Q&A Session

Michiel Fortuin, Partner at DBF Events, a company created in 2012. Michiel and his wife, Delphine (who founded DBF) are both highly experienced event professionals with vast experience of the hospitality industry specialising in the UK and French MICE market.

DBF organises networking forums, believing that good business is based on trust and relationships.

So, that’s Michiel’s passion now, but I first met Michiel far too many years ago to fit on the fingers of both hands, let alone adding in any toes.

Michiel was Director of Sales at, what was then, the Mayfair Intercontinental Hotel (now the Radisson Mayfair), and he hosted many client show rounds for me while he was at the hotel, he has worked in and moved around the hospitality industry all the time I have known him.

So, I thought, let’s find out a bit more ….

How did you get into the hospitality industry, what was your first role/position, was that the plan or did it happen organically for you, did you fall into the industry?

It was one of these things that just happen. I left the Dutch Royal Navy when I was 21, I was wondering what to do next and I literally walked into the Hilton Amsterdam saying I was looking for a job. Funnily and strangely enough they offered me a job as a Night Auditor. I had no idea what that was and that I would spend the next 5 years with Hilton. In those 5 years I got a transfer to London.

What role/position or venue was your best fit at the time?  I think, potentially because it was where we met, the Mayfair Intercontinental was a good fit but you might think differently.

The experience I had before the Mayfair was at the Hyde Park Hotel (Now the London Mandarin). Here one of the great GM’s mentored me and got me into sales. However, the best time was doing Guest Relations, looking after VIP’s. A brilliant role and I loved it. Apart from meeting loads of celebrities and really very important people it brought me to ensure that the hotel team knew what and who was in the hotel and to understand how small things make a big difference. Remembering what “my” guests liked and, or wanted and, of course to remember personal things. In a way it was an “All about people” job

Tell me, if you can, obviously without naming names, what has been the most embarrassing experience you’ve witnessed at work? 

Simple and I’m not afraid to share. One day at the Hyde Park Hotel I was Duty Manager and needed to open the restaurant for the window cleaners. Also, that day we had Johnny Depp staying, who I had not seen. Whilst standing in-front of the restaurant with the keys. Mr Depp and a friend walk down the stairs towards the restaurant. He did not really look like a regular guest and I thought he was the window cleaner. Easy mistake to make and not sure how I talked myself out of that one.

Working in hospitality gives us all stories that could probably fill a book. What’s your best one?

Far too many to tell and “yes” I should write a book. But before I do that I better get some legal advice.

You must have come across a number of celebrities throughout your career so far, have you ever been star struck?  When, where and who?

I’ve met everyone from Richard Gere to Madonna, Pavarotti, Robin Williams, Tina Turner and far too many more to list really and that is not showing off. I had the pleasure of having tea with the Reagans after Ronald was knighted by the late Queen. That was special.

Do you have an hotel or location that you hold in your heart whether it’s one you’ve visited or one you have on your wish list?  Why is it special?

This is a difficult one to answer. The hotel and the occasion make “The Special” Special. Having said that, having breakfast in Hotel de Palais in Biarritz is one of these really special ones for me. Wish list? Funnily enough it is the Villa D’Este in Como. With the recent event in Como we where just next door. But the event was better at The Hilton Lake Como. Will visit that one at some stage.

So, go on then, tell me something that no-one or not many people know about you?

I was not so bad at playing Backgammon and when I was about 16 and managed to play at the World Championship in Monaco. At that stage wanted to be a professional.

What makes working in the hospitality so special, so worthwhile?

It sounds like a canned reply, but it is the people. If they work in this industry, they sort of want to “serve” which is may be the wrong word. Maybe to please is better and this makes them by nature “nice” people. Those who come to a restaurant and, or hotel want to feel recognised, loved and cared for and “crave” recognition. If these two parts come together then it becomes a pleasure from both sides.

If you had to plan an event for yourself, for whatever occasion, where would it be and what would it look like?  Money is no object, by the way!

Funny enough my pet hate is my birthday. For one I do not accept that I am getting older and far more important I get really embarrassed and flustered if it is about me. So, no event for “me” really but an event for friends “yes”. What? We did, just pre-pandemic, a type of Top Gear Cheap Car challenge. Ten cars under £1,000.00 and drove with 20 friends to a Chateau in France. That was still one of the best weekends ever. So, it is about the company not the money! Apart from that: Just having a coffee and reading my book in the morning sunshine will do me!

What’s your proudest moment either to do with work or your personal life?

There are many. Of course, I am very proud of my kids and the way the are growing into responsible, respectful, and driven adults. (Note to self: Should maybe do that one day). The quiet moments I have at an event and I can stand back and see that everyone is having a good time. The way Delphine and I work together and, on top of that live together. I would never have thought to do what we do and would have politely told you to etc etc if you would have told me all this 40 years ago.

Tell me about your guilty event secret pleasure?  

The way management and staff in the hotels look after (little) me. I know that I am (for them) a client and I know that they intend to give me that little extra. But it makes me giggle as I am still a heart just a member of staff.

If you hadn’t been involved in hospitality, what career would you have followed or would have loved to have excelled in?

Really no idea. As in the beginning of the Q&A I did not intend to follow this path and at that stage I just wanted to possibly take a few years off and see what was out there. It did not turn out that way and I am really happy about that.

And finally, you get your say … what question would you ask yourself and love to answer? Promote DBF if you want, be my guest ;o))))

When I joined DBF and we created “Be our guest” and “All about people” it gave us the freedom to really do what we believe in and wanted to do. That those events have now been running for 10 years and are still increasing in popularity is mad. But then again as I have said in the above and if you actually have read the above it is no surprise. We as company truly believe that our industry is about “People”. The physical hotel, plane, bus, restaurant do nothing, it is the people and now I rest my valise!