Skift Take

Niki Leondakis reminded us that sometimes the biggest disruptions or innovations don't come from the outside, but rather from within.

During the Skift Global Forum in New York City last month — our biggest gathering yet — we wanted to know: How do you create the next-generation lifestyle brand?

To figure that out, we had an opportunity to hear some inspiring and reflective words from Niki Leondakis, the CEO of Two Roads Hospitality‘s Hotels and Resorts unit.

Leondakis is a hospitality giant in her own right, having worked in the hotel business since 1982. For nearly 20 years she worked at Kimpton and was president and COO before moving onto become CEO of Commune Hotels + Resorts. Earlier this year, Commune merged with Destination Hotels & Resorts and the two companies recently debuted their new company name, Two Roads Hospitality.

Throughout her career, Leondakis has been known as an innovative CEO who knows how to build a true lifestyle brand. And at a time when so many of us in the industry are enamored with buzzwords like “innovation” and “disruption,” she isn’t afraid to suggest something not always paired with those concepts: simple, old-fashioned hospitality and service.

You can watch her full discussion, below.

Read more coverage of Skift Global Forum 2016

At this year’s Skift Global Forum in New York City, travel leaders from around the world gathered for two days of inspiration, information, and conversation for panels such as this as well as solo TED-like talks on the future of travel.

Visit our Skift Global Forum site for more details about 2017 events, including our London event in April of 2017.

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Tags: commune hotels, sgf2016, skift global forum, two roads hospitality

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