方文光“去中国吧,那里有我的根”

两种不同的文化思维的交融使彼此的优点被运用于自己的工作与生活中。

一直听说全球的华人中,以马来西亚华人的语言能力最为强悍。耳听为虚,眼见为实,在上海从事酒店管理工作的马来西亚华人方文光先生,就能说一口的流利的英语、马来语、印尼语等六种语言和方言。

“在马来西亚,因为汉语不是官方语言,所以只有在华文学校才能学到,由于我念的不是华文学校,所以我能说英语,能说马来语,汉语却说得不好。一次偶然的机会可以来中国工作,我就对自己说,去中国吧,那里是我的根。

于是,他开始了长达近十年的“中国寻根”。方文光认为,正是马来西亚华人的这种特殊教育环境,使自己既接受了良好的西方教育的影响,又受到传统的中国文化的熏陶。所以对他来说,两种不同的文化思维的交融使彼此的优点被运用于自己的工作与生活中。这就是方文光事业发展中的秘密武器。

人永远需要目标需要激情

方文光,1969年出生于马来西亚一个华人家庭。他的祖父早年从中国广东“下南洋”前往马来西亚谋生,通过祖父的勤奋与努力,成为了当地的中产阶层,他的祖父与父亲都有着马来西亚的“金饭碗”的工作――在当地的银行工作。由于马来西亚华裔重视教育的传统,作为第三代华人的方文光,在马来西亚圣泽维尔学院接受了良好的教育,并在毕业后“继承”家族的传统,成为了一位银行信贷部职员。

但是,性喜挑战的方文光放弃了这门“祖传”的职业,作出了一个有些“冒险”的选择,他踏入了一个完全陌生的行业酒店行业,没有资源、没有背景、没有经验,一切重新来过。“在当时,能够进入银行工作是一个很体面的事情。但我想,我还是需要找一个充满激情与活力的地方,所以我决定进入酒店业服务。因为那里有更多的机会与挑战。”

1990年,方文光进入了马来西亚著名的香格里拉酒店集团工作。20岁出头的方文光从酒店销售代表开始做起,到宴会销售经理、高级销售经理再到市场销售总监,一步一个脚印在工作中积累并成长为一个成熟的酒店职业经理人。谈及此处,方文光说,当时作为一个激情四溢的青年,激励他奋斗的就是马来西亚华人首富,香格里拉酒店老板郭鹤年(Robert Kuok)的传奇故事。“Robert Kuok真的很了不起,我很喜欢看他的传记。”方文光说,“作为那些现在还在奋斗的年轻人,我认为,他们需要一个成功人士的激励,也需要给自己设立一个长期奋斗的目标,这很重要。”

之后,方文光的“冒险精神”一直伴着他从槟榔屿走向吉隆坡、泰国等地的酒店。终于到了1999年,方文光又获得了一次前往中国“拓荒”的“冒险”机会。当时,亚洲金融危机爆发,马来西亚货币贬值,东南亚酒店业受到了剧烈冲击。“那个时候酒店拼命去开发欧美客户来东南亚旅游,同时酒店也决定前往中国开发市场。”得知有前往中国的机会,方文光立刻就决定申请去中国。虽然当时的中国高级酒店业刚刚开发不久,内地的经济发展还在过程之中,但这些都阻止不了他的“寻根热情”。

万事不怕难“家”和万事兴

1999年,方文光来到中国,担任苏州吴宫喜来登销售总监一职。“当时的苏州,街道上为数最多的是自行车。和现在满街的汽车完全不同,由此可见中国经济发展之快速。”同时也是从苏州吴宫喜来登酒店开始,方文光从他的中国员工及同事身上慢慢了解中国,发现中国。2004年,方文光又转战厦门,参与了厦门喜来登酒店的开业筹备工作并在开业后负责市场策略的制定及营销工作,并取得了良好的成绩。在厦门喜来登酒店工作期间,方文光特别享受着乡音闽南话和当地的同事、朋友畅快地沟通交流。

2006年,为了把握2010年上海世界博览会的客流商机,业主方上海由由国际广场和专业国际酒店管理集团喜达屋强强联手合作,作为投资方和管理方在位于2010上海世博会中心展区最佳的位置上精心打造了上海浦东喜来登由由酒店及公寓,结合已经存在的上海福朋喜来登由由酒店,这个房间数目为992间的综合体酒店成为了上海最大的一家综合体国际酒店,同时也是离世博园区最近的国际综合体酒店。2008年,为更好的开发世博市场,喜达屋集团调任对中国市场透彻了解并善于开发本地及国际客户群的方文光先生为上海浦东喜来登由由酒店及福朋喜来登由由两家国际奢华酒店的驻店经理。

