Alessandro Ferrazza

I am currently a Senior Lecturer and Programme Manager in the business faculty, teaching postgraduate students at the University of Sunderland in London. I attended the Institute for Hospitality Management (IPAS) in Rome and graduated in 1986 from West London University. In 2015, I attained an L7 Extended Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership at Bromley College HE. In 2017, I earned an MBA with distinction under the tutelage of Dr Thorben Hanel-Muhs. I am also a fellow member of the Institute of Hospitality (IoH), a Chartered Manager, and a fellow member of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). I am also a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).

My career started in hotels after graduation, and I have worked with global organisations in a variety of senior and executive management roles such as Food and Beverage Director, Front of House Director, and Regional Account Director. Although I have predominantly worked in the UK and Italy, I have also held posts with corporations in France and Switzerland. While in Switzerland, between 1984 and 1986, I was in charge of managing all hospitality services for the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) center of excellence in Zurich and the European Head Office in London. While in Italy, from 1993 to 2001, I was a member of the board of Directors for Princess Pallavicini in Rome, managing two of the Princess organisations. In 2001, I began working with Compass Group Plc, initially as a General Manager and then moved to other roles, reaching the height of my career with the company as Regional Account Director. In this role, I was able to extend my knowledge to strategically support the division with a multimillion-pound business. The role engaged with client retention, sales, and achieving the company’s strategic vision and advantage. In 2019, I left the industry and entered Academia as an Associate Lecturer, predominantly specialising in Business Strategy, Strategic Leadership and Management, and International Human Resource Management.

As a Senior Manager in the industry, I have been exposed to a significant variety of subordinate challenges, from pay-related issues to the lack of professional pathways, from financial to non-financial benefits. I have felt compelled to research the issue and present to the industry a possible solution to deliver not only a better-prepared workforce but, more so, a more inclusive and diverse mix and a much more motivated workforce, which would deliver quality of service and product with a professional approach, enhancing the longevity of allegiance between employee and employer.