Meet Utari

I was offering spa consultancy services to hotels and had come to present my proposal to the General Manager of Novotel Bali Benoa. At the end of our conversation, he told me he would sign the consultancy on one condition: that I manage his spa. 

I had no background in hospitality, and I was completely open about it. After our conversation, I realized that at Accor, curiosity and the willingness to learn open doors and create new opportunities. My French was seen as an asset, and I was reminded that everything else could be learned. That conversation is what brought me to where I am today, twenty years later.

There was a leadership program that was called the Leadership Development Program back then, now known as the Global Leadership Program. Beyond the theoretical learning and discussions, we were given the opportunity to do cross-exposure. I spent time in several departments such as Housekeeping, Front Office, Villas and Rooms, which broadened my understanding of hospitality and sparked the desire to build a long-term career in the industry.

Having experienced the Heartists® program firsthand, I found it to be deeply rooted in a human approach. It captures what Accor truly stands for: authenticity, openness, and curiosity. To stay authentic is to be valued as you are. Being open-minded means remaining open to learning from others. And to stay curious is essential, in an environment defined by constant change. It is the program that has stayed closest to my heart.

La semaine dernière, j’ai reçu une photo de quatre nouveaux Directeurs généraux nommés cette année. Ils m’ont rappelé qu’il y a quatre ans, ils faisaient partie d’une promotion du « Leadership Development Program », alors qu’ils étaient encore Chefs de service. Et aujourd’hui, ils sont devenus Directeurs généraux, qui s’investissent à leur tour en soutenant activement un autre programme de développement au sein de Accor.

That is what keeps us, as learning facilitators, and as Accor Academy, feeling truly satisfied. Seeing someone bloom and then watching them step up to support the development of others. That, to me, is what a lifelong learning culture is really all about.

I would say our role is moving into facilitation. We are focusing on a learner-centric experience — how we make people feel heard, how we make them feel safe in learning sessions. We are not there to teach. We are there to facilitate someone's learning. And that learning can only come from within themselves.