F B Vice President

CHRISTIAN LECOLE

917-***-**** *********.******@*****.*** linkedin.com/in/christianlecole

Miami, FL

Corporate Director — Food & Beverage

Orchestrate, transform, and lead up to $200MM global programs for luxury hospitality and industry leaders, such as Hilton, Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs, Lessing’s Hospitality, JLL, Virgin / Brightline, and Four Seasons. Combine strategy with operations to create value for owners, corporate executives, employees, and world’s most discerning guests. Craft vibrant culinary / beverage programs and lifestyle destinations. Leverage data analytics to monitor, influence, and optimize performance. Establish best-in-class workplaces and bespoke experiences that inspire C-suite teams, partners, and staff.

Graduate of Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL) and Cornell University School of Hotel Administration

Delivered 30+ major programs in key markets: NYC, Miami, London, Paris, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Mumbai.

Orchestrated successful repositioning and reopening of Conrad Hotel Battery Park as luxury lifestyle hotel.

Bid, negotiated, and forged innovative, multimillion-dollar partnerships with all major hospitality / B&I providers — Compass, R/A, Flik, USE, Aramark, Sodexo, JLL — reducing OPEX 20% and elevating service.

Launched 50K-SF F&B and Hospitality programs for Brightline’s $4B mixed-use and high-speed rail development.

Transformed Lehman Brothers’ corporate F&B / hospitality services from subsidized cost center to $1M profit center.

Areas of Expertise

Global Hospitality Food & Beverage (F&B) Programming Luxury / Lifestyle Hotel Operations Strategic Planning

P&L Management Corporate Hospitality & Services Hotel Transformation Redevelopment & Destination Programs

Real Estate (RE) Development Asset Management Contract Negotiations Concept Development & Innovation

Guest Experience Cross-functional Collaboration Team Leadership Labor Relations Employee Engagement

Experience

Katalyse Hospitality Consulting New York, NY and Miami, FL — 2014-2016; 2019-2022; 2024-Present

FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL

Established and intermittently operated consulting firm to provide diverse organizations with hospitality advisory, culinary development, continuous improvement, guest experience, and revenue strategies and solutions. Led design and implementation of luxury / lifestyle hospitality programs, business transformations, and RE development ventures.

Launched collaboration with Amber Hospitality (investor-backed luxury / lifestyle development group), Top 50 / celebrity chefs, and award-winning architects to create F&B / restaurant concepts, entertainment venues, and lifestyle hotels.

Hilton Hotels & Resorts New York, NY — May 2023-Aug 2024

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, F&B & EVENT OPERATIONS — NY MIDTOWN HOTEL

Drove YoY banquet usage and revenue growth by developing strategy and leading execution of F&B and event operations.

P&L: $90MM People: 300 union FTEs & 15 managers Assets: 3 restaurants & bars, 151K-SF of banquets & events space

Cut outlets’ loss in half and boosted F&B profitability 15% by developing and executing strategy, training and marketing programs, and business cases that repositioned program with new concepts, menus, pricing, and activations.

Grew revenue 5%, from $88MM to $93MM, and doubled guest satisfaction from 32% to ~70% by collaborating with sales / marketing and culinary to launch cohesive guest experience program, standards, activations, and staff training.

Lessing’s Hospitality Group New York, NY and Miami, FL — May 2022-May 2023

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, F&B & HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS

Set strategic direction and operational improvement recommendations for business with 5 distinct operating groups across state of New York and South Florida. Reported directly to CEO and Chairman.

P&L: $160MM Assets: 22 catering & entertainment venues, 24 restaurants & bars, 85 B&I accounts, one hotel

Generated $20MM in new business with $4MM incremental profit margin by developing and deploying expansion plans and growth strategies. Created portfolio of concepts and culinary themes along with bids and RFPs.

