The CEO Magazine: As a part of the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce’s (AICC) Leadership in Focus series, can you tell us a little bit about your relationship with AICC and how you started out with the Chamber?
Rachel: The relationship between AICC and TFE Hotels goes back many years—over two decades, in fact. It has been a strong partnership, and one which we appreciate on many fronts, not least for the exceptional events and networking opportunities made possible by the Chamber—from the official large luncheons to the more intimate boardroom lunches with top leaders giving their insights, and more informally to the willingness to make introductions at the highest level in order to facilitate business. This is an active and involved Chamber with a focus on commerce and relationships.
Networking and relationship skills are a primary focus for you in doing business. Are there particular examples where fostering positive relationships have significantly impacted TFE Hotels’ growth?
There are multiple examples at every turn of our business. Business is built on relationships and, at the end of the day, people do business with people they like, trust, and respect. One such example would be our investor relationships. Almost all of our investors have multiple hotels with us because of the trust and communication which underpins the relationship. They are collaborative, responsive and our partnerships are also characterised by fun. The strong communication we have with our investors helps to drive results.