When asked about his Chinese name "Zuo Bainian," the managing director of Regent Beijing George Benney took a sip of his strong English breakfast tea and replied with a gentle smile, "Actually Li Ruihuan (who was once the mayor of Tianjin) personally picked it out for me nearly 30 years ago and I've been using it ever since."

George Benney, the managing director of Regent Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Although George Benney moved to Australia at the age of 18, the good old-fashioned politeness of a British man is instantly notable and the inherited British humor still works like a charm.

"I would like to think myself as more of a result-oriented general manager," Benney said and added, "And apparently I am a 'perfectionist' too, I don't think so but that's what I heard."

He was first invited to China to assume the management of Hyatt's first hotel in Tianjin in 1986. Although he was able to turn around a negative situation into a manageable partnership with local Chinese owners, there were several potential hotel system dilemmas he was not empowered to repair.

He thinks China's hotel industry was still at an early stage back then, since it wasn't long after China's initial economical reform and opening up. "Yes indeed, I was the general manager of the hotel; but unfortunately, 25 years ago I didn't have the control of staffing, purchasing or finance."

Benny fell into the hospitality industry by accident after a brief period working as a bell boy, and in less than 10 years, the same man became one of the youngest general managers in the history of the Hyatt hotel cooperation, at the age of 27.

But to climb the ladder of success is easier said than done by all means. In 1979, the same year he was appointed as the GM of the Hyatt hotel in Mashhad, Iran, the Iranian Revolution broke out.

"Just before Christmas, I woke up one day and the hotel's military protection - all the tanks and armed vehicles were gone," he recalls.

So instead of being with his family that year, he spent Christmas in the office of the state's governor general and military commander asking for help. And just when he thought the situation couldn't get any worse, the hotel employees went on strike.

He asked, "Have you ever seen the movie "Argos"? "Well, it was kind of like that." Leaving everything he ever owned behind, he had no choice but to start his career from scratch again.

His journey of fighting one crisis after another didn't end there. In Jakarta, not only did he overcome numerous labor related challenges that the Mandarin Oriental hotel had developed, including a full scale strike, but he also successfully raised 36 percent in Food & Beverages revenues over four years and had an 8 percent increase in occupancy during his last 12 months there.

In some ways Benney is like the Greek mythological chaacter Midas of the hotel industry, every property he takes over seems to turn into a masterpiece.

For instance, he managed to turn the Hyatt Regency in Perth, Australia from a substandard non-profitable hotel, into a quality asset providing a return of investment (ROI) over 12% to its owners and doubled property value in three years.

Having had such experiences with crisis management, Benney thinks he is a firm believer of 'do the right things' rather than 'do the things right'. "The mentality of 'my way or the highway' is certainly not how we do business in this industry."

In 2011, Benney came to China again as the managing director of Regent Beijing, after being away for over two decades.

He thinks tremendous changes have occurred in the industry, but beneath the surface some fundamental things have remained the same. "For example, I think people here are much wealthier now compared with 25 years ago, but the majority of them have remained humble."

The manager with the Midas touch said, "When I was approached to look after a property in crisis, I'd initially prioritize its issues." Benney also said he'd focus on the hotel's main aspects, such as the management team, operating system as well as the hotel structure.

"Luckily for me, the Regent Beijing still doesn't need any of my expertise in this area any time soon," he joked.

Benney pointed out that employees' attitude is another key factor during the management and restructuring process. "The fact that some employees are reluctant to adjust where changes are inevitable and necessary, makes the process even more complicated."

But he also cited it's crucial to protect the staff and their loyalty at all time, especially during crunch times. "I can speak from my own experience; this is just as important as to protect the best interest of the hotel's shareholders and owners."

As for any advice for young hoteliers who have come abroad, he says it is key for them to be patient and be culturally aware. "Make sure to develop certain skills while working in China and what's more, to learn something about yourself."