GM, Melvin Yang: putting the heart and soul into Luxury & Lifestyle

For our inspirational General Managers, this role is more than just a job: it’s a 360-degree experience which encompasses their entire authentic selves. It’s about their personal journey as much as it is about their professional one and it takes a special kind of person to step up to the challenge. We are searching for the next generation of GMs to raise the bar with us in a new era of luxury and lifestyle. GMs like Melvin.

Melvin Yang is the General Manager at Regent Chongqing; a property which - under his watchful eye - offers guests a haven of luxury and calm right in the beating heart of contemporary southwestern China.

Starting with Regent in Sales & Marketing twenty years ago, Melvin quickly progressed through the operational departments, eventually becoming a GM at the Taipei Regent for two years, before moving on to Chongqing in 2017.  In that time, Melvin has consistently proven to be successful, and stands as a shining example of what it means to bring your entire self - heart, body, and soul - to a career in hospitality.

Melvin’s focus is always on creating an uplifting atmosphere and a luxurious environment for guests.  He says his secret is to “serve from the heart” and he encourages his team to follow suit, observing guests closely and tailoring services specifically to their needs. A combination of Western aesthetics and Eastern hospitality is what he feels forms the ‘DNA’ of Regent.

For Melvin, collaboration and communication are key: he encourages his team to work together, inspire each other and create opportunities to learn and grow. Inspiring his managerial approach is his personal leadership philosophy “walk the talk and lead by example to bring the brand to life”.

Melvin cites the support he has been offered during his time with IHG as a key factor in his success as a leader, particularly being given room to learn and grow. In each of the varied roles he has undertaken at IHG, he has developed new skills which he has been able to apply to in each role beyond that. Over the past two decades, Melvin has taken his learning experiences from IHG and seen his personal story evolving in tandem with his professional life, with each developing to the mutual benefit of the other.

“The amazing part of working with Regent and IHG as a leader is that there is always room for learning.”

Crucially for Melvin, life at Regent has not only been about gaining work experience and progressing his career; but also about immersing himself in the cultural experience surrounding the role; an experience that he has found profoundly meaningful in many other aspects of his life.

“Regent is a cultural experience that nourishes your lifestyle, your personality and your soul.”

Whilst a General Manager role is demanding - requiring you to call upon a whole spectrum of skills and bring all your personality to work - it’s also a highly fulfilling one, which comes with its own rewards.  Melvin’s attention is always on creating a luxury experience like no other for his guests, and that attention to nurture and care has influenced aspects of his own life and has made him, he says, "a better person".

“You’re not just caring for your guests, you are also caring for your family, caring for your friends - so you become a better person as time goes by.”

With a genuine passion for hospitality, Melvin has grown from strength to strength, and we’re excited to see what he does next. He’s just one inspiring example of what it means to be the best of the best here at IHG Hotels & Resorts, and you could join him. 

We’re searching for general managers that specialise in turning our guests' dreams into reality. Leaders capable of inspiring colleagues around them to realise their own ambitions. Visionaries ready to redefine luxury and lifestyle travel at an industry level. 

To discover how you can follow in Melvin’s footsteps to lead a new era of luxury and lifestyle, click here.