Getting balance right in ‘hot melting pot’
Print Edition
FOR Arno Nicolussi Moretto, it’s about getting the balance right, whether it is in business or life.
The Austrian has lived in China for 18 years and says he doesn’t feel like a foreigner anymore, but more like a welcomed guest.
The 54-year-old is the cluster general manager of Greenland World Center Hotels and was awarded the best General Manager of Greenland International Hotels Group in 2017.
Nicolussi Moretto has a penetrating mind and truly understands Shanghai is a hot melting pot, especially for business.
“Whatever was happening in the world, it’s happening in Shanghai,” Nicolussi Moretto says with a confident smile. “You can see the world here.
“You need to be fast. If you are not fast in business, you will lose business.”
But outside the cut and thrust of the business world , he can take time out to share leisure time with his staff and colleagues.
“He is a passionate team leader and a good boss. I learnt a lot beside him,” says Mini Wang, his director of marketing and communications, who has five years experience working alongside her European manager.
Q: Do you remember the moment you first came to Shanghai?
A: Yes, I do. Shanghai had the feeling of New York and Hong Kong. It’s fast and bustling. Shanghai was the hottest spot in the world. It’s fantastic.
I’ve been in China for more than 18 years. I was very much involved in the 2008 Beijing Olympics when most of the water sports were held in Qingdao; I was also very much involved in the 2010 Shanghai Expo. There was a time when you could see the development. You could feel where Shanghai was heading.
As a businessman, it’s not hard to understand Shanghai is a hot melting pot. It is like New York’s stock market. Here things are happening. It’s a fast city.
Q: Do you still remember your very first image of Shanghai?
A: It was a little more difficult in communication, not so many expats in Shanghai and people were more conservative at that time.
Shanghai, or China, has changed so fast. It is like a bullet, moving so fast like a high-speed train.
I don’t call myself a foreigner now, and I think I am a guest of Shanghai, or China. I strongly believe in respect toward people and honesty.
If you don’t treat people with respect and honesty, it will come back and bite you.
Q: Do you have any impressive tales about Shanghai?
A: What always impresses me is the mix of the areas in Shanghai. I like walking around and experiencing the neighborhood.
At one time, I walked into Wukang Road. The whole neighbourhood was a jumble of old and new yet completely harmonized. I was so happy that they kept all these historical buildings.
It was a fantastic experience that made me think, “Wow, yes, I was in China, but not really in China.”
Q: How do you spend your weekends in Shanghai?
A: I like to play golf for example. I also like sailing. It’s a little bit hard to do both in Shanghai, especially the golf, because it’s very far. Also the game is a little bit overpriced here, compared to other Chinese cities.
I like reading. I go to flea markets. I go to different restaurants. I have my very clear selection of restaurants.
I like to cool down, have a nice glass of wine, have a chitchat with friends and have a nice cigar. Simply go for dinner, and relax myself.
Q: Which places in Shanghai do you like best?
A: There is a fantastic walkway now. It’s near the Marriot Riverside (at Jiangbin and Kaiping roads and the West Bund area). You can walk there, and over the bridge. It’s beautiful. You see all the ships coming and going. It calms me down.
I like sea. I like water. I like ships. It’s a very beautiful place. There are a lot of trees, coffee and nice people. It’s a fun place. That’s culture.
And I like dumplings, and I often go to Din Tai Fung (a chain restaurant founded in Taiwan, specializing in xiaolongbao, or soup dumplings).
Q: What do you love about Shanghai other than business?
A: I am here on business but on the weekends I am not really for business. I meet friends and I am a resident here. I feel really at home. This is the place to be.
Shanghai for me, it is like a home. In a melting pot like Shanghai, you need to be smart. There is no limit in Shanghai. Now with the bullet trains it’s even better. In 30 minutes you are in Hangzhou. It’s better than any aircraft.
Q: What do you dislike in Shanghai?
A: Shanghai is a mega-city. There is a lot of construction going on all the time. It would be great if they can work on the control of the traffic. Sometimes it takes so much time on small distances. This is an area where Shanghai could push itself and manage the traffic better.
Shanghai is at the right speed. Everyone would like to come to Shanghai. Everyone likes Shanghai. Not only Shanghai, all of China is moving in the right direction. I think China will be at its strongest in the next five years.
Q: Do you have any impressive memory to share of your life?
A: When I was a child (I am talking about my stepfather), he opened the world to me. He took care of my family. He taught me so many positive things in life. It was fantastic.
Also I remembered I learnt one thing from a friend of mine when I was in Xi’an, who said, “China can move mountains if they wish to, but China can also stop a mountain if they wish to.”
It is true, if you have spirit, and you create something for the people, there is no limit. The younger generation here understand they should go faster and faster.
Now, I am 54, but I am also very fast. My father told me, “Age is no difference if you can do the job. So long as you know how to experience and how to make it happen, there is no age difference.”
Another one maybe was related to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. At that time, I was working for the Intercontinental. This kind of international events require very detailed preparation in terms of security, food safety, fire safety, hygiene and many other aspects, especially when you have top VIPs from other countries.
The opportunity made me see in detail what the Olympics are about.
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