As the hospitality industry continues to regain momentum in the aftermath of the pandemic and global economic challenges, visionary leaders are stepping up with bold plans for the future. In these 2023 interviews, seasoned and emerging leaders describe how they’re looking ahead and thinking big.
Amber Asher, Standard International
Standard International was born in 2013 as a vision to take the Standard brand across the globe, during an exciting time of growth when “we all had a sense that the sky was the limit, and 10 years later we’re still thinking big,” says Amber Asher, who was named the hotel company’s CEO in 2021. A decade as the brand’s in-house counsel and president equipped Asher for her current leadership position, where she continues to focus on scaling with creativity, expanding the pipeline, and never becoming complacent as “continuous evolution and the questioning of the status quo is essential,” she says. Read the full interview.
The partners of Authentic Hospitality
Carlos Quirarte, Matthew Kliegman, and Matthew Charles first met working at Ian Schrager’s PUBLIC Hotel in New York. Their shared experience laid the foundation for a natural collaboration, so in 2021, they officially teamed up to launch Authentic Hospitality. Now, the trio operates six venues across the city, including Jac’s on Bond and Pebble Bar. In our conversation with them, they reflect on how their journey has always been shaped by a gravitational pull towards hospitality, from the first restaurant they owned together to the ongoing evolution of their burgeoning hospitality group. Read the full interview.
Nick Jones, Soho House
Nick Jones opened the first Soho House nearly three decades ago in the hip London neighborhood from which the private members club brand takes its name. With more than 40 locations across the globe (and plans to open four to five per year), the business has a bright future ahead. While gazing forward, Jones reflects back on the evolution of Soho House that brought it to where it is—from its expansion into the U.S. and Mexico to the accidental inception of Soho Home, an interiors collection inspired by clubhouse designs. Read the full interview.
