Hospitality Design - April 2023 - 147

The atrium lobby at the Hotel Indigo
Vancouver Dtwn, Washington
Querida Luna restaurant at the voco
Guadalajara Neruda in Mexico
Nicole Wilson
Vice President, Procurement
IHG Hotels & Resorts
Nicole Wilson's journey in hospitality began with stints
at Carnival Corporation and the Walt Disney Company
before she landed at IHG Hotels & Resorts in 2021.
Although she joined at a time when the world-and
especially hospitality-was dealing with the fallout of the
pandemic, it became an opportunity for reinvention and
innovation which led to the building of two powerhouse
teams, addressing the needs of colleagues, and positioning
themselves for growth. Leading the Global Procurement,
FF&E, and Value Engineering teams in the Americas,
Wilson nurtures necessary relationships to execute the
vision of IHG's brands, supports owner returns, and helps
shape the future of responsible travel.
What led you to this point?
It's been a remarkable adventure. Being open to
opportunities, however daunting they may be, has been
critical. Becoming comfortable with discomfort by taking
chances, learning new things, and being open to not
immediately getting it right was necessary. A key factor
has been all of the leaders, mentors, and sponsors who
invested and believed in me. They have helped guide me
and supported me throughout my career.
What keeps you passionate about the industry?
Our ability to have a positive impact on people. It begins
with our teams and colleagues and their experiences,
development, and growth as we work to build something
amazing. Our owners who embark on a fantastic lifechanging
journey that impacts so many. Our guests who
are welcomed and appreciated, and our partnerships where
challenges, collaboration, and innovation create magic.
How do you think that the industry could better
support women?
I will make this suggestion: We should continue
to consider ways to support (including financially)
female attendance at many of our industry investment
conferences. It can be and is seen as a pipeline to many
of the P&L leadership roles. The visibility, networking,
and reputation-building opportunities are rich. We
should also create pathways to presenting at these
conferences.
What women do you want to elevate in the
industry who we should know?
There are two industry women I would like to thank.
Peggy Patterson [retired] and Moe Kashi [manager of
strategic sourcing at Walt Disney World]. These amazing
women embraced me, shared their knowledge with me,
and helped me form my relationship with design and
global manufacturing. I am grateful.
What advice would you give to yourself at the
beginning of your career?
Don't beat yourself up about it. You put a lot of pressure
on yourself to 'get it right.' The truth of the matter is that
there are often multiple right choices-you bring the
secret sauce to whichever you elect.
What recent accomplishment are you most
proud of?
I am proud to be a member of our internal mentoring
program. The new round will be my third cycle of
mentees and it just gets better and better.
hospitalitydesign.com April 2023
147
Photos courtesy of IHG
http://www.hospitalitydesign.com
Hospitality Design - April 2023

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