President, Europe / Middle East / Africa

“People always ask how we overcome regional and cultural diversity to present a consistent brand while offering unique experiences in each location. The answer is simple: there are good people everywhere, and if you treat them right, they will do a great job, and guests will love it. That is Four Seasons.”

When Antoine Corinthios joined Four Seasons in the mid 1970s, friends thought he was taking a big risk – the company was small, and the brand was virtually unknown outside Canada. Nonetheless, he found Four Seasons values compatible with his own, and he went for it. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, more than three decades later, he oversees more than two dozen Four Seasons hotels and resorts in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with as many more currently in development.

“Opening a new hotel or resort is like finally giving birth to a baby you’ve developed and cared for and loved for a long time,” says Antoine. “Even better is watching the child grow up – a hotel’s personality really begins to emerge about a year after it opens, and from there, it will grow and flourish.” In the future, Antoine looks forward to continued growth of a global portfolio that now includes more than 80 properties. Emerging destinations include Eastern Europe and Russia, Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and Europe’s great cities, where developing new properties can be challenging, but ultimately rewarding.