A.Patrick Imbardelli came to Singapore thinking he would spend only three years here. Eleven years on, the President and Chief Executive of Pan Pacific Hotels Group (Pan Pacific) is still here and has joined many other foreign talent who have since made Singapore home.

A permanent resident, the Australian now leads lead the strategic management and expansion of the Group’s hotels and businesses. He is not the only Pan Pacific senior executive who has settled in Singapore.

Imbardelli observes, “I have found that many foreign talent who arrive here for a two-to three year stay eventually decide to make Singapore their home.”

This trend helps to build up a pool of internationally and culturally diverse talent in Singapore. Pan Pacific itself is a microcosm of the United Nations in terms of the nationality spread of its staff – one-third of the 60 employees at its Singapore headquarters are foreigners from 13 different nationalities while the rest are Singaporeans. It is a mix that Imbardelli relishes as he believes that the diversity creates fertile ground for innovative ideas that keep his company ahead of its competitors.

This melting pot of talents has proven to be a great source of learning and richness.

Imbardelli explains, “There is no doubt that having a diverse team gives you richness. Imagine sitting in a country and the only opinions that you hear are from people who have only lived in the one place.”

It is what Imbardelli calls a tapestry of richness that he would not have experienced first-hand in other countries. It is a richness that helps Pan Pacific improve its game. Imbardelli adds, “If we look at marketing for example, you need people who have worked on an international stage, who understand both Chinese and North American customers and can brand and embed these nuances in our communication. In our business, it’s very important to have access to people with international experience.

“It is our people who achieve things, it is our people who innovate and it is our people who do things better and continue to improve.”

The local talent are just as international in terms of experience, says Imbardelli. “Singaporeans are known to venture far and wide for their education and many who return have chalked up overseas working experience.”

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Having a team with a diverse cultural background and international experience is important for Pan Pacific’s growing global business. It means it can quickly assemble the right team of people from different parts of the world when the situation calls for it.

The “double richness” of Singapore’s home grown talent allows Pan Pacific to mobilise its talent according to its needs without too much trouble.

“Singaporeans are very international and enjoy the challenge of living and working overseas,” Imbardelli says.

“So having our headquarters here i really does open the world to us; Singaporeans themselves are global citizens.”

Pan Pacific Hotels Group owns, manages and operates over 35 hotels, resorts and serviced suites (including those under development) with over 10,500 rooms in Asia, Oceania and North America. The group comprises two acclaimed brands: Pan Pacific® and PARKROYAL®. It also has offices in Hong Kong, London, San Francisco, Singapore, Sydney, Shanghai and Tokyo.

Imbardelli says that the growth for the Group will come mainly from the Asia Pacific region and this market is expected to be most dynamic for tourism with strong intra-regional travel from the growing affluent middle-class in the region.

Singapore and its talent are clearly shaping the future and growth for this hospitality group.

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