PETER SANGSTER
AGE: 39
TITLE: General Manager
COMPANY: Mercure Ardoe House Hotel and Spa
What are the main career stepping stones you have taken?
I started off when I was 15 or 16. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but ended up going to college to do hospitality management and at the same time got into a part-time job running a take-away on the owner’s days off.
Looking back on it now, that was probably one of the best things that happened to me. It all started from there.I had gone to Spain for a year working at a friend’s bar and restaurant as my gap year.
Then I took a trainee manager position at Thistle, and from there I just began moving through the channels. I initially came to Ardoe in 2001 as an F&B (food and beverage) manager back when it was a Macdonald hotel, and moved from hotel manager to operations manager.
When Macdonald hotel sold it, I went to Pittodrie House as general manager, where I was for three years. This had really got into the habit of picking up properties that were under-performing and, within three years we had turned Pittodrie into a very successfully performing business.
I then moved on to Thainstone House, and after that got the opportunity to join Hilton at Treetops. This was one of the key moves that I’ve made in the past 10 years. I was with Hilton for two years.
You go to a company like that which is classed as a global brand and your eyes are opened in terms of how they treat their people, and the whole ethos of the company is completely different. I loved working for that company.
Is it difficult going from privately-owned properties to a global business?
It’s different because you spend the first time getting used to the different processes, but then you also have greater support and structure around you. The main thing I took away from my time with Hilton was their approach to managing people, and the time they spend with them. In hotels, traditionally, this has always been almost an afterthought, but those few years really changed my mindset.
So what drew you back to Ardoe House?
It’s a hotel that means the world to me. I had initially been here on and off for seven years, and the opportunity to come back as general manager and put my own stamp on it was too good. It was also a degree of unfinished business. Since day one, the owners have given me the complete backing to do what I want to do and the hotel is now performing where we want it to be on all fronts.
Anything you would do differently?
Yes, there’s a couple of jobs that I have taken that I probably wouldn’t now. But I tend not to dwell on it. If I had not taken some jobs, I might not have ended up back here. I also met my partner at a time I was considering leaving Aberdeen, so I don’t have any regrets.
Are you scared of making mistakes?
Less so now than when I started out. Now, it’s more about making a calculated risk. The further you develop in your career, the more autonomy you have to make mistakes, and if that’s calculated then you can argue your case and learn from it.
What has motivated you?
For me, it’s a willingness and eagerness to improve. It’s coming in every day and being excited to make a difference. I genuinely feel we do that here. It’s always been a project, and we’re continually looking for ways to improve the business, and that’s what keeps me going. The day I come in to work and feel that there’s no more for me to do will be the day I look to move on. And again, it will be looking for that project that I feel I can get my teeth stuck into.
Pet hate?
Attention to detail. You set a standard for something and the expectation is for the guys to meet it. I also have a huge pet hate about lateness and punctuality. If people are late, or late with deadlines and have a poor way of communicating that or don’t at least apologise for it, I think it says a lot about that person. Everyone is late for things, but it’s how you deal with that which matters.
Your favourite stress-buster?
I’ve had quite a few changes in my personal life in recent years – I now have a young family, so for me it’s about being home. I don’t have much time to do much else to be honest. (Laughs). When I get the opportunity I also love football and golf.
What would you like to do with the rest of your career?
An international posting?Absolutely. At the moment, that’s really not on the agenda though. It’s about finishing what we’re doing here and I envisage that could take anywhere from two to four years. But I think at the right time, we would seriously look at opportunities.
What’s your best career advice?
For me, it’s about applying yourself. We interview people a lot, and it’s not about what’s there in black and white, but about people who show an interest and actually want to be there. Nothing is impossible if people have the right approach and willingness to succeed.