Justin Lee

Justin Lee

MSc International Human Resources Management, 2023

About me

  • Hotel Manager, EQ Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia
  • MSc International Human Resource Management, 2023 
  • Contact me on LinkedIn

ABOUT MY CAREER 

After reviewing many universities and degree programmes, I found that Manchester Metropolitan University offered a course that was both interesting and challenging for a senior student such as myself. The MSc International Human Resources Management at Manchester Met, which was delivered entirely online, provided high-calibre teaching, extensive professional development tools, and a welcoming student success team. The curriculum was a good fit for my objectives and passions in human resource management, especially when I used to work at a global level. 

The professors who taught me at Manchester Met hold world-class expertise in international human resource management, which they shared with their students through teaching, mentoring, and other means. The MSc International Human Resources Management at Manchester Met was rich with opportunities for personal growth, cultural immersion, and increasing one’s global viewpoint. I had the opportunity to dialogue with many other students from diverse backgrounds during and outside of lectures, sharing best practices. 

Being a senior student, I was already employed when I started studying at Manchester Met in 2021. I am currently the Hotel Manager at EQ Kuala Lumpur, the #1 hotel in Malaysia*. I serve as the head of the organisation’s strategic business and operational activities. Areas under my responsibility are the rooms division, engineering, food and beverage, culinary, and sales and marketing, as well as human resources. For the purpose of developing and implementing the operations strategy, as well as ensuring the effective execution of the service strategy and brand initiatives, this position collaborates with direct reports, which includes members of the executive committee and department heads. I ensure that operations meet the demands of our target customers, ensuring that employees are satisfied, concentrating on increasing revenues, and producing the highest possible financial performance. As a member of the executive committee, I am responsible for developing and implementing property-wide strategies that guarantee the delivery of products and services that meet or exceed the requirements and expectations of the brand’s target consumer as well as the employees of the property, and there is a return on investment for the owners. 

As a human resource strategic advisor, I am a highly analytical, top-performing, and result-driven global hospitality management professional credited with 20+ years of experience in aspects of human resource leadership, management, sales, revenue, leadership development, crisis management and hotel operations from working in a wide range of international markets. Focused on hotel revenue, sales and profit strategies, guest engagement, curating innovative sensory experiences, and team leadership, I have achieved unsurpassed results for owners and operators. In human resources, I have created and developed targeted selection, onboarding, performance management, succession planning, employee engagement and rewards management through implementing advanced strategies to build comprehensive human capital solutions. I am adept at framing the key hotel strategic direction through to clear operational and tactical plans and collaborating with executive management to translate critical business needs into actionable plans and results. I am also experienced in establishing cross-border HR practices and transformation initiatives and projects, within hospitality organisations. 

The skills I gained at Manchester Met which I have used the most in my career include:

  • Communication Skills: understanding how to effectively communicate across different cultures which is essential in managing diverse teams and collaborating with colleagues from around the world. 

  • Global Talent Acquisition and Management: learning strategies for recruiting, developing, and retaining talent in a global context which is crucial for HR professionals working in multinational companies. 

  • Strategic Planning and Decision-Making: acquiring strategic planning and decision-making skills enabling me to align human resource initiatives with organisational goals and contributing to overall business success. 

  • Data Analysis and HR Metrics: understanding how to collect, analyse, and interpret HR data, to make data-driven decisions and measure the impact of HR initiatives on organisational performance. 

  • Change Management: learning techniques for managing organisational change prepares HR professionals to effectively lead and support employees through transitions such as mergers, acquisitions, or restructuring. 

  • Leadership and Team Management: developing leadership skills and learning effective team management techniques that empowers HR professionals like myself to inspire and motivate employees to achieve their full potential. 

Since graduating, I continued my engagement with CIPD to ensure that I keep up with the latest trends and initiatives. I also continue to write a bi-monthly blog via LinkedIn on various aspects of hospitality and human resource management which requires research via journals and publications. 

*Kuala Lumpur’s EQ Tops Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2023.

MY TOP TIP FOR STUDENTS IS 

One of my most important recommendations for obtaining a graduate job or advancing your career is to network effectively. Networking is a strong tool that can help you discover employment prospects, acquire insight into your sector, and connect with experts that can aid your career progress. 

I’M INSPIRED BY 

Continuous learning opportunities that allow me to share with my current colleagues. 

WHY I LOVE MANCHESTER MET 

I love Manchester Met for its friendly atmosphere, which provides students with a variety of services such as academic help, career guidance, counselling, and wellbeing services, while noted for its high-quality education that emphasises practical skills and real-world applications, provided by skilled faculty members. 

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