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Movers and Shakers
Tea with Jean-Pierre Manigoff
of the Sheraton Addis
Interviewed by Yasser Bagersh
Yasser Bagersh recently had a chance to meet M. Jean-Pierre Manigoff,
General Manager of the Sheraton Addis to have a little chat about the
hotel’s plans for the future, the Millennium and more.
How are you? What’s
new?
We are very busy as everyday brings something new. We are currently
working on extending the hotel to meet ever-growing demands. The extension
includes additional rooms, suites, a spa, several function rooms,
additional parking and much more. All very exciting!
Everybody’s talking
about the Millennium. What are the preparations taking place for the
Millennium?
We have a great team of people under the leadership of Sheik Mohamed
working on the exciting festivities coming up for the Millennium. The team
is divided into separate task forces, each responsible for their
respective areas – i.e. construction, entertainment, food & beverage,
recruitment, security, and so forth.
Tell me about the
construction on Bole. How is it going? Will it meet the deadline?
Building a facility that will accommodate 20,000 guests is a major project
in itself. Facilities such as power supply, sanitation, food service, a
large stage to accommodate both international & Ethiopian artists, safety
& security are all equally important. This is done to ensure the maximum
comfort for all guests to be able to enjoy the event. Having said that,
all the teams are working very hard and we shall be ready on time.
What kind of
activities/events do you have running for this major festival in our
country?
We have several events that will run before and after the Ethiopian New
Year both in the hotel and in the Millennium Hall. Many of the festivities
are happening outside the hotel due to the sheer number of people expected
to attend. At the Sheraton Addis, we will have “Splash Parties” organized
by Jambi & Mulle taking place from Friday, August 31 through the middle of
October. There will be live music including an international DJ.
We have increased the JAZZPlus evenings by Abegaz during September on
Wednesdays. MSM (Teddy Mak & his band) are performing every Thursday &
Friday at the Office Bar, which is a popular and well attended event at
the hotel. Anna Getaneh will do her world-renowned African Mosaique show
on Sept 4th. Gaslight will open as usual on Friday, Saturday & Sunday with
an international DJ from the US. In addition, we will have Comedy nights
in the Gaslight. As for the Millennium Hall, the Millennium shows will
take place on September 11, October 20 and December 31, 2007. As it is
important that the whole nation is part of this celebration, we are hoping
to broadcast live to the nation.
Tell me more about the
performances.
For September 11th, we have received confirmation that Black Eyed Peas
will be performing along with Ethiopian celebrity artists. As for the
shows of Oct 20th & Dec 31st, it is still a secret!
How many people are you
expecting to attend this event?
This is a difficult question to answer because it depends on how many are
coming from abroad to attend these festivities. Right now we are expecting
about 20,000 per show.
How do you think the
Millennium will affect this hotel and the country long-term?
These festivities will create a positive image for the country. Therefore,
it will attract more people to visit Ethiopia which in turn will benefit
the nation. We must all be ready to welcome them in the very best
tradition of Ethiopian hospitality.
What does Ethiopia
need?
To modernize the tourism industry in all its aspects throughout the
country, making Ethiopia a prime conference and tourism destination in
Africa. This will create job opportunities and have a positive impact on
the economy. The three most important key words for the tourism industry
are ‘Training, Training, Training.’
What is your idea of a
great day’s work?
Busy and happy guests!
What is your Millennium
wish for Ethiopia?
To use this opportunity to display an image of ‘togetherness’ for the
benefit of the whole country.
Thank you, Mr. Manigoff. As always, a pleasure!
The pleasure was all mine!
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