The Entrepreneurs – Mandarin Oriental’s Vienna Opening & The Giving Movement’s Growth

Podcast: The Entrepreneurs (Monocle Radio)
Host: Tom Edwards
Guests: Laurent Kleitman (Group CEO, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group), Rania Masri (CEO, The Giving Movement)
Date: December 24, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features wide-ranging conversations with leaders from hospitality and sustainable fashion. The first half focuses on Laurent Kleitman of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, discussing the group’s historic celebrations and its landmark opening in Vienna, as well as industry insights into luxury hospitality evolution. The second segment turns to Rania Masri, CEO of UAE-born activewear label The Giving Movement, talking about the brand’s deep sustainability ethos, real-world impact, and plans for global expansion.

[01:03] Segment 1: Mandarin Oriental’s Year of Milestones

Guest: Laurent Kleitman, Group CEO, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
Interviewer: Laura Kramer

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok’s 150th Anniversary

• Milestone: Celebrating 150 years of Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, opening in 1876.
  • Quote: “So we’re starting the festivities of the 150th anniversary of the Grande Dame on the Chao Phra River. …how we can conceive the property for the next 150 years.” (01:48 - 02:15)
• Focus on honoring the property’s legacy while innovating for the future.

Vienna Opening: “An Asian Symphony in Old Europe”

• New Property: First Mandarin Oriental hotel in Austria, situated in the heart of Vienna.
• Concept: Blending Mandarin Oriental’s signature Asian hospitality with Vienna’s rich cultural traditions.
  • Quote: “What we say about Mandarin Oriental in Vienna is that we composed an Asian symphony in Vienna, bringing the Asian touch in hospitality into the heart of old Europe.” (02:41 - 03:17)
• Local Integration: Replacing traditional tea lounges with an innovative coffee lounge, reflecting Viennese culture.

Expansion Philosophy: Quality Over Quantity

• Approach: Expansion isn’t just “planting flags” but deepening brand experiences at chosen destinations.
  • Quote: “It’s really about the right destination and where we capture the essence of each destination in our hotels and then deepening the experience of our guests in the relevant location.” (03:32 - 04:11)
• Creating hotels where Mandarin Oriental loyalists travel, while maintaining authenticity per location.

Rootedness & Sense of Place

• Challenge: Maintaining the Mandarin Oriental signature while being grounded in local culture.
• Fil Rouge Concept: Continuity in legendary service culture, balanced with localized design, F&B, and wellness.

[05:00] On Wellness: Beyond Buzzwords

• Mandarin Oriental’s Innovation: Claiming innovation in hotel wellness, starting with the first spa in a hotel (Bangkok, 1993).
  • Quote: “First, I want always to remind that we have invented wellness in luxury hospitality... the first ever spa in hotel was in 1993 in Bangkok.” (05:19 - 06:00)
• Today’s Demand: Guests seek holistic well-being, not just amenities.
• Example: “Signature sleeping moment” for guest sleep routines – enhanced turn-down rituals and specialized amenities for quality rest.

[06:39] Injecting Fun & Flexibility Into Luxury

• Striving for relaxed, natural service—avoiding the stereotype of “stiff luxury.”
• Catering to guests’ diverse desires, from indulgence to detox.
  • Quote: “Give them what they believe luxury hospitality is, by creating the experience they want...” (06:56 - 07:46)

[08:00] Community Partnerships & Local Talent

• Integration: Early engagement with local communities—employment, training, and collaboration.
• Example: Mandarin Oriental Tianmen, Beijing – rejuvenated hutong, neighbors remain, chief concierge grew up there.
  • Quote: “…the chief concierge is a man who lived and was born in this area… and you do the tea with him. This is where we really believe we belong to the community and support the community.” (08:00 - 09:07)

[09:20] Talent & Hospitality Values

• Mix of formal training and intrinsic attitude seen as essential.
• Quote: “To be successful in hospitality, you need to love others more than you love yourself.” (09:20 - 10:31)
• The “Rising Fan” program: an 18-month graduate path within Mandarin Oriental.

[10:41] New Openings and Looking to 2026

• 2025 Openings: Dubai Downtown, Vienna.
• 2026 Pipeline: Mallorca Punta Negra resort (April opening), Manila’s return, and entry into Alpine resorts with Cortina, Italy.
• Industry Trends: Growing demand for privacy, generosity, and unique destinations.
  • Quote: “The desire for more privacy, the desire for more generosity, the desire for new destination. We are well placed at Mandarin Oriental to capture those trends.” (11:30 - 11:54)
• Surprise Destinations: Example of upcoming Japanese resort projects (2027) in lesser-known art-rich areas.

