Distinguished
Welcome to the Distinguished podcast with Dean Arun Upneja of Boston University School of Hospitality Administration.
We skip the small talk and get right into the top-of-mind topics in the world of hospitality, including, but certainly not limited to, inflation, recruiting and retaining talent, the wellness and wellbeing of our team and our guests, climate action, and the impact of robotics and AI on the future of Hospitality. And that’s just to name a few.
On this show, you’ll hear from executives, general managers, founders, and investors who live and breathe Hospitality. The “distinguished” guests on this podcast represent all areas of our industry, from hotels and restaurants to entertainment and sporting venues, travel and tourism, and of course, a favorite pastime for many of us —shopping — because, to put it simply, Hospitality is at play in most parts of our lives and livelihoods.
Distinguished
Amanda Hyndman, Chief Operating Officer of Mandarin Oriental: Redefining Luxury from the Inside Out
Imagine walking through the gilded corridors of a legendary hotel—where service feels like an art form, and every guest isn’t just remembered, but known.
Amanda Hyndman has helped shape one of the world’s most admired hotel brands. Beginning her journey with Mandarin Oriental nearly 20 years ago as a general manager, she has built meaningful, memorable guest experiences. Her 2023 appointment as Chief People & Culture Officer underscored Mandarin Oriental’s belief that its people are key stakeholders in the luxury experience. And now, as Chief Operating Officer, she oversees the entire guest journey across continents, blending intuition with precision, and heritage with innovation.
In this episode, Amanda reveals the three essential components of true luxury. Tune it to discover how to embed more “TLC” into every customer experience:
- Time – the freedom to simply be
- Locale (shelter) – a setting where you feel safe, seen, and at ease
- Care – receiving what your heart desires before you even ask
Video and audio production: Jaison Jose of Cocoon Media
The “Distinguished” podcast is produced by Boston University School of Hospitality Administration.
Host: Arun Upneja, Dean
Producer: Mara Littman, Director of Corporate and Public Relations
Sound Engineer and Editor: Andrew Hallock
Marketing: Rachel Hamlin, Senior Marketing Manager
Music: “Airport Lounge" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
