Interview
William Rey
Hello William Rey,
Thank you for this interview. Your career path from the Hotel Management School Geneva to your current role as Senior Partner at Rey Immobilier is impressive.
Could you tell us about your experience in the hotel industry and what attracted you to the real estate sector?
My experience in the hotel industry began a year before I started school. I was able to work in a 4-star hotel in Geneva as a receptionist for a year. After that, I discovered that I liked customer contact. During my internships at EHG, I was able to perfect this and discover other aspects that helped guide me towards the real estate path.
What are you most passionate about in your current job in the real estate sector?
I think it’s beyond real estate itself. First and foremost, it’s a service sector, just like the hotel industry. In itself, the only difference is that we’re not selling a one-night experience, but a life project. Human relationships are at the heart of our profession, and that’s what I’m most passionate about.
How did your training and experience at the Hotel Management School Geneva (EHG) help you make the transition to the real estate sector?
First of all, I’d say that this school enabled me to acquire interpersonal skills. Good manners, non-verbal language, dress, a lot of things that, at the start of our course, seem secondary to us, but which make sense when we leave the school. Secondly, I would say that the EHG taught me a lot about business management. This is an important point to bear in mind when setting up your own business. Finally, I’d say that we all gain in self-confidence and elocution, an important thing that helped me a lot when I joined the real estate sector.
What has been the biggest challenge you've faced in your current job at Rey Immobilier, and how did you overcome it?
A lot of challenges to list them all. I’d say the challenge isn’t focused on any particular sale or promotion. It’s a daily challenge, and we have to give our best every day. Every opportunity or mandate is a challenge. Personally, it’s what gets me up every day.
Can you tell us about your most memorable internship at EHG?
It’s true that all three courses were highly instructive. I’ve learned so many different things from them. Whether it’s management at the Métropole in Geneva, interpersonal skills or hands-on experience at the Tartare and Co restaurant. The last one in Brussels was very enriching in terms of discovering a country I’d only known through travel, but never through work. It’s true that we really discover a country by living and working there. If I could share one piece of advice with future students and trainees, it would be to “travel if possible”.
Could you describe the Hotel Management School Geneva in three words?
3 words would be too short to describe the school. I’d say it’s a school of life, a school that evolves with the times, and a school that knows how to adapt.
At the recent Alumni Gala in January, you had the opportunity to sample Chef Faval's cuisine at Restaurant Vieux Bois. What were your impressions?
The January gala was a great success. It was my first and I have fond memories of it. We were able to sample some incredible dishes, and the theme of the evening was in keeping with the school.
What are your future plans or ambitions at Rey Immobilier? How do you see your career developing in the real estate sector?
Keeping our family spirit. Continue to offer customers the service we provide on an ongoing basis. At the same time, we are beginning to expand into Switzerland, France and the United States, offering both off-market and on-market properties, which you can find on our website.
Do you have a message or piece of advice to share with current Hotel Management School Geneva students who are considering a career outside the traditional hotel industry?
It’s true that my career path doesn’t follow that of the restaurant and hotel business. If I can say one thing to current and future students, “it’s to do what you’re most passionate about. It’s to get up every day with a goal and ask yourself how can I achieve it.” Whether it’s hospitality, real estate, finance, design, etc… Doing what we love is the most important thing to have no regrets.
Thank you, William, for sharing your experience and valuable insights. We invite our readers to discover. Rey Immobilier
