What defines CDR?
arevealing interview with Christina, distilled into ten smart insights.

I have an incredible hospitality origin story.

When I was a teenager, my parents purchased a boutique hotel on a beach in St Lucia. I learnt that it’s people that enliven a resort. I remember the catch of the day, often lobster, would arrive from the fisherman at 7am. Sylvanus, the hotel gardener, would climb palm trees and throw down coconuts. Personalities make a place.

My life has revolved around hotels ever since.

I met my husband at the Connaught in London. We got engaged at the Four Seasons in Budapest. Hotels can command history, character and legacy. Guests carry memories of special moments, unforgettable trips and unique occasions. These are what makes the best properties so magical and so timeless.

Establishments like Raffles in Singapore or the George V in Paris are works of art. They are a reminder of previous lifestyles. They evoke special journeys. What I love about hotels is that they can act as a theatre. They are where people perform life memories and make magical times together.

Film has LA, fashion has Paris, but hospitality has no true centre.

I chose London as CDR’s headquarters because it features the most luxurious brands, the most historic properties and the most cutting edge approaches to hospitality. With the types of clients drawn to London, for leisure and for business, the hospitality scene is constantly renewed with fresh developments, properties and people. A lot of imagination comes out of that competitiveness.

Our broader ecosystem of coaching, career management and family counsel makes our hires a success.

I’ve originated and closed over 400 career placements during the last 20 years. Simply installing a candidate is not enough. Our role is about nurturing long term relationships. A solid support system around top tier executives allows individuals to flourish. Our professional approach is about understanding what motivates somebody as well as understanding their vulnerabilities. Once you have a deep sense of that, you can positively influence a person’s life and their career choices.

I have witnessed superstar hires fail.

People forget that if that person is not being supported by their social network — family, partner, friends — they will not be motivated in their new setting. We scout a candidate’s future location in advance. We spend time with a candidate’s families. We open up our network to help facilitate a cohesive settlement. We also make sure kids’ hobbies are accommodated. As a mom of five, I know that a child’s welfare is the most important thing in an executive’s life.

We smooth the path with stakeholders before a candidate begins.

CDR endeavour to fix issues before they occur. We smooth the path with stakeholders, investors and board members to help welcome a new hire. If I see communication issues between a candidate and their peers, I do as much coaching as possible, asking how things could have been approached better. In many respects we act as an ambassador of the company for the candidate — and vice versa. There’s a lot of work behind the scenes.

I believe the art of uniqueness extends to talent advisory.

My career started in the arts at Christie’s and the Goldsmiths’ Company. The art of uniqueness is about understanding the positive attributes of each individual, while identifying areas of potential growth and the human failings that we all have. Everybody has their own story, their own past and their own destiny. Being able to draw out how somebody has been influenced — all of their positive trials and tribulations — can help understand their character and shape their drive.

In soccer, if you replace the manager, everything changes.

There are parallels between sport and hospitality. It takes cohesion to get a team performing to its excellent best. Finding people that know how to elevate the individuals around them describes the transformative leader of tomorrow. What I mean by elevate is pulling out the uniqueness of every individual by playing to their strengths. It can also mean highlighting where they’re less strong. Then they can lean on a teammate to work better together.

LinkedIn is a great tool. But I wouldn’t trust it to find your next CEO.

It’s not so much about finding the executive. It is about the process, the assessment and the real rigor that we bring to understanding the talent. We comprehend what these individuals are capable of achieving in future, as well as the personality traits that reveal their ambition.

When I meet a candidate I look out for one key factor.

Passion. I look for what gets the person excited, then go from there. I try to have a conversation with individuals to see their eyes light up. I love asking people about their hobbies, families or art. What matters is to see somebody relax into a conversation, feel comfortable in your presence, then allow them space to reflect and even surprise themselves. We are helping them make one of the most important decisions of their life.