Bob Downie

CEO Royal Yacht Britannia & Fingal hotel

• What was your favourite subject at school?

You will laugh, it was Navigation at Oban High as Captain MacLeod was an inspirational teacher even though I had no desire to work on a boat !!

• What was your first job?

Aged 14, washing dishes by hand in Oban Studio’s Restaurant working my way up to being Chef Bob in charge of the kitchen cooking up to 100 dinners per night whilst a student. Although my first customer facing job was as a Bouncer in MacTavish’s Kitchens famous ‘Chicken in a Basket’ disco dances. Older readers will remember that in order to obtain a Late Licence, which these days was 1am, you had to be served a meal! My last student job was then for two summers as Bob the Baker in MacTavish’s -very happy days.

• Which is your favourite restaurant /hotel?

No favourites, always in the search of great customer experiences delivered by skilled and passionate staff in small or large, temporary of permanent locations.

• How do you inspire your team

By consistently preaching that “Customer Service is only the final action in what has to be a much more strategic focus on the whole customer experience’.

• Which person in hospitality have you most admired / inspired you?

Colin Shaw of www.beyondphilosophy.com who has become a great mentor.

• How do you manage your stress levels?

By having a No Excuses Philosophy centred on employing the right people to do the right things at the right time.

• Instagram, Twitter or Facebook – and why?

Technically, both Twitter and Facebook but only to keep an eye on what is happening, I am not a contributor.

• If you had not gone into hospitality, where do you
  think you would be now?

Business consultancy

What did you do on your last days off?

Demolished my garden shed before it self-destructed !

• What do you do to relax, to support your wellbeing?

Walk and talk in the hills !