What makes some of these local or global creatives tick? In this weekly column, Dr Luciano Lopez, an ex-professional football referee turned Dean of EHL Campus, shares his favourite things.
1. Sports: My passion for sports started at a very young age. I started playing soccer when I was about six years old and continued doing so for the next 12 years.
Before I moved to Singapore, I was a part-time referee for semi-professional football leagues in Switzerland, overseeing international friendlies that included teams from the Premier League, LaLiga, Primeira Liga, Süper Lig and the Swiss Super League.
2. Conversations: Being an educationalist, sparking conversations and having them with my students keeps me going. I believe in encouraging my students to express their opinions as well as discuss issues and ideas making classrooms more engaging.
Two-way communication is absolutely key for innovation and learning to thrive. Be it managing teams on the pitch or students in the classrooms, I have learned to always have an objective mindset and explain my decisions in a clear and concise manner.
3. Teaching: I believe in the power of education and as an academician, I have the opportunity to inspire young mindsets which is a huge responsibility. Although I loved being a referee, I also have an equal passion for teaching.
I started my career in teaching in the year 2011, and today I am the Dean of EHL Campus (Singapore), where I oversee academics and the leadership at the campus.
4. Hospitality: I am obsessed with great hospitality. The industry is poised for growth as we recover from the pandemic and it is thrilling to keep making it better as consumer expectations and aspirations change so rapidly. A staycation to remember, an immersive brand experience that leaves you energized, or a spa visit that makes you feel you have been reborn, who doesn’t want to live through such moments?
Excellent customer experience is a key aspect of the hospitality playbook, and so is sustainability and making conscious choices, especially at EHL campuses across Switzerland and Singapore.
5. Coffee: The smell and taste of good coffee kick off each morning of mine. I enjoy almost all types of coffee but to make consuming coffee an experience, I first select the beans, usually from Ethiopia, I brew them at home (no complaints from the neighbours so far) and then I prepare the coffee using my Italian coffee maker.
6. Circular Economy: The R’s behind the concept of circular economy are one of my life’s mantras. I strongly believe that such production and consumption pattern is the future. EHL is a strong advocate for sustainable choices be it in the hospitality industry or others and I am glad to be supporting their agenda.
EHL Singapore has been one of the key partners in the +Pavilion project since its inception which in essence is about making sustainable construction choices. Every business needs to think in the context of the circular economy and measure its impact.
It is like running a marathon, if you have an end goal you are focused and know how much to go on before you can mark the achievement.
7. Research: I love data, numbers, trends, you name it. Research is a key pillar of any educational exercise and I always encourage my students to absorb from their surroundings, research as much as they can and leverage existing industry knowledge to plan for a better future.
Another piece of advice I give them is to be inquisitive, dig deep and cover the ground well before they start a new project.
In fact, the first time I decided to take an economics class back in high school, it was purely out of curiosity.
8. Travelling: Travelling is like fuel to my brain. I like to immerse myself in different cultures, learn about their unique lifestyles and discover new food. I have travelled to 25 countries over the 5 continents and will continue to explore in the coming years whenever my schedule allows.
When you believe you have reached your lifestyle balance, you just discover something new and it impacts you as a human being.
Today, I don’t have much of Japan in my lifestyle but after my holidays this summer, I know it will change.
9. Cheese, Wine & Chocolate: With roots in Switzerland, I have come to have a discerning palette for cheese, chocolate and wine. I am sorry for some readers that may be offended by what comes next but my palette is a red wine palette… even with fondue!
Just imagine a nice cheese platter with a great glass of Pinot Noir. And then, of course, a sweet and comforting piece of 60% black chocolate. Just incredible.
10. Fitness: As much as I love cheese, wine and chocolate, I still had to keep fit back when I was a referee. I had to be on top of my game in terms of fitness so that I could keep up with the speed of the matches and be in the best position to control and regulate match proceedings.
Nowadays, even if my sports career is over, I still need to exercise. It is currently the only way for me to empty my head.
Once you’re done with this story, click here to catch up with our December/January 2023 issue!
