Rani says the hospitality industry needs disruption. He describes CitizenM’s efficient use of space, a community-driven environment, and integration of technology with a human touch.

Welcome to Elevating Brick and Mortar. A podcast about how operations and facilities drive brand performance.

On today’s episode, we talk with Rani Gharbie, Managing Director of Investment & Development at CitizenM Hotels. CitizenM is a fully integrated owner-operator hotel brand, with over 30 hotels in 18 cities.

Guest Bio:
Rani currently oversees investment and development in the Americas at citizenM, an asset heavy owner-operator hotel group backed by GIC, APG and KRC. Before joining citizenM, he founded New York-based real estate investment firm Cedar Funds and held senior roles with major hotel groups globally such as Virgin Hotels, IHG, Hyatt and BD / Pod Hotels. Rani also teaches “Private Equity Hotel Development” at his Alma Mater, Columbia University’s real estate development Master program. He has lived on three continents and speaks three languages. He’s an avid traveler, runner, cyclist and swimmer. 

Guest Quote:

We're able to build a really, really efficient product. An efficient product that delivers exceptional return per square foot. And that's why we stand behind the real estate of our brand. 

Timestamps:

00:20 - About CitizenM

01:27 - Rani’s Role

06:39 - Developing a brand promise

10:44 - Building the ideal consumer relationship

23:01 - Keeping the loop closed

27:46 - What did COVID change?

37:08 - Future thinking

44:28 - Where to find Rani

Sponsor:

ServiceChannel brings you peace of mind through peak facilities performance.

Rest easy knowing your locations are:

• Offering the best possible guest experience
• Living up to brand standards
• Operating with minimal downtime

ServiceChannel partners with more than 500 leading brands globally to provide visibility across operations, the flexibility to grow and adapt to consumer expectations, and accelerated performance from their asset fleet and service providers.

Links:

• Connect with Rani on LinkedIn
• Connect with Sid Shetty on Linkedin
• Check out the ServiceChannel Website

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