[14:01] Segment 2: Purposeful Growth with The Giving Movement

Guest: Rania Masri, CEO, The Giving Movement
Interviewer: Tom Edwards

Key Discussion Points and Insights

[14:34] Origin and Momentum of The Giving Movement

• COVID-19 Roots: Born out of a desire to “give back” during the pandemic. Started with simple T-shirts with bold “The Giving Movement” branding.
• Generational Shift: Younger consumers in the UAE and wider region now expect brands to align with deep social values.
  • Quote: “It was not as important… as it is today… the younger generation is really… spearheading a movement that is not only about being conscious… but also… just wanting to be part of a movement that’s kinder… to the planet… [and] each other.” (14:34 - 16:05)

[16:23] Navigating Social Impact and Advocacy

• Mission: Slogan is “humanity in motion.” The brand actively supports local and global charities (e.g., working with Dubai Cares, building orphan schools in Delhi).
• Measurable Impact: Hired graduates from supported schools.
  • Quote: “From building the school to having graduates that came for an internship with us and that stayed with us… shows tangible results.” (16:37 - 17:46)

[17:52] True Inclusion—A CEO’s First Day Surprise

• Company Culture: Real diversity and inclusion—employees from all backgrounds, including neurodiverse staff.
• Memorable Story: CEO’s first-day encounter with Ahmed, an employee on the spectrum who broke the ice with a joke.
  • Quote: “I went to the coffee machine… this young man looks at me… goes, do you want to hear a joke?... They said, yes, this is Ahmed and he’s on the spectrum. …I started meeting so many different people… giving a platform for people to engage [from] all sorts of life, that warms my heart.” (17:52 - 19:18)

[19:22] From Luxury and Media to Purpose-Led Fashion

• Rania’s career journey: Luxury/retail, media, and now impact-focused activewear.
• Emphasis on storytelling and community-building throughout her professional path, regardless of industry.
  • Quote: “At the end of the day, you’re trying to build a brand, you’re talking to a community… traditional media… can no longer sustain itself if they don’t partner with communities.” (19:48 - 21:44)

[22:03] Transformation, Leadership, and Strategic Vision

• Rania’s ethos: Embracing challenging, transformative roles over “operating” ones, always centered on people and culture.

[23:53] Scaling Without Losing Soul

• Global Expansion: Promise-driven, not just commercial.
• Differentiation: The brand’s message and values set it apart from big players like Lululemon, Alo Yoga, Vuori, etc.
  • Quote: “We might be competing when it comes to the actual product, but why a customer or why a community will choose us is very different.” (24:31 - 27:12)
• Commit to community-driven ambassadors over traditional models, emphasizing authentic stories and representation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Laurent Kleitman on the Vienna opening:
  “We composed an Asian symphony in Vienna... bringing the Asian touch in hospitality into the heart of old Europe.” (02:41 - 03:17)

• On Well-being:
  “Guests want... not just wellness, but well being offering throughout the journey... a new signature sleeping moment... deploying along all our properties...” (05:19 - 06:39)

• On Success in Hospitality:
  “To be successful in hospitality, you need to love others more than you love yourself.” (09:20 - 10:31)

• Rania Masri on humanity in business:
  “One of the main slogans of the brand is humanity in motion. So it’s never a challenge when you speak about humanity.” (16:37 - 16:52)

• On diversity and culture:
  “I’ve worked for 25 years and I’ve never had… one-on-one interactions when they talk about diversity and inclusion—but really giving a platform for people to engage of all sorts of life, that warms my heart a lot.” (17:52 - 19:18)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:03] – Introduction, Mandarin Oriental’s Bangkok anniversary & Vienna opening (Laurent Kleitman)
• [05:00] – Wellness and the evolution of luxury hospitality
• [08:00] – Community partnerships and local immersion
• [09:20] – Talent development and “loving others”
• [10:41] – Global expansion and future Mandarin Oriental openings
• [11:30] – Industry trends: privacy, generosity, and new destinations
• [12:09] – Unconventional new locations (e.g., Takamatsu, Japan)
• [14:01] – The Giving Movement’s ethos and origin (Rania Masri)
• [16:23] – Navigating social impact, advocacy boundaries, real outcomes
• [17:52] – Diversity, company culture, and a CEO’s first day
• [19:22] – Career journey through different sectors
• [22:03] – Transformation leadership style
• [23:53] – Strategic global expansion, staying authentic

Episode Tone

Warm, insightful, and purpose-driven, the conversations mix pragmatic business insights with a strong focus on community, culture, and creating positive impact—both within established luxury hospitality and fast-rising ethical fashion.

This summary covers all major content from the episode, omitting ads and promotional sections. For more, visit the respective websites: mandarinoriental.com and thegivingmovement.com.