Jo Finnigan, General Manager of Hotel St Moritz, Queenstown, said her career has been fuelled by a lifelong love of architectural design, commercial buildings, and marketing.
She entered the industry from a commercial background and started her hotel career back in 2000 at Hotel St Moritz in Queenstown, where she is still proud to base herself today. She spent 15 years in various sales, marketing and distribution roles, before stepping into the role of General Manager in 2015.
With plenty of experience under her belt, Finnigan nourishes her business mind outside of the hotel, being actively involved in Queenstown’s small business and tourism communities. She is currently Vice Chair of the Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce, she sits on the advisory board for a local tourism school, and contributes to both workforce planning and private tourism initiatives. More recently, she has joined the GM Advisory Board and the GM Brand Advisory for La Maison.
She is also a mum to two grown-up kids (and Dot, her dog) and strongly believes in creating balance.
“Living in Queenstown gives my family and me a lifestyle we love, surrounded by mountains, nature, and great people. I’m passionate about leadership, people, and helping others grow, so I’m really looking forward to being part of this mentoring programme.”
While Finnigan said there have been numerous highlights of her career, most recently she completed Accor’s Global Leadership Programme for its most senior leaders, where she delivered a project in AI and presented to the Excom in Paris. The nine-month programme was transformative, especially having the chance to study at Cornell Tech in New York for a week.
While she doesn’t have one specific mentor, Finnigan said she has been fortunate to have been surrounded by incredible leaders throughout her career.
Finnigan said while the essence of taking care of people hasn’t changed in the industry, how this is done has changed immensely as technology continues to advance.
In the future, Finnigan envisions an industry that increasingly prioritises and cultivates human talent, recognising that while technology streamlines operations, it can never fully replicate the essence of hospitality.
“Crucially, this opportunity will elevate the importance of a diverse workforce, and this means, of course, our female talent.”
Change and learning continue to motivate Finnigan. She stays engaged by pursuing projects and advisory roles in the community.
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