Theron Niles is only 26 years old. He has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Hospitality Management and is quickly climbing the ladder of success at Four Seasons Resorts and Residences, Anguilla. And, for Theron, who was recently-appointed as the Anguillian Manager at Sunset Lounge there, the sky is the limit.
Tall, elegant and articulate, Theron told an impressive story about himself; his journey at Four Seasons; and gave a glimpse of his further aspirations, in an interview with The Anguillian newspaper.
“I studied at the University of Derby and Buxton [in the UK] at the Campus of Hospitality and Events Management – and I did three years there,” he said. “During the course of my second year, I heard that Four Seasons was taking over the Anguilla property formerly held by Viceroy. At the hospitality school, Four Seasons was very revered for its service and standards and as a leader in the market. This was a company I always wanted to work for when I left university. I decided that Anguilla was home for me and so I reached out to Four Seasons’ HR Department to do a Management Training Programme. They mentioned that they didn’t yet put such a programme together, but I can do an internship which would be unpaid for, and then we would see where we go from there.”
He admitted that it was difficult to work without pay, but he took the risk and the opportunity. “I started at the Front Desk and did a three-month internship in 2017. It was very good and I learned a lot,” he recalled. “At first I thought that I might not be Four Seasons’ material, but I met with the General Manager and my Manager. I was told what was expected of me and that I would eventually get the hang of things – and I did. It was very good for me to have the exposure and I would not have given up that opportunity for the world. When I returned to university, everyone was happy to welcome me back. I finished my studies and when I returned to Four Seasons, I resumed working as a Front Desk Agent.”
He continued: “I am currently the Outlet Manager of Sunset Lounge, which is a very casual bar, on the cliff, and I also oversee the Sunset Pool. It is absolutely stunning at sunset time. I plan to be with Four Seasons for good. This is a company that really upholds values that are close to my heart, and I think I really want to take it far with Four Seasons, Anguilla. That includes taking some time from the property, getting some experience outside, and then returning and giving back to my people.”
Theron said that during the course of his work, as a Front Desk Agent, a programme was developed to enable him to grow and rotate in other departments – and to ascend to Assistant Manager Level. “That was the Local Anguillian Assistant Manager, and it was put together by our Learning Manager, Lorena. This programme was very good for me, and it has given me the opportunity to rotate in the supporting departments.
“I was training to be an Assistant Manager at the Front Desk. The supporting departments included Engineering and Housekeeping that traditionally would have conflicted with the Front Desk where I worked. So it was important for me to understand how they work and how I could bridge communication gaps between those departments. That programme actually did it for me. When I went to Engineering I understood why Engineering did things the way they did – and why it took the time it took for them to make things happen for us. When I went to Housekeeping, it did the same for me; and it gave me a more holistic view of how things worked and operated from the back end. It helped me how I could become a much better Front Desk Manager – having that knowledge and experience, and to communicate better with the supporting departments.
“Along the way, I was recognised by our Directors of Food and Beverage (F&B) who said to me: ‘We know you have some talent in F&B’. And the Manager at Sunset Lounge, at the time, asked me to do some bartending shifts as he needed some help there. I had some previous experience, after having supervised bars in the United Kingdom, and so I was happy to do that. It was a field that I previously always had a passion for.
“When I got into the bar it was like I was making the cocktails and teaching everyone. The guests loved it. I am making good money and everyone is happy. The Manager pulled me aside and told me: ‘We see some talent in you in F&B, and we want you to come away from the pretty ladies at the Front Desk and to take you with us. That’s where I feel that my journey within the F&B Department started.
“The Local Anguillian Assistant Manager Programme started shortly after, and I continued to develop from there. I did a festive season which included the big wedding that everyone heard about in November last year. It was a massive F&B operation with millions of dollars in decorations and food products. It was unique, as well, because of the dietary requirements of the group we had – and so it gave me a lot of exposure and a precedent to learn from and to emulate. After having that experience, I decided I definitely wanted to take it forward with the F&B Department, and so I stuck with Sunset Lounge and close to my Manager. He really gave me the tools and the opportunity that I needed to grow – and I think everyone else tried to foster my growth; and that’s something I am very grateful for today.
“After the Festive Season, we encountered the Covid-19 pandemic and we had to close the hotel. We were out for several months and when we came back, I had the unique opportunity to become the Outlet Manager at Sunset Lounge. Maybe I might have wanted to have a bit more experience before taking on such a task, but my degree prepared me for it and my Manager told me: ‘You are going to have the support. Take it easy. Take it step by step. Don’t try to be perfect. You have to make mistakes in order to grow.’
“I am a few months into the journey now and I am still learning so much every day. It has been such a journey for me and I am just making sure that I share it. I am very appreciative of the people who have helped to foster my growth and have really recognised my talent and pushed me forward.”
How Theron feels to be an Anguillian in that managerial post?
“Very good”, he replied. “Such positions are usually held by Managers who have much more experience globally. Having the opportunity to be in the position I am in is very unique because this restaurant is the heart of the hotel. It has a very high revenue base and a very big team. As you can imagine, the challenges and expectation are very high – not only for the guests, but for the management to deliver. Everything I do, I give 100 percent every day. At the end of it all, I expect to say that I had the opportunity to run Sunset Lounge. It was something that I was successful in and now I am ready to take on another challenge. For me, the sky is the limit.”
The resort’s Learning and Development Manager, Lorena Lobbo, spoke highly of Theron. She commented: “We are very proud of him. Our first idea was to turn him into a Front Office Assistant Manager, but we spotted his talent in F&B. Theron puts his heart and best effort in everything he does. We want to develop local leadership and it is something that we are going to do more frequently. When I came to the property, a year ago [from Brazil], one of the most important goals the company spoke to me about was to start developing local leaderships – and this is what we are doing.”
Theron is a product of that local leadership programme. He is the proud son of Mr. Andrew Niles, a well-known banker, and Mrs. Erlyn Niles, a popular civil servant. The couple has another son – Trey Niles – who works as a chef at Four Seasons Resort and Residences, Anguilla. The family grew up in South Hill, but, now resides at Little Harbour.