2009年上海浦东喜来登由由酒店荣获了TTG旅游大奖――上海最佳会议接待酒店奖。酒店为世博做准备,提供专业完善的工作,特别在方文光的带领下成立了“世博事务小组”。2008年11月13日至14日,中国2010年上海世博会第三次参展方会议在上海浦东喜来登由由酒店的1019平方米的大宴会厅举办,来自不同国家的700多名代表参加了此次会议, 而酒店为了照顾到不同国籍不同信仰的来宾,精心做了各项准备,从客人进入房间的小礼物到当天晚宴的摆台,食物的准备无一不让上海签世博参展协议的各国代表印象深刻、称赞不已。“我们就是要做名副其实的‘世博酒店’,让各国来宾通过在喜来登的入住体验,更加感受到世博会的专业和热情”,方文光说着露出了他一贯的温暖但自信的笑容。问及这近十年在中国的感受与感悟。方文光说,中国文化中的“家和万事兴”的观念是引导他在中国发展顺利的法宝。“与西方文化相比,中国人对‘家’的感情十分依恋与重视。忠诚与爱心、团结与合作,小处讲是家人的和睦与幸福,大处讲是企业的和睦与繁荣。和中国人更在意家人的感受相比可能西方人会更注重自己的感受。”为此,方文光无论到哪里,都灌输着这个“家”的概念,他对自己的“家长”不离不弃,为所属的喜达屋酒店及度假村集团工作近9年。他抱着“建家”的概念打造了自己的管理团队,激发他们的工作激情。一位体贴温柔的中国太太和一个可爱调皮的女儿,他也在中国建立了属于自己的一个小家。

将中西文化浓缩于酒店管理

在员工眼中,方文光是一个思维非常开明、工作充满激情、精神活力四射的人。“和他在一起大家感觉很开心。他工作的时候很有亲和力,又有主见又有创意。”酒店公关部总监唐小姐这样形容方文光。虽然大家工作的时候很紧张、很累,但方文光在业余的时候却是一个自行车与保龄球运动的高手,一到周末,他的家就成了员工团队k歌狂欢的场所,方文光早年的DJ经历又被用上了。

用方文光自己的话说,这是西方教育的结果,但是,在具体管理与生活中,中国传统对华人的影响同样大。能够将西方的管理与工作理念,中国的文化与道德观念相互结合起来,交融起来,才是一个最佳的选择。

方文光说,西方人喜欢直接表达自己的想法、十分自信、充满活力。比如,酒店中餐厅中推出了开放式的制作厨房,向来此用餐的西方人介绍“神秘的中国菜”,结果不但吸引客流还建立了餐厅的品牌。而自信,被方文光用于工作团队的管理中,对于员工,方文光总是去让员工发现自己的优点,从而激励他们的工作激情,建立彼此的信任。

在中国元素这一边,中国人的道德感、责任心、哲学观也是方文光所吸收的养分。比如,在本次的金融危机中,在面临国际客源下降,入住率下降的市场环境下,“多元经营、集中优势”的中国哲学理念就被很好地运用起来。作为上海不多的国际品牌综合体酒店,酒店的客房不仅有满足元首级的高级项目,也有符合国外商务客流的中档项目,更有符合国内普通客源的普通项目。所以,即使是全球金融危机,酒店的入住率还是保持在60%左右,其中的60%―70%来自中国本地。

对于这种海外华人的“东西交融”的特长,方文光坦然形容为“一半是中国,一半是马来西亚”。在马来西亚有他的兄弟姐妹,在中国,有他的妻子女儿。两个国家,一个家庭,虽然远隔千里也永远无法割裂方文光的中国情结。在中国生活工作了近十年,方文光的“中国之旅”还将持续下去。“我爱中国,也爱马来西亚。马来西亚华人就是连接两国文化与友谊的桥梁。”

Fang Wenguang “Step forward to China, as my root is there.”

Text/Li Xiao Dong

A person needs objectives and passion

Fang Wenguang was born into a Chinese-Malaysian family in 1969. In earlier days, His grandfather

traveled long way from Canton to Southeast Malaysia in order to make a better living, after spending enormous efforts, he established middle class status and lay the foundation for the family. Both Fang’s grandfather and father had held plum jobs from local banks. As third generation, Fang received prestigious education at St. Francis Xavier University .

Fang Wenguang was only a bit over 20 when he started working for the famous Shangri-la Hotel Group in 1990. He worked through many different positions, starting form Sales, gradually to banquet sales manager, senior sales manager, marketing director, and ultimately became a professional hotelier.

Following his adventurous spirits, Fang Wenguang moved from Penang Pulau to Kuala Lumpur and Thailand to work for hotels in different regions. In 1999, he was brought in front of an opportunity of traveling to China for further adventure and career development. At the time, Southeast Asian hotel industry was devastatingly affected by Asian financial crisis which burst out with significant currency devaluation. “During that period, hotel business heavily depended on European and American tourists, meanwhile they started thinking about exploiting China market.” Driven by his “root seeking’ passion, Fang Wenguang immediately decided to journey to China, despite mainland China was under economic development and high-end hotel industry were almost untapped during the phase.

