Stephen Leckie

Chairman & CEO Crieff Hydro family of hotels

• What was your favourite subject at school?

Maths and English.

• What was your first job?

Cleaning chalets in Crieff Hydro aged 12.

• Which is your favourite restaurant /hotel?

I’ve been privileged to dine in some top-end restaurants around the world – but my greatest pleasure is always eating in one of our places because I enjoy the interaction with our own people.

• How do you inspire your team

I believe we spend so much of our time working so we should really enjoy it – even if there are some tough days. I like to be visible in the business and show the team that I look forward to going to work and enjoy it so that everyone else will do the same.

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

Originally my father and mother who ran Crieff Hydro before me for over 30 years. More recently the team around me and all the people I meet in Hospitality – I try to learn from everyone. I liked the way Obama put it “Listen to everybody, you never know where you’re going to pick nuggets of wisdom up.”

• How do you manage your stress levels?

My mind is very active. So I make sure I get all the sleep I need and make time most weeks to work on rebuilding classic cars: for me that’s how I get in “the zone”.

• Instagram, Twitter or Facebook – and why?

Facebook because it’s more social but I don’t post much because fundamentally I’m an introvert.

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

An accountant of some description.

• What did you do on your last days off?

Exploring the west coast of Scotland by boat with my family

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

Build classic cars.