Four Seasons CEO Kathleen Taylor to Receive Cornell Hospitality Innovator Award

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. June 06, 2012

June 6, 2012 - In the span of just two years, Taylor has introduced an organizational transformation through more than fifteen global initiatives and is breathing new life into product and service development.

Innovation has always been fundamental to Four Seasons success, but since taking the reins as CEO of the company in 2010, Kathleen Taylor has implemented several significant measures to reignite the company's culture of innovation and ensure continued distance between Four Seasons and the competition. In the span of just two years, Taylor has introduced an organizational transformation through more than fifteen global initiatives and is breathing new life into product and service development.

"Our commitment to advancement has never been stronger and our efforts begin with our people," said Taylor. "We've provided them with a number of new platforms through which to truly reinvent the services they provide to our guests and customers, both external and internal. We're looking at everything we do as a company with a fresh perspective."

One of the first actions Taylor took in creating a platform for innovation was to restructure the company's Executive Leadership Team. The goal was to provide a robust infrastructure to support the generation of new ideas and syndicate them globally. This included the creation of Area Presidents of Hotel Operations to promote and facilitate innovation and the execution of new ideas in all of the company's operating regions. It also included the creation of a global executive level position dedicated entirely to innovation and product development.

"My role is a first in the luxury hospitality industry and demonstrates Katie's conviction that in order to maintain our leadership position we must always be one step ahead in all areas of our business," said Chris Hunsberger, Executive Vice President, Global Product and Innovation. "My job is to ensure that we are doing more than addressing the needs of the guest of today by anticipating their needs in the future."

Currently in development are programs which will transform banquets, add new energy and dynamism to dining out and revolutionize the arrival experience. Innovation at Four Seasons extends well beyond service delivery to include new approaches to design and decor, technology and the way in which guests can communicate with the company and each other.

"We are leaving no stone unturned to secure Four Seasons position as the number one luxury hospitality company in the world," said Taylor. "We are talking about a transformation that is not only enticing to our guests, but one that is invigorating for our employees and adding value for our hotel owners."

The Cornell Hospitality Innovator Award is an honour given annually by The Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. Taylor will receive the award at the fourth annual Cornell Hospitality Icon & Innovator Awards, Tuesday, June 5, 2012, at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.