Inspiring teams with a sense of purpose and responsibility

With 28 plus years’ experience in the luxury hospitality industry, Franck Lopez returned to the IHG family in 2023, having worked for the company previously, just over ten years ago.

Now, as the Cluster General Manager, InterContinental Malta - which involves overseeing four properties - Franck brings his varied experience, working across eight countries and three continents, to the role.

Franck describes his return to IHG as ‘inevitable’, citing the company’s ambitious vision and people-first focus as the main reasons for his decision.

An early passion for hosting and travel

“My career in the luxury hospitality industry has always been driven by my love for service, travel, meeting new people and experiencing different cultures.

I grew up in France and from a young age, I was always keen to organise family get-togethers and celebrations, it was something I really enjoyed. I also played sports competitively for the national youth hockey team while at school. 

These passions played a role in influencing my career. Sport is of course all about teamwork, which is also an essential part of being a General Manager. 

After completing my studies, I began my career at a hotel in France, before working my way up to the role of General Manager. I joined IHG for the first time as the General Manager, InterContinental Mauritius in 2011 - a position I held for three years - before rejoining the company over 10 years later in my current role. 

Throughout my career, I’ve been lucky enough to gain invaluable experience working for a range of companies and brands in a number of contrasting locations, including France, England, Morocco, The Caribbean, The Seychelles, Mauritius, Switzerland and Malta. 

I’ve always been keen to develop my ability to adapt to different environments and work with multicultural teams. Currently across my team in Malta, there are around 48 different nationalities.   

This was one of the reasons I returned to IHG - it’s a company that prioritises diversity, growth and a sense of belonging for colleagues, encouraging ways of working together to do things differently and create exceptional experiences.” 

Leading the way on sustainability

“In my current role as Cluster General Manager, InterContinental Malta, some of the initiatives I’m especially proud of overseeing are focused on sustainability. 

Implementing successful eco-focused projects has to be more than merely an obligation - it must be guided by strong convictions and a real sense of purpose. 

It’s rewarding to work for a company that takes this seriously - exemplified by IHG’s ‘Room to Make a Difference’ ethos, as well as its ‘Journey to Tomorrow’ responsible business plan. 

In Malta, my team and I are always looking to not only follow the company’s green guidelines, but to go above and beyond and strive to become pioneers in this field.   

Since the beginning of 2024, we’ve established our own bottling plant - extracting seawater and treating it through reverse osmosis for use as drinking water for our colleagues and guests. This has enabled us to commit to eliminating single-use plastics, as well as reduce water consumption and waste. 

Beyond this project, we’re always looking at ways to improve further, such as using waterless systems where possible, or adding solar panels to increase energy efficiency. 

It’s reassuring to know that we’re directly lowering our impact on the local environment and community, as well as playing a vital part in the global picture of creating more sustainable and responsible travel experiences.” 

Anticipating the needs of colleagues and guests 

“On the subject of travel experiences, one of the elements I love most about working in luxury hospitality is being able to create extraordinary moments for our guests. 

To achieve this takes teamwork and so one of my primary goals as a General Manager is to take care of and inspire my team, as well as help them grow professionally. 

At IHG, both our ‘Room to Belong’ and ‘Room to Grow’ initiatives enable me to do this by providing the structure and ethos needed to help colleagues feel engaged, encouraged and part of a positive working environment. 

With this higher level support in place, it’s important to understand my team members and what motivates them, so that the best results can be achieved. 

For some colleagues it will be professional development and career growth, so I can give them a clear pathway and mentorship to achieve this. For others, it will be that sense of security, camaraderie and belonging that will be most needed. 

To ensure we’re all on the same page as a team, I make sure we celebrate successes - from big achievements through to everyday wins, such as gaining positive customer feedback or getting those small but important details just right. 

We also take time to reflect on what we’ve learnt each day, which is a really positive habit to cultivate and helps us to work through any challenges together. 

I support my team in the same way IHG has invested in me and I experienced this in action through the recruitment process and onboarding for my current role. 

There was always someone on hand to help and guide me, plus advise with any questions I had. That human touch is all important and cemented my decision to return - it’s amazing to be part of the IHG family again.”