Four Seasons Resort Seychelles

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2017
• First Four Seasons Assignment: Director of Rooms, Four Seasons Resorts Maldives

Employment History

• Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, Four Seasons Maldives Private Island Voavah and Four Seasons Explorer, Maldives and Palau; Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa; Sheraton Skyline Heathrow, UK; Sheraton Qingdao Hotel, China; Sheraton Shenzhen Futian Hotel, China; Sheraton Shanghai Hotel Hongkou, China; Sheraton Hotel & Towers Suzhou, China

Education

• Bachelor’s Honours Degree, International Hotel Management (Marketing), Les Roches International School of Hotel Management, Switzerland; Diploma with Distinction, Hotel Operations Swiss Hotel Association, Les Roches International School of Hotel Management, Switzerland;

Birthplace

• Netherlands

Languages Spoken

• German, Dutch, English, Hindi

Born in the Netherlands to entrepreneurial parents, Nitin Abbi grew up excelling at sports, travelling extensively, and absorbing the economic and emotional nuances of a thriving business environment.

It was the family textiles company that first benefitted from his positive and people-focused approach. But it was his younger sister who persuaded him to set a new course towards the "dream job" he didn't even know he wanted.

"She was studying hotel management and each year during her semester breaks, she'd try to convince me that hospitality was the right industry for me," Nitin recalls. And finally, aged 28, he listened.

Nearly two decades later, his creative energy, adventurous nature and joyful zest for life have taken him from internships and hotel management studies in Switzerland to posts across China as well as in the UK, Seychelles and Maldives. The latter encompassed seven years with Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, including managing Four Seasons Maldives Private Island Voavah; helping to oversee the transfer of Four Seasons Explorer from the Maldives to Palau; and involved in country-leading initiatives from hospitality apprenticeships to community outreach projects and marine conservation initiatives - all under the guidance of the inimitable Armando Kraenzlin. "The fact that I learned under a mentor as innovative, dedicated and respected as Armando makes me really, really proud," says Nitin.

Building genuine connections and engaging deeply with others and the environment are just some of the lessons that Nitin will take from his time in the Maldives to his new role in the Seychelles. "We are in the people industry but the true luxury lies in building meaningful emotional bonds with team members, local communities and guests," he explains. "And it all starts with investing time, energy and heart into the team; we are only as good as the team around us and it is only when we feel valued as people that we are inspired to go the extra mile to look passionately after our guests."

There are other miles in the Seychelles that Nitin is no stranger to. Having worked in the country before, the avid sportsman views running along a pristine sandy beach as the best way to start the day and describes his return to Seychelles as "a homecoming." It is also a self-fulfilling prophecy: "In March 2018 I stayed at Four Seasons Resort Seychelles, having only been with the company a few months, and joked to my friend while standing in front of the main pool: One day I will manage this place! And here we are!"

Beyond the beaches - "and the way they combine with the hills and unique rock formations to create stunning views" - Nitin's favourite things about the country are its rich culture and history, which provide travellers with so many diverse experiences. "There's also incredible hiking, beautiful nature, giant tortoises - and since I am a foodie, the Creole cuisine too," he says.

And what will be his chief focus to ensure that he continues to offer the highest level of care to Four Seasons guests visiting the archipelago? "Simple: Service, service and service; it's nothing short of a devotion and a commitment."