In Conversation with Sir Rocco Forte
Sir Rocco Forte is CEO and Chairman of Rocco Forte Hotels. Son of the late Lord Charles Forte, Sir Rocco founded the luxury hotel company in 1996. At present, the company operates hotels in key European destinations such as London, Edinburgh, Brussels, Florence, Rome, Sicily, Puglia, Munich and Berlin. Sir Rocco was knighted in December 1994 for services to the UK tourism industry and received the highest Italian accolade, the Gran Croce dell’Ordine al Merito della Republicca Italiana, for his entrepreneurial merits and strong links with Italy in 2005. A keen sportsman and long-distance runner, Sir Rocco has completed several marathons raising significant amounts for charity. His other interests include shooting and golf.
You grew up with a legendary father and hotelier, Lord Forte. What was this like?
I learned a great deal from my father. He believed strongly in acting with integrity in dealing with staff, suppliers, customers and business partners.
He had huge determination, had an ability to go to the heart of a problem when others were faffing around the edges. He would never take no for an answer and would always try to find a way of doing things which others thought impossible.
He had a great ability to delegate and put a great deal of trust in the people who worked for him but was ready to step in when necessary. He inspired great loyalty and had great charm which drew people to him. He was always quick to praise a good job done.
He always found time for people, I once said to him “Why do you give that man so much of your time, he is not important to us”. He replied “yes, but it is important for him”.
He encouraged me to take holiday jobs which I did from an early age and experienced all sectors of the business. As I grew older, I would also accompany him on business trips and attend business meetings he had at home. I so developed a passion for the business and developed a framework which has helped me throughout my business life.
How and why was the Rocco Forte Hotels born?
Rocco Forte Hotels was born as a result of a hostile takeover bid for TrustHouseForte when I was its Chairman which led to the company being sold. At 51, I was left with a bit of money and nothing to do. So I decided to start a new business focusing on luxury hotels. TrustHouseForte had been a wide ranging company running hotels from budget to 5 star and a big catering business which was into roadside restaurants (Little Chef), motorway service areas, inflight and airport catering and contract catering. With a new company and limited capital it was important to focus, luxury hotels are the most interesting because they are the most complicated to run, and it is possible to compete with the big players as a niche operation.
I felt there was an opening in the marketplace for hotels which had a strong design element, which is where my sister, Olga, comes in and were more customer friendly than most luxury hotels which were rather pompous at the time. The other important aspect was a strong sense of place, that now 25 years later everyone is talking about but does not necessarily deliver.
How has the brand evolved since its beginning?
The same basic principles are still there but our capabilities have greatly increased. We have a strong brand which is recognized internationally and have developed a unique operating ethos. There is a strong sense of belonging in the company which is nurtured by the family nature of the business which my sister and myself emphasized from the beginning. You walk into one of my hotels and you feel a warmth of welcome which is not necessarily common to other hotels.
We have developed a very strong management team of highly skilled and professional people and have a delivery capability which was not obviously there at the start. The involvement of my children in the business have brought a new freshness which will enhance the product and keep it up to date.
Which of your hotel restaurants and bars would you tell our members not to miss?
It is important that bars and restaurants have the ability to attract local customers which is what creates the atmosphere. The Donovan Bar and Charlie’s restaurant at Brown’s in London, the Stravinsky Bar and Le Jardin Restaurant at the de Russie in Rome, the rooftop terrace at the de La Ville also in Rome all do this.
You now own 14 hotels. What would you say the common thread is among these venerable properties?
The common thread in all our properties is a high level of service delivery for which we are known and the friendliness and warmth of our staff.
What inspires the design of each property?
Olga runs our building and design department, whether she does the design herself or uses outside designers, she develops a clear theme for each hotel which relates to the local environment it finds itself in. The sense of place I mentioned earlier is a very important part of the thinking. As much as possible, she uses local materials and artefacts to do this. But there is also a practical side which looks very carefully at the functionality of the hotel and the comfort of the guests. All our hotels are individual but there is a certain common theme running through them.
What is your preferred escape destination and why?
For me holidays are all about relaxing and spending time with my family. Every year, I spend the summer in a wonderful castle in the Tuscan countryside, called Castello di Segalari, enjoying the company of my family, the stunning scenery and exquisite food and wine.
I love Scotland and spend a month there every August shooting grouse. The Balmoral in Edinburgh being the first, is also one of my favourite hotels of all our group.
Would you share with us how your children and sister are involved in the business and what impact they’ve had?
One of the great pleasures for me is that I have been able to work closely with my sister, who is a highly talented and intelligent person. She has made a big contribution to the success of the company. We seem to get on and have a very good understanding of each other and we both love each other very much. This makes for a very seamless relationship, and we rarely have any disagreements.
With my children, there is a huge sense of pride. They themselves have wanted to come into the business, I encouraged them to take holiday jobs in the business like I had with my father and in this way, they developed the passion they have for it. They are all extremely hard working and taken to it like a duck to water. It is a joy to see them developing so well as they take on more and more responsibility in the business.
What are some examples of how Rocco Forte Hotels interacts with local communities?
The best example I have of this is Verdura in Sicily. This 200 room resort and the 20 villas have created 500 direct jobs. The nearby town is Sciacca, of which I have been made an honorary citizen. The Mayor when he awarded me the accolade said 1,000 small businesses have been created on the back of Verdura. Many of the staff when I visit approach me to thank me and say “If you had not created Verdura, we would have had to work abroad, now we have work and can continue to live at home”. So, with the development of the hotel, we have created an enterprise zone in an area of Sicily where there was little work.
What does the future of the company look like?
As I have said we have developed a formidable management team who are well integrated and co-ordinate very well together. We now have a strong brand with a unique ethos which is well recognised in the marketplace. We are recognised for our service delivery and our ability to create highly profitable hotels. We are recognised by owners and developers as serious players in the market. We are therefore in a position to expand the business safely and effectively and at a much faster rate than hitherto.
Contributor — Four Hundred by Design