my career, but just as important has been the power of a great team: it’s everything.  And as a leader, keeping up the team morale and energy is a huge part of the job, so at Friday drinks we’ll make room for personal stuff, but it's also about celebrating the wins of the week.  My success as a leader is directly related to the success of my team, so it’s about making them feel good, listening to whatever they have to say, and making sure they always feel heard.

Looking Ahead and Future Aspirations

I have a great work/life balance right now, but I do miss working on property, so I’ve recently been partaking in IHG's Journey to General Manager programme, building towards going back on property full time as a GM for one of our hotels somewhere in the world.  It has been an amazing journey so far - and definitely not a linear one - so I’m very excited to see where on the map I’ll end up next!

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