“As Chinese descendant, I feel the strong passion for going there. Why not? my grandfather came from there, although I can’t speak very well Chinese.” Fang Wenguang smiled.

If there is peace at home, everything will prosper

Fang Wenguang began working in China in 1999, holding the position of Sales Director in Sheraton Suzhou. “Streets were packed with bicycles on those days, now you see cars everywhere, It’s amazing when you witness the rapid growing process of this country.” He also started getting better and deeper understanding of China in the course of working together with his Chinese colleagues. 2004, He relocated to Xiamen where a new Sheraton hotel opened up, he successfully led the marketing strategy and implementation of sales and marketing of the hotel. At work, he particularly enjoyed communication with colleagues and friends in Fukien dialect.

In 2006, Sheraton You You Hotel and Apartment, located in 2010 Expo central exhibition are, come into operation, it was built by You You International Plaza as investor, and is currently managed by Starwood, the professional international hotel management group. The new hotel and apartments, together with existent Shanghai Grand You You Hotel constitutes the city’s largest hotel complex with supply of 992 rooms, it’s also the closest hotel to the World Expo center. In 2008, Starwood decided to transfer Fang Wenguang to take lead in managing the two hotels, intending to make best use of his thorough understanding of China marketing and experience in both local and

international client acquisition.

Shanghai Pudong Sheraton You You Hotel was awarded the best conference hotel by TTG in 2009. As practice for serving the 2010 World Expo, Fang Wenguang has initiated and set up a “World Expo Team” to offer professional services. On November 13 & 14, the third exhibitor conference of World Expo was held in the 1019 square meter large grand ball room of Sheraton You You Hotel. 700 delegates from different countries attended this conference and were left with great impression about the excellent services meticulously provided by the hotel, from welcome kit to banquet set up. “We aim at being the true ‘World Expo Hotel’, spreading the professional image and passion of the city to international guests through offering the best accommodation experience.” Fang Wenguang smiled with confidence. When asked about his open sesame to success career development, Fang Wenguang believed it is his strong family value highlighted in Chinese culture that has facilitated cooperation and solidarity in both work and life. Therefore, he always bears the concept of “family” wherever he goes. He worked for Starwood hotel and resort for near 9 years without leaving the “family”; when he were building his own management team and trying to stimulate passion out of his staff, he indeed considered the team as his “family”; and of course in his life, a true family has been established in China, with his gentle wife and their naughty daughter.

Combine Chinese and Western Cultures in hotel management

According to his staff, Fang Wenguang is open-minded, energetic and full of passion. “you always feel happy when having him around. He has got his own mind, yet amicable and creative.” Miss Tang, hotel’s PR director gave a portrait of him. He is good at cycling and bowling when it comes to sports. Often on weekends, his home becomes the KTV venue for the staff and he himself will function as DJ.

He considered his open-minded-ness as a direct result of western education. And Chinese culture threw equally significant influence on his work and life. He believes well combined western and Chinese traditional values will generate optimal outcomes.

Westerners like to express the-mselves straightforwardly, they are confident and full of energy. For example, his initiation of setting an open kitchen in Chinese restaurant to show western dinners the process of Chinese cooking was very successful, it helped the restaurant attract guests and build brand awareness. He also stressed importance of confidence in management and team work, He likes to encourage employees to seek for and be aware of the strong points on themselves, so that to simulate their work enthusiasm and build mutual trust.

Among Chinese cultural values, sense of morality, responsibility and philosophy of moderation are highly appreciated by Fang Wenguang. For instance, during the world financial crisis, he applied “multiple business approaches with core advantages” to cope with declined occupancy rate. As one of very few hotel complexes in Shanghai, the hotel not only offers superb executive rooms to state heads and medium high level rooms to international business travelers, it also provides ordinary rooms to meet the need of local travelers. Therefore, even in economic downturn, the hotel occupancy rate still kept at 60%, among which 60% to 70% are local Chinese guests.

Fang Wenguang spoke frankly that he is half Chinese and half Malaysia. With siblings in Malaysia, whereas wife and daughter in China, he always considered them as one family crossing two countries. Nearly 10 years working in China, he will continue his China journey. “I love China, so is Malaysia. Chinese Malaysians play the role of bridging the cultures and friendship between the two countries.”

He told us his 4 years old daughter could speak both languages well. “She is not like me, I always pronounce Ma Ma (horse) when I mean Mama (mom), she switches between English and Chinese very fast.” When saying so, he blinked with a sort of father’s softness.