#126 Sir David Michels – CEO, Investor, Chairman, Advisor, Legend
In this episode, I sit down with Sir David Michels (the first Sir on the pod!) – former CEO of Hilton, Deputy Chairman of Marks & Spencer, and Non-Executive Director at British Land and EasyJet – to explore his stellar corporate and non-executive career.
If you’re interested in leadership, decision-making and the realities of running capital-intensive businesses, this conversation offers direct insight from someone who’s done it at the highest level.
Key Topics Covered In This Episode:
· From school dropout, waiting tables to building one of the most impressive corporate CV’s
· Brilliant basics - why asking questions, listening and understanding people has shaped his approach to leadership
· International Growth - Taking UK hotels to the US market
· Turning Around Stakis - Navigating a multi-bank restructure involing 27 parties
· Hilton & Ladbrokes - Managing global brands, major acquisitions and the shift from owner to flag
· Real Estate vs. Operations - Why hotel ownership carries more risk than many investors realise
· Life as a Non-Exec - The role of the board, the CEO relationship, and where governance adds value
· Michels & Taylor - Building a hotel advisory and management business
· Career Perspective - On luck, pressure, regrets, and how success evolves over time
And finally...
With £500m to invest - which People, what Property, and which Place would he choose?
Sir David shares his answer, shaped by decades in hospitality and a long-term view on real estate value.
Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode.
The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne – Recruiting Leadership & Future Leadership hires for Real Estate Funds, Owners, Investors & Developers.
People Property Place
Powered by Rockbourne, the central intention of this podcast is to share the stories, views, opinions, and career journeys of the movers, shakers, innovators, and leaders in the real estate investment management industry.
Whether you are an existing real estate professional, aspiring to break into the space, or just want to know more about this fascinating sector this podcast is for you.
New episodes of The People Property Place Podcast will be released regularly and you will be able to find them for free on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or any App that supports podcasts.
Oh, and one last thing - in every episode, I will be asking each guest who are the People, what Property, and which Place they would be looking to invest, should they have £500m at their disposal.
www.rockbourne.com
- No. of episodes: 133
- Latest episode: 2025-07-03
- Business Careers Entrepreneurship
Where can you listen?