Virgin / Brightline RE Development Miami, FL — Mar 2016-Jun 2019

VICE PRESIDENT, F&B AND HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS — RESTAURANT LEASING

Led development and launch of Downtown Miami retail destination complex. Managed 3rd party outsourced contractors.

P&L: $30MM revenue budget Assets: 25 diverse restaurants, market, & entertainment venues People: 5 direct reports

Established transformative F&B, hospitality, and lifestyle destination in Downtown Miami by creating strategic vision, concept, and design for 3-year, $40MM construction of 160K-SF retail complex.

Partnered with selected vendors to develop, grow, and position them into sustainable business owners with 3 businesses operating multiple locations today.

Goldman Sachs New York, NY — Aug 2011-Jun 2014

VICE PRESIDENT, F&B AND HOSPITALITY CONRAD HOTEL ASSET MANAGER

As owner’s GM, directed extensive remodeling construction, pre-opening, and ongoing operational and financial performance of Conrad Hotel Battery Park, including adjacent restaurant, retail, and entertainment complex.

P&L: $90MM People: Conrad team of 300+ Assets: 468 hotel suites, 15 chef-driven concepts, QSR & fast casual operators

Established Conrad as one of NYC’s most profitable hotels by hiring and working with GM to standardize operations across all departments, including housekeeping, front desk, F&B, finance, engineering, and S&M.

Created transformative F&B destination and center of gravity for Downtown NYC by orchestrating curation, leasing, and opening of restaurant and retail complex in collaboration with Union Square Group and local operators.

Partnered with Conrad / Hilton to champion brand standards while increasing occupancy, profitability, and market share through PR, marketing, and sales initiatives.

Launched innovative, industry-leading culinary programs, partnerships, and technologies that established service excellence, optimized user / customer experience, and increased traffic and revenue 25%.

Deutsche Bank New York, NY — Aug 2010-Aug 2011

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GLOBAL F&B, HOSPITALITY, EVENTS & WORKPLACE SERVICES

Directed workplace services focused on innovative F&B concepts, amenities, hospitality and corporate services, technology solutions, and industry-leading sustainability programs.

P&L: $200MM+ People: 20 direct reports Assets: 8 executive restaurants, 20 employee dining centers

Transformed F&B and hospitality services, reducing operating costs 15% by building cross-functional collaborations, synergies, and strategic partnerships within Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) model.

Jones Lang LaSalle New York, NY — Aug 2009-Aug 2010

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, F&B, HOSPITALITY, EVENTS & WORKPLACE SERVICES

Hired to establish one of industry’s first IFM models for 13M-SF F&B, hospitality, events, and workplace services group.

P&L: $70MM People: 4 direct reports

Established operational excellence by restructuring and integrating F&B, events, hospitality, and facilities management services into IFM Center of Excellence; led to 15% cost savings.

Lehman Brothers New York, NY — Sep 2000-Feb 2009

VICE PRESIDENT, F&B, HOSPITALITY & AMENITIES

Provided strategic direction and oversight for global F&B operations, hospitality services, and amenities organization.

P&L: $80MM People: 300 employees, 800 outsourced staff, 15 direct reports Assets: 6 executive restaurants, 15 employee cafeterias, 12 conference centers, 1K meeting rooms, 3 fitness clubs

Delivered best-in-class services during global expansion that opened 12 new offices: New York (5), Denver, London, Paris, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, and Mumbai.

Tripled profitability and grew revenue 50% by standardizing service levels across geographies worldwide.

Launched innovative programs, created synergies, and negotiated contracts, resulting in $8MM annual savings.

Early Career: The University Club, New York — Director, F&B and Catering The Pierre Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel, New York — F&B Manager The Waldorf-Astoria, New York — F&B Manager

Education

Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL) Switzerland — Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Hotels, Resorts, and F&B Management

Cornell University, School of Hotel Administration Ithaca, NY — Executive Development, Finance, and Marketing

Universite de Nantes France — Bachelor of Economics in Business Administration and Finance

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