Rezidor: New career development programme for Supervisors The Rezidor Hotel Group has launched a new Management Development Programme which is designed for Supervisors to become Department Heads within a time span of two years. “Rezidor needs at least 500 Department Heads before the end of 2010,” comments Beathe-Jeanette Lunde, Senior Vice President People Development and Radisson Blu Franchise Operations. The aim of this initiative is to develop, train and prepare existing and newly recruited supervisors to become Department Heads. Last year, we appointed 100 General Managers of which 23 were promoted from our Mentor-Mentee programme. Only 14 candidates were external hires. With the Management Development Programme, we are continuing our highly successful policy of developing from within”, says Lunde. Rezidor makes a strong statement by launching this initiative in economically challenging times. “Even now Rezidor continues to grow rapidly across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. With this growth we need to ensure that we develop our existing Supervisors to step up to the role of Department Head”, adds Jan Spooren, Director People Development. “Taking this step at this very moment shows that we commit to regarding an individual's development as a must to develop our business,” he comments. As a hotel-based Management Programme, participants will be working in a real role from day one but will from time to time receive further development through face-to-face learning, eLearning and assessment centres. This is complemented by project work and of course on-the-job learning. The training is designed for people already working for the Rezidor Hotel Group, as well as for new recruits from the various international hotel schools. Applicants for the Programme will have to meet pre-defined criteria and must have attended a number of internal training programmes before they are allowed to enter the Programme. It begins with a regional workshop immersing the participants in the company culture. As the Programme progresses in the two years the participants will continue to carry out their Supervisory role where the emphasis of the Programme also lies: support by a senior management mentor who guides the talent and share everything that they know. Beathe-Jeanette Lunde: “Since 1992 already we have had a Leadership Development Programme in place for Supervisors called ‘S.T.A.R.' which will continue to run as before and now is a pre-requisite to join the MDP. The Management Development Programme structures the development process much more and will add vital and challenging elements for people on their roads to become a Department Head within Rezidor.” The Programme will be part of The Business School@Rezidor launched in 1996. The Business School is the company's learning platform that drives revenue, quality and value. It prepares experienced and new leaders to cope with the ever-changing business of hospitality. In addition, the school facilitates networking and best practises, and ensures the livelihood of Rezidor's culture. 132 various training courses were carried out at the school in 2008 in which 1200 leaders participated. For further information please contact: The Rezidor Hotel Group Christiane Reiter, Director Corporate Communication Tel. +32 2 702 9331, Christiane.Reiter@Rezidor.com Renu Snehi, Director Corporate Communication Tel. +32 2 702 9241, Renu.Snehi@Rezidor.com About the Rezidor Hotel Group: The Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the world. The group features a portfolio of close to 370 hotels in operation and under development with 78,000 rooms in 58 countries. Rezidor operates the brands Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts, Regent Hotels & Resorts, Park Inn and Country Inns & Suites in Europe, Middle East and Africa, along with the goldpoints plusSM loyalty programme for frequent hotel guests. Rezidor has signed a worldwide license agreement with the Italian fashion house Missoni, in order to develop and operate a lifestyle hotel brand of the same name: Hotel Missoni. In November 2006, Rezidor was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Carlson Companies is the main shareholder. The Corporate Office of the Rezidor Hotel Group is based in Brussels, Belgium. For more information on Rezidor, visit www.rezidor.com