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Hotels
Hotel Corner
Meet Thomas Hoeborn, General Manager of Conrad Hong Kong
Thomas Hoeborn leads the team at Conrad Hong Kong as it celebrates its 25th anniversary. He shares his experiences from living in Asia for more than two decades…
I studied finance and economics but eventually took after my father, who was a pastry and bakery chef. The passion for cooking had always been there – I loved and enjoyed it – so I said why not?
I became one of the youngest executive chefs at 27 years old, running a handful of restaurants and hotels. I was then transferred to Singapore where I became area director of F&B.
I’ve been with Hilton worldwide for more than 27 years, and I have to thank them for always believing in my talent. They even supported me when I pursued further learning in London to set me up for the next level of my career.
I always had this desire to travel – to see the world, to see other cultures, to be able to get a global point of view.
I’m very happy, challenged and excited to be in Asia. It’s incredible to be in the fastest growing region in the world; I want to be a part of it and contribute to it.
Hong Kong is a great combination being cosmopolitan but still with that Asian flair. It retains its oriental character and traditions making it all the more interesting and attractive.
You need to show a high level of respect for the culture you find yourself in. I’ve learned that after moving from place to place including Nigeria, Switzerland, and Japan… You need to put a tremendous effort into understanding the context prior to your arrival.
I like surrounding myself with positive and ambitious people. It’s always inspiring to be around people who have that hunger to succeed; it feeds your own drive to move forward.
I bought myself a Mini Cooper convertible here which my family and I greatly enjoy during the weekends. Getting out on a good day, with the top down, is an amazing feeling. I love that break from the city driving to Hong Kong’s beaches like Shek O and Sai Kung. The scenery along the way makes the drive even better.
Some of our guests’ favourite Hong Kong experiences have been in the outdoors. Hiking here is fantastic, you get views of mountain and high rise alike. Our guests who rent out boats sailing to one of the many outlying islands always come back saying “wow!”
