In the green room at Phocuswright Europe with... Olivier Grémillon

Olivier Grémillon, VP of global segments, Booking.com

Formerly of Airbnb, Olivier Grémillon joined Booking.com in 2018 and is now vice president of global segments, overseeing its Home division, hotel chain partnerships and strategic segments. At Phocuswright Europe 2019, he'll take part in an Executive Interview.

In a series of interviews with executives participating at the event in Amsterdam in May, PhocusWire finds out what makes them tick...

Does the industry or do travelers drive change?

Travelers definitely drive change. The industry can accelerate the change, but without the initial customer guiding us, very few innovations succeed.

That’s why I believe that, especially in the travel industry, constantly listening to customers, testing, measuring and iterating fast is key.

You're explaining the industry to a new employee - complete the sentence: "Beware of the ..."

“Beware of the apparent complexity of the industry.” Indeed, for somebody new, the travel industry can sometimes appear relatively daunting, as there are so many verticals and so many players between the service provider and the end customer.

My advice would be to make sure you understand why the industry works the way it does, what is its history, and then bring your fresh perspective to the table.

How much of your time do you try to keep unscheduled?

A few weeks in advance, I block at least one day a week in my calendar and try to pack everything in the remaining four days. It allows me to have some time to work on topics that require more than 30 minutes of my attention, but also to dedicate long periods of time to my teams when they need it.

What was your childhood aspiration?

I wanted to be a maître d’. I loved the operations of a restaurant, the coordination of the waiters and the direct contact with the customer. I guess I am working in the hospitality industry after all, so perhaps I can say I have met the aspiration in some way!

Who is the person you most admire within the industry?

I thought about it for a few seconds, and truthfully, there isn’t one person I admire more than anyone else. I actually admire different things in different people, whether that is the vision of some, the operational expertise, the charisma or the pragmatism of others.

What book do you recommend to others and why?

The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen. Although the book was written a while ago now, the theory is still very much up to date and useful whether you work for a startup trying to disrupt incumbents or for a big player potentially being disrupted. His subsequent books on disruption innovation are also favorites of mine.

What's your morning routine?

Each morning, I help my three kids get ready for the day, have breakfast with them, and (if I am not the one bringing them to school) stay another 15 minutes at home to think about the day ahead while drinking my morning coffee, before jumping on my bike to go to work.

How do you define success, and how do you measure up to your own definition?

I equate personal success to freedom and being free to decide what to do. It can mean different things to different people: Being able to choose a specific field of work, being autonomous on a project, working part-time or full-time or living in a specific country or city.

Life is much more enjoyable when our situation and our job are based on choices we have made versus ones that are imposed on us.

How do you encourage your team to recharge?

I prefer to have the discussion upfront on what my team members’ preferences are to ensure work remains sustainable and enjoyable for them. Some people prefer to work early, others prefer to stay late, some have a weekly sports practice they don’t want to miss, others need to be home every night by a certain time. Some have more bandwidth during certain periods of their life than others. Everybody has different needs.

I think it is the role of the team member to know what these needs are, and the role of the manager to try and accommodate them, but also to plan ahead to ensure work is as predictable as possible.

What's one thing you're better at (professionally or otherwise) than anyone else?

Nothing! Which is good news, as it means I still have room to learn about everything.